BIG RAPIDS, Mich. — High School graduates from Newaygo County will soon be able to attend a 4-year college with a major scholarship in hand.
Ferris State University joined the Newaygo County Area Promise Zone on Friday, making a $5,000 scholarship available. The money will only be available for students who graduate from a high school or registered homeschool program in Newaygo County with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
The funding comes from the Newaygo County Promise Scholarship, which will cover up to $5,000 a year for 4 years for students who attend Ferris State with at least 12 credit hours each semester. Started in 2016, the promise zone had only partnered with Muskegon Community College until this agreement with Ferris State.
“Communities grow and thrive when residents have access to a quality education,” Ferris State President Bill Pink said. “I am so thrilled to form this partnership with the Newaygo Promise Zone Authority, as it will provide students with even more opportunities and improve access to our transformational programs at Ferris State. This will positively impact students directly, but also families and the greater Newaygo County community.”
Scholarships from the promise zone will be eligible for Ferris State students starting in fall 2025.
“We are thrilled to announce the addition of Ferris State University as an eligible college for the Promise Zone Scholarship,” Prewitt said. “Ferris State has been a valued partner to Newaygo County school districts, and we look forward to the incredible opportunities this will create for our students to succeed and thrive."
The promise zone covers the public school districts of Big Jackson, Fremont, Grand, Hesperia, Newaygo, and White Cloud. Students are eligible for a percentage of a scholarship based on the number of years they attended a Newaygo County school at the junior high and high school grades.
Those who attend all 6 years will earn 100%; 5 years earn 90%; 4 years earn 80%; 3 years earn 60%; 2 years earn 40%; and 1 year earns 20%.
Students who graduated with a GPA between 2.0 and 2.5 could use the promise scholarship to off-set the cost of apprenticeship programs.
More details about the Newaygo County Area Promise Zone, check out their website.
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