Laker to Laker: Scholarship Highlights

Scholarships are a large and growing part of a student’s financial aid plan.  At Grand Valley State University there are many unique scholarships available.  It is important for students to do the research to find out what’s out there and then follow through by applying for the scholarship.

There are a few ways for you or your student to research the extensive list of available scholarships:

  •  Visit the scholarship website and use the advanced search capabilities to find what fits your student.

  •  Visit the Office of Fellowships website to find out more about fellowship opportunities for especially gifted students.

  •  Call the Financial Aid Office at (616) 331-3234 for further information.

One of the scholarships you might hear about in your search is the Student Legacy Scholarship. This regularly awarded and supported scholarship was created in 2007 and is given to a “typical Grand Valley student,” who shows the strong academic commitment and community involvement that represents a true Grand Valley Laker. The scholarship is made possible through gifts given by current and past students. This year, seven outstanding candidates were chosen to receive the Student Legacy Scholarship.

Latrice Jones ’12, a social work major from Wyoming, Michigan, was one of these recipients. Time and money were tight, but Jones made it a priority to give back to the community and got involved in many different service and social organizations, such as Make a Difference Day, Omicron Delta Kappa, and the Multicultural Higher Education Cohort. When she received the Student Legacy Scholarship this year, she was struck by the generosity of her fellow students.

“It is important to give back to those in need, and that’s why I’m so thankful for everyone who invested in students like me and gave to the Student Legacy Scholarship.”
- Latrice Jones

To learn about supporting scholarships, please visit the website.

Parent to Parent: The Pfennig's Story

Nothing is more rewarding as a parent than watching your son or daughter grow to become a leader in the classroom, on the field, or in a career. Michael and Debra Pfennig, parents of alumnus Tony Pfennig ’04, were proud of the growth they saw in their son each year at Grand Valley State University. In 2009, they established the Tony Pfennig Baseball Commitment Award. “We couldn’t be more proud of what Tony accomplished at Grand Valley, and we wanted to recognize others like him who are making a difference,” said Tony’s father, Michael Pfennig.

As a talented baseball player, Tony became a leader under the direction of his coach, Steve Lyon. “We saw him go from a teenager to a man,” said Pfennig.  “The growth opportunities that his coach gave him on the field carried over to his classes as well. He was always a team guy - always making sure he was doing whatever the team needed him to do.”  When the Pfennigs decided to establish a scholarship, they knew these were the qualities they would like to celebrate in the recipient.

The Pfennigs contacted the development office at Grand Valley and worked with Scholarships and Fellowships Manager Briette Bryant ’08, to make their vision come to life. “The process was very easy. Briette was really great at guiding us through the paper work and technical aspects, as well as helping us shape our goals for this award.”

Though their son has graduated from Grand Valley, the Pfennigs still feel a strong connection to the university because of their gift to future students. “We are very avid GVSU football supporters and we are still tied in with the baseball program. We’ve also gotten to know our scholarship’s recipients and their parents. Now more than ever, we know how important it is to give back to help the students at Grand Valley. I’d recommend this experience to any parent.”

For more information on how to establish a scholarship at Grand Valley, please call Briette Bryant at (616) 331-6529 or email her at bryanbri@gvsu.edu.