Interest grows in scholarshipsThe dozen or more recipients of MRA’s 2002-03 college
scholarships will be announced in mid-May. A total of 498 application requests were received this
year, topping last year’s 469. At press time, 218 completed applications
had been received. Last year, there were 230 applicants. The selection process is being conducted during April
by Scholarship Program Administrators of Nashville, Tennessee, which coordinates
the application and selection process for MRA and many other associations
and companies. Recipients are selected by an independent panel of educators
based on above-average academic performance and extracurricular involvement,
which can include part-time employment. Scholarship awards for 2002-03 will range from $500 to
$1,000 (depending on the college attended) and will total approximately
$12,000. The scholarships, which benefit MRA members and their employees
and families, are funded by Michigan Retailers Foundation, a nonprofit
educational organization established by MRA. Contributions to the foundation are tax deductible. MRA’s Board of Directors has established a goal of more than doubling the foundation’s assets, raising them to $1 million, in order to increase the number and size of the scholarship awards. |