7/1/2021
ALPENA – Three hundred nine (309) students from the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan (CFNEM) and its affiliate foundation service area have been awarded scholarships this year. Of that amount, 158 awards totaling $272,600 were awarded to students in the four-county region of Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency and Presque Isle Counties.
“Across all nine counties served by the Foundation, our students have received $500,800 in scholarships in 2021,” said CFNEM Program Director Laurie Nugent. “Most of these awards are for the 2021-2022 academic year, but several are multi-year awards.”
Students receiving scholarships are from across the Community Foundation’s nine-county service area, which includes Alcona, Alpena, Cheboygan, Crawford, Iosco, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Oscoda and Presque Isle Counties. This service area includes CFNEM and three affiliate foundations: Iosco County Community Foundation, North Central Michigan Community Foundation, and Straits Area Community Foundation.
“Behind every single scholarship is the story and legacy of the donor who is caring for the next generation, making these awards possible,” said Nugent. “The students receiving the scholarships have so many demands placed on them in a very competitive atmosphere, and the last two years of their education have been incredibly challenging. The benefit of receiving a scholarship – no matter the size – can have a real impact on their future and helping them with their education.”
“Because people who care about our communities and those who live here chose to give back, the Foundation was able to award over 300 scholarships this year,” said CFNEM Executive Director Patrick Heraghty. “That number speaks volumes about our communities, our donors, and the incredible gift it is for these students to be cared for in this way by generous people they may never even meet.”
Heraghty says one of the unique aspects of the CFNEM scholarship program is that many of its scholarships are not just determined by academic achievement. Each scholarship reflects the intentions of the donor, and in some cases, that means the emphasis is placed on student interests such as farming, a trade such as welding or plumbing, the arts, or healthcare. All area students planning to attend college are encouraged to apply for scholarships, regardless of whether they plan to attend a trade certification program, community college or a four-year university.
Scholarships for the 2022 season for the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan will be open in early January.
The Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan is a nonprofit charitable organization committed to providing people who care about the future of our area with unique and effective ways of supporting their community now, and for generations to come.
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