$100,000 in Scholarships for College, Continuing Ed and Trades

During its first 12 years, the Community Choice Foundation awarded more than $1.2 million in scholarships to graduating high school seniors who attended a Michigan college or university.

Now, for the second year, eligibility has expanded to include scholarship dollars for people pursuing Skilled Trades training, as well as continuing education or certifications. In total, the Foundation awards 25 scholarships annually.

The deadline to apply for one of the 2021 Community Choice Foundation Scholarships is February 28. It’s a remarkably-easy application compared to most grants of this significant amount, and all the information can be found at: www.michiganscholarship.com.

Anyone living in Michigan is welcome to apply; it is not limited to Community Choice Credit Union members.

“With the job market changing, these new scholarships are especially important. It is estimated that 500,000 skilled trade jobs will need to be filled in Michigan by 2026,” said Jeremy Cybulski, Community Engagement Manager at Community Choice. “We had a tremendous response when we added these scholarships last year; many of the applicants expressed to us just how much they appreciated us including them. Our winners were studying everything from culinary arts to HVAC to graphic design.

“We believe in helping people achieve the life they desire. That includes giving them the financial tools and opportunities they need to get there. Finding a career that is personally and professionally fulfilling is a great first step toward success. We hope our scholarships give students seeking a variety of paths of to education the extra help they need to succeed.”

At the heart of the Foundation’s scholarship program is a desire to help others either start or continue their careers. Community Choice is looking for students who share the credit union’s passion for volunteerism and sense of community.

According to the State of Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, there is a growing demand for jobs in the professional trades, but Michigan businesses cannot find enough people with in-demand skills to fill jobs that will help them grow and thrive. Michigan needs to fill an estimated 36,590 jobs in skilled trades every year until 2028.

Interested parties should go to www.michiganscholarship.com to learn more and to fill out the application in the coming weeks.