Community Scholarship Program

AAACF's Community Scholarship program supports students from low-income families; students of color; and first-generation college students.

The Community Scholarship Program was carefully designed based on research and a close local partnership with Washtenaw Futures, the local college access network hosted by the Washtenaw Intermediate School District. Eastern Michigan University and Washtenaw Community College are also important partners in our efforts. Local data from Washtenaw Futures confirmed national findings that three groups stand to benefit the most from higher education degrees, yet often lack the resources to achieve them: students from low-income families; students of color; and first-generation college students.

AAACF’s Community Scholarship Program provides multi-year scholarships for students from these three populations because research shows that the later years of college are the hardest to find support. Because our goal is not to distribute scholarships but to graduate students, the Community Scholarship Program also provides a “success coach” for the recipients to encourage their successful navigation through their educational journeys. The success coach provides students with guidance and encouragement, helping students to take full advantage of the resources available to them through their respective schools. They also create a sense of community among CSP recipients, organizing events for the students to get to know each other.