Over $401,000 in scholarships will be awarded by the Bay Area Community Foundation in 2012.

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Bay Area Community Foundation Awards 100 Commitment Scholarships

May 20, 2012
By: O. J. Cunningham

Bay City, MI - The Bay Area Community Foundation held its fifth annual Bay Commitment Scholarship Award Ceremony at the Scottish Rite Cathedral at 7 p.m. on May 15, 2012. One hundred graduating seniors from Bay County high schools each received a $2,000 scholarship to attend Delta College or Saginaw Valley State University. The program will featured a presentation by Ashleigh LaLonde a 2011 scholarship recipient and current student at Delta College.

The Bay Commitment Scholarship provides funds to students who are the first generation (neither parent holds a bachelor's degree) and will attend college locally. This past year, the Bay Commitment Scholarship was expanded to include all high schools in Bay County. The students must have graduated from a Bay County high school and lived in Bay County for six years. The recipients must attend either Delta College or Saginaw Valley State University in the fall.

"We are pleased to be a founding partner of the Bay Commitment Scholarship," stated Eileen A. Curtis, Bay Area Community Foundation President & CEO. "Bay Commitment ($200,000) plus the over 100 other Foundation sponsored scholarships which will be awarded June 4, 2012 ($201,000) represent over $401,000 in scholarships that will be awarded in 2012. It is a long way from the one $300 scholarship awarded by the Foundation in 1985."

The Bay Commitment Scholarship is one component of The Bay Commitment College Access Network. The Access Network strives to assist students and their families work through the maze of planning for and attending college. Support is available through thru the College Resource Center located at 1000 Adams Street, Bay City, MI. and www.baycommitment.org.

The Bay Area Community Foundation is a community based, philanthropic organization working to improve the quality of life in the Bay County area. The Foundation's mission is to fulfill a wide array of donors' charitable wishes throughout Bay and Arenac Counties by building permanent endowment funds and serving as a leader for community improvement through effective grantmaking and collaboration. Since the Foundation began operations in 1982, over $16 million has been invested in the community through grants to local nonprofit organizations and student scholarships.

The Bay Area Community Foundation office is located in the restored Pere Marquette Depot, 1000 Adams Street, Suite 200, Bay City, MI 48708.



Alex Albaugh, John Glenn High School

Brent Avery, Bay City Central High School

Robert Awrey, Garber High School

Christopher Begick, Western High School

Abbigail Behmlander, Western High School

Brelle Biscovich, Pinconning High School

Zackery Bishop, Bay City Central High School

Jordan Buda, Bay City Central High School

Brittany Burns, All Saints Central High School

Kara Charbonneau, John Glenn High School

Marissa Charbonneau, Bay City Central High School

Corey Ciesielski, Pinconning High School

Nicholas Collins, Bay City Central High School

Rowan Cooper, John Glenn High School

Amanda Cornejo, Garber High School

Alexander DeWyse, Garber High School

Alyssa Diaz, Bay City Central High School

Dusten Dittenbir, Pinconning High School

Heather Doan, Bay City Central High School

Racheal Doan, Bay City Central High School

Alexandra Dockett, Pinconning High School

Rebecca Dodge, John Glenn High School

Tiffany Dougherty, Western High School

Karla Drzewicki, Garber High School

Emily Dzurka, Western High School

Tyler Fini, John Glenn High School

Ashley Furtaw, John Glenn High School

Ciara Galley, John Glenn High School

Brook Goulet, John Glenn High School

Shannon Goyett, John Glenn High School

Christopher Griffin, Bay City Central High School

Catherine Griffus, John Glenn High School

Timothy Gunther, Western High School

Chelsea Gwizdala, Bay City Central High School

Kimberly Haner, Western High School

Shannon Hardy, Bay City Central High School

Erika Harley, Garber High School

Brynna Henika, Garber High School

Joan Idzior, Pinconning High School

Dylan Jezewski, Western High School

Brianna Kernstock, Garber High School

Elizabeth Klida, John Glenn High School

Cory Konwinski, Pinconning High School

Ryan Kowalski, Western High School

Addison Kozuch, Garber High School

Maya Krager, Bay City Central High School

Carmen Krueger, Western High School

Kevin Kusmierz, Bay City Central High School

Catherine Laatsch, John Glenn High School

Taylor Lambert, Bay City Central High School

Moregan Lane, Bay City Central High School

Shannon Lennon, Bay City Central High School

Carla Leonard, Garber High School

Brandon Light, John Glenn High School

Hailee Linton, Bay City Central High School

Chelsey Lopez, John Glenn High School

Zachary Maida, Pinconning High School

Dana Mayer, Pinconning High School

Errin Mehl, Western High School

Pamela Middleton, John Glenn High School

Karly Mielke, Pinconning High School

Jordan Mulders, Garber High School

Danielle Muszynskid, Garber High School

Zachary Nuffer, John Glenn High School

Dale Peters, John Glenn High School

Nicholas Pressler, Western High School

Alexandrea Pross, Western High School

Eva Putt, Western High School

Nathan Reinshuttle, Pinconning High School

Chase Reynolds, Wenona Center High School

Lea Richard, Bay City Central High School

Elizabeth Rouech, Bay City Central High School

Garrett Russell, Western High School

Sawyer Samborn, Western High School

Sloane Scharich, Garber High School

Steven Schnettler, Garber High School

Kyle Scorey, Western High School D

avid Sniecinski, Western High School

Tyler Sommerfield, Western High School

James Soule, Western High School

Sara Stender-Parker, Western High School

Kendall Stevens, Western High School

Samantha Strieter, John Glenn High School

Cameron Sullivan, Bay City Central High School

Chris Talaga, Western High School

Hope Thume, Pinconning High School

Emilee Tomczak, Bay City Central High School

Abby Veitengruber, John Glenn High School

Kyle Vogel, Western High School

Melissa Weiss, Western High School

Veronica Weller, All Saints Central High School

Melissa Westran, Bay City Central High School

Lexis Wieland, Pinconning High School

Ashly Wilcox, Western High School

Ashley Willett, John Glenn High School

Katelyn Williams, Western High School

Lynnann Wilson, John Glenn High School

Andrew Wojcik, Bay City Central High School

Amy Yaworski, Western High School

Trevor Young, Western High School