By Laura Fitzgerald
The Community Foundation of St. Clair County has announced it has 167 area students in its total scholarship support program for the upcoming 2025/2026 school year. Of that amount, 64 are high school graduates from 2025 and the remainder are returning college students.
“Our scholarship committee is deeply committed to the foundation’s philosophy of not only helping students get to college—but also ensuring they have the support needed to thrive once they’re there,” said Cliff Thomason, a Community Foundation Board member and member of its scholarship selection committee.
“Today’s students face a growing number of challenges, and the need for comprehensive, wraparound support has never been greater,” he added. “That’s why we believe it’s essential for scholarship funding to go beyond tuition, addressing the real-life needs that can make or break a student’s path to success.”
These scholarships include new awards, scholarship renewals, and High Priority (HP) student awards, totaling more than $480,000 from 43 different scholarship funds. A complete list of our 2025 scholarship recipients can be found here.
These awards provide funds for tuition and often-overlooked life expenses that can derail a student’s education, such as books, class supplies, uniforms, food, housing, transportation, medical needs, and emergency expenses. Several funds are focused on HP students, who face systemic socioeconomic barriers to graduation.
Of the scholarship recipients:
- 33% are first-generation college students
- 34% come from single-parent households
- 14% are from a diverse background
Students also receive mentorship and social support from Foundation staff, such as helping students choose classes, accessing additional resources, and navigating the complicated world of post-secondary education.
“Together, this combination of financial and personal support empowers students to stay on track, graduate, and confidently move toward their professional goals,” said Jessica Flann, Community Foundation Program Officer for Post Secondary Success.
Instead of traditional scholarships, which provide only one-time lump sums, the Foundation’s scholarships are designed to support a student throughout their educational journey so they can reach graduation.
“We definitely believe that providing support beyond just tuition will become even more important in the future,” Flann said. “While basic needs and non-tuition expenses have long been overlooked in traditional aid models, we see them as critical to student success. With potential changes ahead in federal aid programs, we’re committed to staying attentive, adaptable, and ready to help students navigate the often unpredictable path of post-secondary education.”
How Scholarships have made a Difference in the Lives of Two St. Clair County Students
Lawrence Technological University student and Marine City High School graduate Charles Tigert received $5,000 in total from the Howard A. Acheson, Christian B. & Agness A. Haas, and James Wilhelm scholarships for the upcoming academic year. He has received funds from the Foundation for each of the past three academic years.
Tigert expressed gratitude for the Foundation’s financial support – which allows him to focus on his studies – and staff’s moral support.
“Every year they send me a gift box and let me know if there is anything I want to talk about or need help with they are there for me,” Tigert said. “They have always felt like a safety net for me if anything was ever going wrong in my life.”
Marysville High School graduate Ella Carlson is pursuing her interests in math and psychology at the University of Michigan in the fall with the help of the $4,000 Ted and Joyce Wildermuth Scholarship.
While her major is undecided, she hopes to use her interests to one day help people and find a job in a big city.
“I can’t even begin to describe how much this scholarship will help me to achieve my academic and career goals,” Carlson said. “One thing for sure is that it takes some of the pressure off of college tuition. This will allow me to fully immerse myself in the culture and social aspects at U of M without stress of how to pay for it.”
How You Can Support College Students
Donations to any of the Foundation’s scholarship funds can be made at stclairfoundation.org. To discuss establishing a new scholarship fund, please contact Foundation Vice President Jackie Hanton at (810) 984-4761 or jackie@stclairfoundation.org.
“This work wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our donors. We deeply appreciate their openness and responsiveness to the ever-changing needs of students in our region,” Flann said. “Their willingness to support scholarship use beyond just tuition is a true game changer for students in St. Clair County.
Scholarship applications are accepted year-round. Occasionally, funding is available after the main round of scholarship selections. Visit https://stclairfoundation.org/scholarships/ to apply.