The Kellogg Community College Foundation is pleased to announce $27,500 in total awards to 35 student recipients of the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Promise Scholarship for the 2025-26 academic year.
The recipients of this year’s scholarship include:
- Mukhtar Abdulla, of Coldwater
- Kynnedy Agar, of Coldwater
- Leslie Aguilar, of Bronson
- Maram Al-Gabri, of Coldwater
- Baraah Algabri, of Coldwater
- Ashley Ballinger, of Bronson
- Emma Barnett, of Montgomery
- Ashley DeLong, of Coldwater
- Kiara Gilchrest, of Quincy
- Shania Hart, of Coldwater
- Brooke Hudson, of Coldwater
- Annabelle Kling, of Coldwater
- Jordan Latta, of Coldwater
- Kristin Marteen, of Coldwater
- Daisy Mendoza, of Bronson
- Rheanna Metz, of Quincy
- Angelique Midkiff, of Coldwater
- Bilqis Mohamed, of Coldwater
- Kayla Mullineaux, of Union City
- Khaloud Muthana, of Coldwater
- Cemara Paul, of Coldwater
- Maddy Ratkowski, of Bronson
- Nikolle Reyes, of Coldwater
- Whitney Robison, of Coldwater
- Brooke Rogers, of Coldwater
- Paige Roussey, of Bronson
- Ciarra Rumph, of Coldwater
- Jenna Salek, of Bronson
- Nora Schall, of Coldwater
- Alisha Smith, of Springfield
- Abigail Steele, of Coldwater
- Danielle Summey, of Coldwater
- Mariam Thabet, of Coldwater
- Osvaldo Vargas, of Bronson
- Chaise White, of Battle Creek
Eligible Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Promise Scholarship recipients must either reside in Branch County or have graduated from a Branch County high school or home school. Each recipient receives between $500 and $2,000 for the 2025-26 academic year.
“We are incredibly proud to partner with the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Foundation in supporting students who are working hard to build brighter futures for themselves and their communities,” Michelle Williamson, executive director of the KCC Foundation, said. “These scholarships represent more than financial assistance; they reflect an investment in the promise and potential of our students, especially those pursuing careers in fields that strengthen the well-being of our region. We are deeply grateful for the continued generosity and vision of the Sunrise Rotary and all who contribute to making this opportunity possible.”
In past years, the Promise Scholarship has been awarded to students pursing careers in allied health or the trades. Starting with the 2025-26 academic year, the scholarship began to cover students pursuing associate degrees in mental or behavioral health fields not already covered by the scholarship, such as human services, psychology or social work.
The scholarships are awarded on a needs basis and the program is unique in the fact that students may receive the award for multiple years. The majority of Promise Scholarship awards have supported nontraditional students pursuing educational degrees or certificates.
Applications will open to new applicants when the general KCC Foundation scholarship application period for 2026-27 opens on Dec. 1.
About the Promise Scholarship
The Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Promise Scholarship was established with an initial three-year grant of $60,000 in 2019 and a four-year grant of $80,000 in 2022 from the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Foundation. More than 200 scholarships have been awarded totaling almost $150,000 since the Sunrise Promise Scholarship Program was launched in 2019.
Funds for the Promise Scholarship program have been secured due to generous gifts from the Thomas Bott Donor Advised Fund; the Hal and Lillian Creal Fund; the George and Kathie Babcoke Trust; Southern Michigan Bank & Trust; Century Bank and Trust; ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital; and Clemens Food Group; as well as support from members of the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Club and its Foundation.
In early 2024 the Promise Endowment Fund that was created in 2019 to perpetually sustain the scholarship program surpassed $500,000 and continues to grow with the support of club members, the business community and private donations. That year, the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Foundation Board expanded scholarship eligibility to students in mental and behavioral health fields, and increased funding for the program from up to $20,000 per year to up to $25,000 per year.
For more information about the Coldwater Township Sunrise Rotary Promise Scholarship Program, call Promise Project Communication Liaison Jon Harpst at 517-202-7849 or visit coldwatersunriserotary.com.
Pictured above is KCC’s Grahl Center campus in Coldwater.
For more news about Kellogg Community College, view our latest press releases online at https://daily.kellogg.edu/category/news-releases.
