5 great reasons to apply for a Lake Trust Foundation scholarship.

As new calendars are pinned to our walls, it’s a visual reminder that it’s time for a fresh start. Now that a new year has finally arrived, maybe it’s time for a change. Maybe it’s time to invest in yourself and your dreams. A Lake Trust Foundation scholarship could help you get there.

Home 5 great reasons to apply for a Lake Trust Foundation scholarship.

During the past few years, many individuals have seen a change in their work situation or status. If you’ve been thinking about starting a new career, attending college or a trade school for the first time, or going back to school to continue your education, this might be a perfect time. Since 2013, the Lake Trust Foundation has offered scholarships to help Michiganders achieve their dreams. And we’re continuing this tradition in 2024 by offering five scholarships to individuals who plan to attend college, trade school, or Cleary University.

Scholarship applications are currently closed. Keep an eye out for the 2025 scholarship program announcement.

Find the right scholarship for you.

For the sixth year in a row, our New Beginnings Scholarship is available for four individuals who are interested in pursuing a skilled trade or technical career. Each New Beginnings Scholarship is worth up to $7,500 each and the funds can be used for tuition, a career technical education program, trade school costs, books, tools for your trade, or professional fees/dues.

To support our commitment of encouraging economic growth in our state, we also created a scholarship dedicated to individuals who are interested in joining the Michigan workforce after graduation. Through our Michigan Impact Scholarship, we’re offering one full-tuition scholarship that can be used for any on-campus or online program at Cleary University, for both graduates and undergraduates.

If you're still on the fence about whether you should take a chance, we have five great reasons why you should still apply for a Lake Trust Foundation scholarship.

You want to got to school in Michigan.

All of our scholarships will be awarded to Michigan residents who are committed to studying in the state. Our New Beginnings Scholarship can help with the cost of starting a technical or skilled trade career. For our Michigan Impact Scholarship, we’ll cover the cost of tuition for one individual to attend Cleary University. You can attend any Cleary University campus (Howell, Ann Arbor, or Detroit) or take classes online for an undergraduate or graduate program. If you’re not familiar with their course offerings, check out a list of undergraduate programs¹ and graduate programs¹ offered at Cleary University.

You're interested in a trade or technical career.

Our New Beginnings Scholarship can help with the costs of gaining an education through any skilled trade or technical program in Michigan. If you’d prefer to go to a college or university and you still want to major in a technical field, you should still apply for this scholarship.

There’s a great need for professionals who are versed in skilled trades and it's important to support these essential careers. However, the high cost of tools, supplies, uniforms, and professional fees are a barrier for many people who want to get started or move up in these fields. A New Beginnings Scholarship can help with these costs and help you start or advance your career.

You're excited to help your community.

We’re passionate about investing in Michigan neighborhoods and supporting local businesses. And we’re looking for individuals who share this passion for giving back and contributing to the economic growth of communities in our state. Special consideration will be given to applicants who want to get a job in one of the Michigan’s high-demand careers¹ through 2028.

In your Michigan Impact Scholarship application, you'll be asked to provide an explanation describing your chosen field, why it’s important to join the Michigan labor force, and how you want to use your skills to make a difference in Michigan communities. For example, if you’re majoring in culinary arts, tell us about your love of food and how you’ll use your talents to contribute to health and wellbeing efforts or economic development in a local area. You can use your talent to help create strong, vibrant neighborhoods.

You can get free money.

With the average cost of undergraduate education going up every year, every opportunity to save can help. While you can start saving before you enroll, trying to figure out how to save money in college and avoid taking on too much debt is hard to do.

Our New Beginnings Scholarship gives you the flexibility to use the funds for different costs associated with your education, not just room and board. This scholarship provides funds that can be used for tools, professional fees or dues, or books that need to be purchased for your program. And our Michigan Impact Scholarship covers the cost of tuition at Cleary University, an estimated value of up to $97,412². That’s a lot of savings that you could put toward something else.

You're ready to take a chance on yourself.

Even if you're unsure of going to school or going back to school, we still encourage you to apply for a Lake Trust Foundation scholarship. Building on your knowledge and starting a career you love may be closer than you think. We’re giving up to six New Beginnings Scholarships to individuals interested in trade or technical careers and up to five opportunities exist for the recipients of the Michigan Impact Scholarship.