Local Scholarships and Grants for Northeast Wisconsin College Students
February 8, 2018
The price tag of a college education is certainly significant, but for high school graduates with big plans and ambitious dreams it can be well worth it.
Many students in Wisconsin choose to take advantage of in-state tuition rates from the University of Wisconsin System, others pursue a trade through the Wisconsin Technical School System, and still others will decide to attend one of the state’s private schools. Check out our review of Wisconsin colleges if you’re still narrowing your search for the right school.
There are a lot of decisions for college-bound students and parents to make. Some of the biggest will concern financial aid. The first step is filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). However, beyond federal assistance, there are also opportunities to apply for local scholarships and grants.
Many organizations and foundations in the Fox Cities and Green Bay area have funds set up dedicated to help the best and brightest in our communities find success. That includes Unison Credit Union.
The John Aman Memorial Scholarship is awarded to students who reflect the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” If you’re a Unison member with a college-bound student who is dedicated to helping his or her community through volunteering and other means, please consider applying. Unison Credit Union will be awarding five, $2,000 scholarships this spring. The application deadline for 2018 is March 17.
To help your family conduct financial aid research, and because every little bit counts, we’ve assembled several resources and ideas for Northeast Wisconsin high school graduates.
State Grants and Scholarships in Wisconsin
The State of Wisconsin Higher Education Aids Boards (HEAB) handles government grants and scholarships for college students. When applying for state aid, your eligibility for need will be based on information in the FAFSA form and must be completed before you apply.
- The Wisconsin Grant provides financial assistance to residents attending public, private, and tribal institutions. Applicants attending state schools are eligible for grants between $250 and $3,000. The HEAB sets the maximum award for private schools annually.
- The Talent Incentive Program Grant (TIP) is meant for Wisconsin residents with the most financial need and those who may have been educationally disadvantaged. First-time recipients are nominated by school financial aid offices or counselors from the Wisconsin Educational Opportunities Programs (WEOP). TIP grants range from $600 to $1,800 a year.
- The Wisconsin Technical Excellence Scholarship (TES) is awarded to high school seniors who show a high level of proficiency in technical subjects. The scholarship is valued at up to $2,250 per year, and students must attend one of 16 specific technical colleges to qualify for TES funding.
- The Wisconsin Academic Excellence Scholarship (AES) is awarded to public and private high school students with the highest grade point averages (GPA) in their class. The number of available scholarships per school is dependent on enrollment numbers. The scholarship is valued at $2,250, half of which is paid by the state and the other half is covered by participating educational institutions.
Visit the HEAB website for more information including grants for minorities, those with disabilities, and state loan programs.
Community-Specific Scholarships
You may be surprised at the number of college scholarships available to high school students in the communities that Unison Credit Union serves. An excellent resource for exploring your options comes courtesy of the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.
Using the foundation’s online tool, you can search for available scholarships by the school your student attended. Here are several examples of scholarships in our area …
- The Cooney Simon Memorial Scholarship is a $1,000 award for graduates of Kaukauna and Kimberly high schools who demonstrate a willingness to go above and beyond through community volunteering.
- The Albert W. and Louise M. Wuyts Scholarship provides a range of renewable scholarships to Kaukauna high school students with a 3.0 GPA or higher who plan to attend a two- or four-year college and have demonstrated good moral character and citizenship.
- The Appleton Rotary Foundation Scholarship is available to students graduating from any public or private Appleton high school who are in the top 50% of their class and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The scholarship awards up to three students $1,000 a year over four years.
- The Huston Family Scholarship is for students from Appleton, Neenah, and Menasha who plan to attend a state school in Wisconsin. This $2,000, one-time scholarship is designed for students who may not otherwise have a chance to further their educational aspirations.
- The Hanna Fitton Living Your Dreams Scholarship is a $513 scholarship for Appleton, Kimberly, Kaukauna, Neenah, and Menasha students who have a physical disability and plan to attend college.
- Outstanding students who attended high school in Green Bay, De Pere/West De Pere, Ashwaubenon, and Wrightstown are eligible for the Brian LaViolette Scholarship. Qualification for this $10,000 scholarship involves nomination by the school principal.
- The Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation has additional inspirational scholarships benefitting area students.
- The Great Expectations Scholarship is given to graduating high school students in Brown County who plan to attend a prestigious university. The scholarship award is up to $40,000 over four years for need-based applications and $8,000 for four years for merit-based applicants. The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation has a list of many other available scholarships for high school students in Brown County.
- Your local chapter of the Kiwanis Club may also have community-specific scholarships available.
Career/Trade Specific Financial Aid
For local graduates who know what kind of career they plan to pursue, state and local scholarships are available for a variety of degrees and vocations. Here are just some of your options …
- The Helen Spasoff Kratzer Scholarship is for female students pursuing a degree in education in the University of Wisconsin System. It is a non-renewable $2,500 scholarship for students from Appleton, Neenah, and Menasha.
- There’s also the Women in Science Scholarship for high school seniors from Appleton, Neenah, or Menasha, which supports females earning a degree in science, engineering, or mathematics.
- There are quite a few scholarships for students planning to pursue nursing, including:
- Scholarships and Grants from the Wisconsin Nurses Association (WNA)
- Claire Fell Doherty Nursing Scholarship (Kaukauna)
- Frank Schnabl Scholarship for Nursing (attending UW Fox Valley)
- Sy and Bernice Ward Scholarship (Brown County)
- The Mildred Ryan Disher Scholarship goes to Fox Valley students pursuing a veterinary career.
- Fox Valley students planning to major in music performance or music education can apply for the Miller Family Music Education Scholarship.
- Students from the Fox Valley area with plans for a career in accounting can apply for the Quentin and Ermagard Kuenzli Family Scholarship.
- The Rotary Club of Green Bay has a few scholarship opportunities, including one for Green Bay area students pursuing a business degree.
Keep in mind, this is not a comprehensive list of available local scholarships. You’ll also find scholarships for students who participated in specific sports or other extracurricular activities. Your high school guidance counselor is another excellent resource for identifying the right financial aid opportunities.
Make a Plan for College with Unison Credit Union
If you’d like to apply for Unison’s John Aman Memorial Scholarship, consider becoming a member of our community-focused credit union. The knowledgeable Member Advisors at Unison can help you and your family make plans for paying for college.
There are savings accounts that allow you to set aside funds ahead of time as well as student loans such as the Unison Credit Union Smart Option Student Loan from Sallie Mae.
Setting up a checking account with Unison before students leave for college is an excellent way to start learning money management and financial responsibility. After graduation, we can even help with student loan consolidation and come up with a plan to pay down college debt.
Stop in at one of our credit union locations soon to talk about how Unison empowers local students as they pursue a bright future!