Two promise scholars watched the program that helped them get through college grow on Monday.
Pa Vang, a promise scholar, is studying anthropology at MSU thanks to the Promise Scholarship Program. The program, which has given her opportunities she didn't have before.
"It's given me the opportunity to receive an education and apply it to not only my life, but into the field too," says Vang.
The scholarship gives Lansing school district students tuition and fees for an associates degree or two years towards a bachelors degree at Michigan State, Olivet College, or Lansing Community College. And more students will be able to benefit from it thanks to a $65,206 donation from the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce.
"With this donation from the Lansing Chamber today, we've been able to provide scholarship programs for over 600 Lansing resident students that have graduated from a Lansing high school," says Kellie Dean, the Lansing Promise Scholarship chair.
Those 600 students have been given awards over the course of four years, and Promise is continuing to grow.
"We have a record number of students who will be attending this fall," says Dean, "over 165 students have applied for and will be receiving Promise scholarship dollars."
One sign of growth is the new partnership allowing Promise scholars to attend Olivet College this year.
"It's one of the best partnerships that I've been involved with since I've been with the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce," says Tim Daman of the Lansing Regional Chamber.
And that's in part because it's so rewarding.
"I don't know if there's an experience more valuable, and I don't know if there's any community development effort more life changing," says Justin Sheehan of Lansing Promise.
