Healthcare Scholarship: Grand Rapids Community Foundation Scholarships
Overview of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation Scholarships
The Grand Rapids Community Foundation Scholarships are a set of academic scholarships that are awarded annually to recognize students in Kent County, Michigan. In total, the foundation awards around 70 different scholarships each year. By submitting an application into the foundation’s online scholarship application, students can automatically put their names in the pool to qualify for any one of the scholarships that apply to their situation.
The scholarships are primarily oriented towards residents of Kent County, though some scholarships are also open to residents of Allegan, Ionia, Ottawa, Montcalm or Muskegon Counties. Most scholarships require candidates to demonstrate a minimum residency of somewhere between six months and three years.
As of 2014, the application deadline for all scholarships was April 1st. However, as the precise due dates can vary slightly from year to year, it’s worth checking the Grand Rapids Community Foundation website for current information. The application period typically opens on January 1st. Winners are announced at the end of the academic year; in 2014, winners were announced on June 16th.
The academic requirements of Grand Rapids Community Foundation Scholarships vary slightly. Some scholarships require a minimum grade point average of 3.0 while others accept candidates with a minimum 2.5 grade point average. Many individual scholarships are designed to recognize students of particular ethnic or racial groups, or students pursuing a particular course of study. For example, the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids Minority Scholarship is granted to a student of color (African American, Asian, Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander) who is majoring in fine arts or performing arts. The Donald J. DeYoung Scholarship is aimed at students who are current or former wards of the court in Kent County. Many, but not all, scholarships are need-based as well as merit-based, meaning that applicants must demonstrate their financial situation of need.
The amount awarded varies among the individual scholarships. In addition, the total amount of scholarship funding may vary somewhat from year to year.
In addition to the bulk of the scholarships from The Grand Rapids Community Foundation, which use the same standard application, the foundation awards a handful of additional scholarships that require separate application procedures. For example, the Alan R. Ryan Scholarship for Catholic High School Education is aimed specifically at 8th grade students who will be entering Catholic Central or West Catholic High Schools. The Gerald M. Crane Music Award Scholarship is for high school music students.
