Kellogg Community College is pleased to announce 18 recipients of the KCC Foundation’s Gold Key Scholarship – the College’s most prestigious scholarship – totaling up to $81,000 in total student funding for the 2022-23 academic year.
Gold Key Scholarships are awarded to full-time freshmen to recognize and encourage outstanding academic and personal achievement, leadership and community service. Recipients are awarded $4,500 each year for up to two academic years to use toward tuition, fees and books.
Applicants for the Gold Key Scholarships must be current high school graduates entering KCC as full-time students and have a cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or higher. They must also demonstrate leadership experience, community and service activity and involvement in school activities.
“Gold Key Scholars are selected and recommended based on a comprehensive application and interview process. They demonstrate high academic achievement, leadership and service to their community they will carry from their high school career to KCC,” said Teresa Durham, executive director of the KCC Foundation. “We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing their success in their educational pursuits.”
The KCC Foundation’s 2022-23 Gold Key Scholars, entering KCC this fall as freshmen, include:
- Andrea Bautista, of Battle Creek, a Pennfield High School graduate. Bautista, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to study Radiography. She was awarded the Lindsay B. Draime Gold Key Scholarship.
- Callie Case, of Marshall, a Marshall High School graduate. Case, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to study Nursing. She was awarded the Edward P. and Kathryn M. Bellas Gold Key Scholarship.
- William “Gabe” Essex, of Battle Creek, a Calhoun Christian School graduate. Essex, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to focus on Math and Science with a long-term goal of Astrophysics. He was awarded the Dr. Paul and Sharon Ohm Gold Key Scholarship.
- Maci Gardner, of Charlotte, an Olivet High School graduate. Gardner, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to study Nursing. She was awarded the Leonard W. and Dorotha C. Dott Gold Key Scholarship.
- Seth Grafton, of Battle Creek, a Marshall Academy graduate. Grafton, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to focus on Arts and Sciences, with a long-term goal of videography. He was awarded the Arthur J. and Lucille B. Finley Gold Key Scholarship.
- Makenna Groeneveld, of Marshall, a home school graduate. Groeneveld, who has extensive dance and theatre experience, plans to study Business Management. She was awarded the Mildred E. Hoover Gold Key Scholarship.
- Jake Ickes, of Dowagiac, a Coloma High School graduate. Ickes, who will play baseball for KCC, plans to study Business Management. He was awarded the Dean O. Barnum Gold Key Scholarship.
- Ava Isham, of Marshall, a Marshall High School graduate. Isham, a 4-H member, plans to study Math and Science with a long-term goal of Speech Pathology. She was awarded the Virginia M. Hensley Gold Key Scholarship.
- Alexia Kryszewski, of Battle Creek, a Harper Creek High School graduate. Kryszewski, who dual-enrolled at KCC while also attending the Calhoun Area Career Center, plans to study Early Childhood and Teacher Education. She was awarded the Elizabeth H. Binda Gold Key Scholarship.
- Benjamin Lal, of Battle Creek, a Lakeview High School graduate. Lal, who is currently a member of the Cereal City Concert Band, plans to study Computer Programming. He was awarded the Bertha and Marjorie Smith Gold Key Scholarship.
- Cole Mason, of Kalamazoo, a Portage Central High School graduate. Mason, who will play baseball for KCC, plans to study Computers. He was awarded the Lela M. Karcher Gold Key Scholarship.
- Brianna Pawloski, of Olivet, an Olivet High School graduate. Pawloski, who dual-enrolled at KCC while also attending the Calhoun Area Career Center, plans to study Physical Therapy. She was awarded the Ethel Denton Groos Gold Key Scholarship.
- Aaron Piasecki, of Norton Shores, a Mona Shores High School graduate. Piasecki, who will play baseball for KCC, plans to study Cybersecurity. He was awarded the Robert L. and Lois H. Brenner Gold Key Scholarship.
- Breanne Reif, of Allen, a Quincy High School graduate. Reif, a 4-H and FFA member who also attended the Branch Area Careers Center, plans to study Agricultural Science. She was awarded the Southern Michigan Bank & Trust Gold Key Scholarship.
- Rayna Richardson, of Austin, Texas, a Gateway College Preparatory School graduate. Richardson, who will play soccer for KCC, plans to focus on General Studies. She was awarded the Dean O. Barnum Gold Key Scholarship.
- Hope Schley, of Burlington, a Union City High School graduate. Schley, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to focus on General Studies. She was awarded the Lela M. Karcher Gold Key Scholarship.
- Alexis Snyder, of Battle Creek, a St. Philip Catholic Central High School graduate. Snyder, who also attended the Calhoun Area Career Center, plans to study Accounting. She was awarded the Melvin H., Doris A. and Fovette E. Dush Gold Key Scholarship.
- Brenna Withers, of Battle Creek, a Harper Creek High School graduate. Withers, who dual-enrolled at KCC, plans to focus on General Studies. She was awarded the Hugh McPherson Gold Key Scholarship.
Photos of each scholarship recipient are available for download for use by the media from KCC’s 2022-23 Gold Key Scholars folder in Dropbox at dropbox.com/sh/3mjg64b9askrop3/AAC9i0sWdUFVPDI8IRBk1BWia?dl=0.
For more information about the KCC Foundation or Gold Key Scholarships or to contribute to scholarships, please contact KCC Foundation Executive Director Teresa Durham at 269-965-4161 or visit kellogg.edu/foundation.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.