Tracy Graham was in a difficult situation.
She was attending classes at KCC in hopes of one day owning her own successful business but also falling behind in paying property taxes and at risk of losing her home.
Something had to give.
Graham, a grandmother who had raised two daughters and was going to college in her 50s, learned her house was in foreclosure at the same time she was working toward her degree. It felt to Graham as if her dream of starting a catering business was slipping away.
That’s when Graham heard about the Beyond Tuition Assistance Fund at the KCC Foundation, which provides emergency funding for students who are experiencing financial barriers to their academic success.
Graham applied for and received a $1,000 grant from Beyond Tuition, a program funded by donors that is available to enrolled KCC students who are experiencing a financial emergency and who meet certain criteria, including being in good academic standing.
The one-time grant was enough for Graham to keep her house and continue her education.
“That funding relieved a lot of the stress that year,” Graham said. “With the help of Beyond Tuition, I came up with the rest of the tax money I owed and, to this day, I am still in my house. Beyond Tuition really helped with that barrier and I’m just thankful for all of the resources that KCC has to offer.”
Graham’s story is reflective of a growing need among KCC students, many of whom are working adults and most of whom are enrolled part-time while they balance job demands, raise kids, care for family members and tend to personal obligations. Increasingly, KCC students face financial pressures in their lives and, after exhausting other options, turn to Beyond Tuition as a last resort.
Examples of emergency needs include housing eviction, utility shutoffs, basic auto repairs for drivability, household supplies after a fire or flood, eyeglasses, hearing aids and bus fare.
Sometimes, the barrier is a few hundred dollars. Other times, it’s $1,000, which is the cap of Beyond Tuition assistance for any given student. Regardless of the circumstances, a team at KCC that includes the KCC Foundation and Financial Aid Office reviews every application to determine eligibility and the fund’s capacity to provide help. In some cases, the team identifies other resources and provides those connections to students.
Unfortunately, the gap between the students’ needs and the Foundation’s ability to assist is growing.
In 2015-16, 18 students submitted requests for Beyond Tuition assistance and, of those 18, 17 were granted funds. By comparison, in 2024-25, 85 students asked for help and 32 were given assistance.
Because of the growing need, the KCC Foundation is inviting new and existing donors to contribute to the fund so more students like Graham can receive the help they need to stay in school, complete their degrees and enter their careers.
Graham is now on track to complete two credentials: an Associate in Business Management and an Associate in Administrative Assistant. Her goal is to use her education to take her gourmet popcorn business, Delectably Infused LLC, to another level with new equipment and investors.
She also wants to help other entrepreneurs grow their businesses and tell them about resources, including Beyond Tuition, that may help them along the way.
“If it wasn’t for Beyond Tuition, I know I wouldn’t be in my house today. I know that,” Graham said. “My goal now is to give back to the community that has given so much to me because I’m so grateful for the help.”
Anyone wishing to contribute to the KCC Foundation Beyond Tuition Assistance Fund may do so by visiting kellogg.edu/donate or by calling the KCC Foundation at 269-965-4161.
This article first appeared in the December 2025 edition of BruIN magazine. To read the issue online, please visit kellogg.edu/bruinmagazine.
