New partnership provides additional scholarship funding for BCPS grads at Michigan private colleges, universities

BATTLE CREEK — Battle Creek Public Schools is building upon its Bearcat Advantage scholarship, partnering with Michigan Colleges Alliance to offer additional scholarship funding at many of Michigan's private colleges and universities.

The new partnership, announced Wednesday, will provide students an opportunity for full gap funding to cover the difference between the Bearcat Advantage scholarship and the tuition and fees required at 15 of Michigan’s private colleges and universities, including Albion College, Kalamazoo College and the University of Olivet.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of Michigan Colleges Alliance for making private higher education more accessible to students who otherwise may not have the opportunity to pursue it,” Battle Creek Public Schools Superintendent Kimberly Carter said in a press release. “Developing world-class educational experiences for our students by eliminating opportunity gaps is a top priority. This announcement marks another exciting milestone on the path to dismantling systemic inequities and advancing equity in education.”

Launched in May 2023 and supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Bearcat Advantage scholarship covers up to 100% of tuition and mandatory fees for qualifying graduates, beginning with the class of 2023, to eligible four-year colleges and universities in Michigan or Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country. Scholarship amounts are awarded on a sliding scale based on the length of time a student has been continuously enrolled at BCPS.

The Bearcat Advantage is available to use for a four-year undergraduate degree for up to six years after high school graduation.

Starting with the class of 2024, BCPS graduates eligible to receive the Bearcat Advantage will also be eligible to receive additional scholarship funding to attend any of the 15 Michigan Colleges Alliance institutions.

The scholarship amounts are calculated using the stated tuition and fees at the University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science & the Arts as the maximum award amount, which initially meant that students attending private schools within Michigan or eligible HBCUs would need to cover the difference in cost between the University of Michigan and their intended institution independently from the Bearcat Advantage. This new opportunity made possible by Michigan Colleges Alliance allows the next generation of BCPS students the option to attend 15 private colleges and universities in Michigan without the financial barriers of covering that difference in cost.

The 15 eligible institutions are Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Andrews University, Aquinas College, Calvin University, College for Creative Studies, University of Detroit Mercy, Hillsdale College, Hope College, Kalamazoo College, Madonna University, The University of Olivet, Siena Heights University, and Spring Arbor University.

“College choice is critical to student success, and we are fortunate to have so many leading higher education options in our network,” Robert Bartlett, president of Michigan Colleges Alliance, said. “It has always been among our top priorities to broaden college choice and access in Michigan, and we are delighted that this partnership with the Bearcat Advantage will allow more students the opportunity to pursue education at one of our many campuses.”

This new partnership "will have a positive impact on BCPS students and the broader Battle Creek community for generations to come," district officials said. It also represents yet another step toward expanded access and opportunity for students attending BCPS, where an expansive transformation has been underway for the past seven years.

In 2017, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation provided the district with a historic five-year, $51 million investment in support of a district transformation with the goal of increasing racial equity by reducing barriers to success for children in the community.

The transformation has spurred new opportunities for students to thrive by rolling out new academic and extracurricular programs, and increased systems of support for BCPS families. As part of the transformation, Battle Creek Central High School was re-envisioned with a Career Academies model to provide all students with the opportunity to explore different career paths through hands-on, experiential curriculum, developing the skills necessary to excel in school, the workforce and beyond.

To learn more about the Bearcat Advantage and Michigan Colleges Alliance partnership, visit battlecreekpublicschools.org/BearcatAdvantage.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Battle Creek Public Schools bolsters 'Bearcat Advantage' with new partnership