Kellogg Community College students have many ways to go about finding scholarships.
Some options include the KCC website, searching for county scholarships or on scholarship websites like fastweb.com. Scholarships are available based on financial need, specific programs of study, interests, academic status and more.
For KCC students, many scholarships are facilitated by the KCC Foundation.
“The Foundation facilitates over 170 scholarships for KCC students,” KCC Foundation Program and Events Coordinator Alex Carlson said. “I recommend all KCC students visit kellogg.academicworks.com to apply for KCC scholarships.”
There are a few KCC Foundation scholarships that offer a “full-ride” to attend KCC. Two of the most prestigious scholarships with the highest award amounts are the Gold Key Scholarship and the Board of Trustees Scholarship, which are both administered by the KCC Foundation.
KCC freshman Lauren Ringewold, a 2021 Gold Key Scholarship recipient, said the scholarship allowed her to have this year of college completely paid for so she didn’t have to take out a loan or pay for school out of pocket.
“It allowed me to save money to put towards a four-year program after graduating from KCC,” Ringewold said. “I also did some looking of my own at the Barry Community Foundation to look for more local scholarships.”
Many Gold Key and Board of Trustees scholarship recipients say the KCC scholarships have impacted their lives and academic careers immensely.
Brooklyn Williams, an Olivet High School graduate and Gold Key Scholarship recipient, said she found out about the KCC scholarships from her high school counselor.
“I honestly had no clue that they offered this,” Williams said. “But I am very thankful that I was told about it.”
These two specific scholarships are available for anyone planning to attend KCC as a first-year student graduating with a high school diploma. The applicants for the Board of Trustees Scholarship must also reach the requirement of a minimum 3.2 high school GPA and attend one of the 14 schools listed on the KCC Foundation website at kellogg.edu/kccscholarships.
Serena Domsic, an Olivet High School graduate and 2021 Gold Key Scholarship recipient, said the Gold Key Scholarship “really changed my life because I didn’t have to worry about paying so much for my classes. Also, all the leadership training has helped me grow and make friends.”
On top of finding scholarships, students applying for scholarships must be diligent in answering scholarship essay questions and in completing other steps in the application process. Though a select few don’t require an essay, many scholarship applications do.
“You want to make sure you complete the other demographic and financial questions, but spend some time editing your essays for grammar and spelling, proofreading them (I recommend reading them out loud), as well as making sure you are thoughtful and detailed in your answers,” Carlson said.
Carlson recommends writing at least one paragraph per question and pacing yourself to turn it in before the deadline to increase your chances of selection.
More information about scholarships for KCC students can be found at kellogg.academicworks.com or by emailing Carlson at carlsona@kellogg.edu.
