Berrien Community Foundation added four new scholarships to their roster to help Berrien County students go to college or trade schools this fall: the Celebrating Miles Kelleher Cross Country and Track Scholarship, the Janet W. DeRubbo Scholarship, the Tim King Music Scholarship and the 100 Women Strong Scholarship.
“Thanks to our generous donors, the BCF Scholarship program is growing and allowing us to help more students get the education they need to pursue their dreams,” said Berrien Community Foundation President Lisa Cripps-Downey. “We are looking forward to awarding these new scholarships in just a few short months!”
The Celebrating Miles Kelleher Cross Country and Track Scholarship will award $5,000 over two years to honor the life of Miles Kelleher, who was a witty, funny and always made the people in his life feel unique and special.
Kelleher ran track and cross country for both St. Joseph High School and University of Detroit Mercy. However, he loved running with his father the most; their hobby took them on an unforgettable run through Tianmen Square in Beijing, China. Applicants must be graduating from a Berrien County high school and be a cross country and/or track athlete.
The Janet W. DeRubbo Scholarship is an $8,000 renewable award ($2,000 per year over four years), and honors Janet DeRubbo’s lifelong dedication to education in Berrien County.
Early in DeRubbo’s career, she served as an educator at Upton Middle School and Lake Michigan College, where she inspired others through her passion for the arts. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher and be attending a 2- or 4-year college, university or technical school. Preference will be given to students who participated in high school sports or extracurricular activities in the arts (visual, literary or performing).
The Tim King Music Scholarship is a $1,000 non-renewable award created to honor a man of many talents — Tim King.
King was a dedicated and skilled musician who played soprano and tenor saxes, and stand-up bass with multiple area bands. He taught sax and clarinet to kids at the Citadel in Benton Harbor. He had great love for his students, band mates, his teachers and mentors, and volunteered much time and ingenuity back into the local music community that nurtured him. Eligible applicants must have volunteer or community involvement experience and be a Berrien County high school graduate.
The 100 Women Strong Scholarship will provide up to two $1,000 non-renewable scholarships for a student attending Lake Michigan College. 100 Women Strong is a nonprofit committed to helping women stay self-sufficient and support them in overcoming hurdles that could potentially cause them to quit work or school. Applicants must be a Berrien County resident, with preference given to women returning to school or experiencing a life transition, as well as demonstrating financial need.
Scholarship applications are now open, with an application submission deadline of February 10, 2026.
Scholarships are available for current high school seniors, early/middle college students, current college students, adults returning to school and students going into the skilled trades. BCF awarded more than $470,000 in scholarships last year to over 80 scholars. BCF offers one common application for 50+ opportunities, meaning your application will automatically be submitted to scholarships you're eligible for. As questions appear, that means it's another scholarship for which you're eligible!
These scholarships are available primarily for Berrien County residents but there are some opportunities for Hartford High School graduates as well as students living in Cass, Van Buren and St. Joseph counties. BCF scholarships are determined by a variety of factors, including intended majors, extracurricular activities and financial need.
For a full list of scholarships, visit the Berrien Community Foundation website at www.berriencommunity.org/scholar. The Berrien Community Foundation scholarship site also includes links to other local scholarships to help students.
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