Kellogg Community College Early College and Dual Enrollment Student Success Coach Timeaka Reese started the new Pink Ribbon Sisterhood Book Scholarship through the KCC Foundation in honor of her mother, who founded the nonprofit Pink Ribbon Sisterhood in Battle Creek to support women with breast cancer.
Why did you start a scholarship fund through the KCC Foundation?
I started this scholarship fund as a gift in honor of Pink Ribbon Sisterhood in Battle Creek, a nonprofit founded and led by my mother. Watching her pour into women and families with compassion and strength has deeply shaped who I am. Creating this fund felt like a natural extension of that legacy, a way to honor her work while investing in students who are striving to change their own lives through education.
What impact do you hope your gift will have on students and the campus community?
I hope this scholarship does more than ease financial strain. I hope it reminds students that they are seen, supported and believed in. Many of our students are balancing significant responsibilities while pursuing their goals. If this fund provides encouragement, stability or simply reassurance during a challenging season, then it has done its job. I also hope it inspires a spirit of giving and community on our campus.
What do you admire most about today’s KCC students?
I admire their resilience. Today’s students are navigating financial pressures, mental health challenges and an ever-changing world, yet they continue to show up with determination and ambition. Their adaptability, openness to growth and desire to create meaningful impact in their communities are incredibly inspiring.
What would you say to someone considering starting a fund at the KCC Foundation?
I would say that starting a fund is a beautiful way to give from the heart and create something that lasts beyond you. It’s more than financial support; it’s a message to students that they matter and that someone believes in their future. The KCC Foundation makes the process welcoming and supportive, and there’s something incredibly meaningful about knowing you’ve played a small part in someone’s educational journey. It becomes a shared story of hope, opportunity and community.
The Pink Ribbon Sisterhood Book Scholarship is a first-dollar scholarship created to assist students with the purchase of books and other required course materials purchased at KCC’s Bruin Bookstore. For more information or to donate to the scholarship fund, contact the KCC Foundation at kccfoundation@kellogg.edu.
This Q&A first appeared in the March 2026 edition of BruIN magazine. To read the issue online, please visit kellogg.edu/bruinmagazine.
