The Community Foundation is pleased to announce the latest John F. & Rose Marie Wismer Community Foundation Scholarship recipient – Therese Georgia.

“Winning the Wismer scholarship means so much to me,” Therese said. “It showed me that people in my community really care about my education and are now helping me to pay for college. I’m so grateful to receive this scholarship and I can’t thank the Community Foundation enough.”

Thanks to John and Rose Marie Wismer’s generosity and foresight, Therese and the five returning Wismer scholarship recipients received awards ranging from $5,000-$10,000 to continue their education. Established in 2003, this prestigious award is for students with proven academic achievement, leadership abilities, and involvement in community and other extracurricular activities.

A recent graduate of Port Huron Northern High School, Therese will be attending Rochester Institute of Technology in New York to study computer science. She chose RIT because it is important to her to get life experiences away from her home state. This renewable scholarship will help ease the added costs of an out-of-state university.

Second-year Wismer recipient Panayia Melistas is also enjoying her time away from home. She stayed in-state, but the large University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor where she studies biology was a big adjustment after graduating from Memphis High School last year.

“My college experience so far has been incredible,” Panayia said. “I have met the most amazing people and am so thrilled to be surrounded by such a passionate community. It has been a significant adjustment from my tiny high school and I am getting the hang of it and how the workload is dished out here. Overall I’m so thrilled to see what opportunities await.”

The on-going support from the John F. & Rose Marie Wismer Community Foundation Scholarship Fund allows Panayia to enjoy her time pursuing a bachelor’s, something that wasn’t possible for her parents or siblings.

Therese and Panayia are also joined by second-year recipient Claire Marquardt (University of Michigan – Music), third-year recipient Marisa May (University of Michigan – Mechanical Engineering), and fourth-year recipients Deschalyn Riase (Central Michigan University – Organizational Leadership) and Bryson DenUyl (University of Michigan – Engineering).

In addition to the above recipients, the Community Foundation is also celebrating the graduation of Carra Eagen, who received $33,500 from 2019-2022. She graduated from the University of Michigan this May with a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience.

Thanks to the Wismer’s past support, she is now ready to apply to genetic counseling programs this fall.

“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity and I’m really looking forward to grad school,” Carra said.

John and Rose Marie had the students’ success in mind from the beginning when it came to establishing the scholarship fund. John himself attended the University of Michigan before having to drop out because he couldn’t afford it. He later enrolled at Michigan State University, working nights to put himself through college. He went on to become a successful businessman and founder of Wismer Broadcasting (known today as Radio First). He and his wife were passionate about giving back to their community and investing in future generations through education.