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Half a Million Dollars in Scholarships Awarded

Group of formally dressed scholarship recipients posing outside by a brick building, with some standing and others kneeling

Image description: 2025 Crystal Downs Country Club Scholarship Recipients together in a group photo. The students are smiling and wearing business or semi-formal attire.

The Grand Traverse Regional Community Foundation recently awarded 277 scholarships, totaling $509,728, to 223 high school seniors, college students, and trade school students across the five-county region.  

“The variety of scholarships we have provide opportunities for students pursuing diverse post-secondary pathways,” said Gina Thornbury, senior community impact manager of the Community Foundation. “Supporting access to education and learning beyond high school is an essential part of building healthy, resilient, thriving communities.”

As part of this year’s scholarship awards, the Community Foundation supported:

  • $77,462 to 24 students from Antrim County.
  • $173,397 to 38 students from Benzie County.
  • $214,763 to 139 students from Grand Traverse County.
  • $17,272 to six students from Kalkaska County.
  • $13,204 to eight students from Leelanau County.
  • $13,630 to eight students from outside the region through partnerships with national and state-wide organizations.

In addition to these scholarships, the Community Foundation granted $110,000 earlier this year to 10 local schools and school districts to support student scholarships, including Benzie Central Schools, Buckley Community Schools, Elk Rapids Senior High School, Forest Area Community Schools, Frankfort Elberta Area Schools, Kalkaska High School, Kingsley Area Schools, Leland Public Schools, Mancelona Public Schools, and Suttons Bay Public Schools. These grants came from the Community Foundation’s Wilfred and Joan Larson Endowment and bring the Foundation’s total support for post-secondary education opportunities to $619,728.

“Congratulations to all students receiving scholarships this year! We’re honored to support their current and future endeavors,” said Torey Caviston, youth and community impact coordinator of the Community Foundation “Through the generosity of donor partners and our role as steward of community assets, every year we’re able to support local students in their post-secondary pursuits.”

For more information about Community Foundation scholarships, please visit the Foundation’s website at www.gtrcf.org/scholarships/. To view a full list of 2025 scholarship recipients, visit www.gtrcf.org/scholarships/scholarship-recipients.