When Ella Harris thinks of Berrien Community Foundation scholarships, she thinks of hope.
“I’m so happy that, along with the scholarship I received, so many other people in Berrien County got to receive scholarships to help them in their education,” said Harris. “These scholarships give people hope.”
Harris, a musical theater major at Lake Michigan College, received the David A. Hicks Scholarship for the Arts from Berrien Community Foundation in 2024.
“Being able to come to college and not really have to worry about how I’m going to pay for my books or tuition is definitely helpful,” she said.
Harris juggles many responsibilities as a full-time student and part-time employee while also being involved in the college’s music and theater departments and performing in multiple shows a year.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to go further in my education,” Harris added. “This is the first step.”
The scholarship Harris received was established by the family of David Hicks, a Lakeshore student who passed from cancer. David often spoke of pursuing a college degree in an art-related field because of the joy he found in animation, comics, superheroes, theater and video games, his family said.
“When we award this scholarship to deserving students like Ella who want to show the world their creativity, it feels like David’s legacy is living on,” said Zack East, David’s brother. “It’s as if his passion for the arts is now in the spirit of others ready to show the world their talents. We as a family couldn’t be more proud of helping these students in David’s name every year.”
The David A. Hicks Scholarship is one of more than 50 scholarship funds held by BCF.
“We are proud to be a leading organization donors can turn to for fulfilling their charitable plans,” said BCF President Lisa Cripps-Downey. “Our donors make college more attainable for students while lifting up loved ones, organizations, fields of study and so much more.”
In 2024, the Foundation awarded $533,000 to 91 students. This means, collectively, they did not have to assume more than a half-million dollars in loans. Berrien Community Foundation will celebrate the next cohort of scholars and their donors June 17 at its annual Scholarship Celebration.
To learn more about how to start a scholarship, contact Lisa Cripps-Downey at (269) 983-3304 or lisa@berriencommunity.org.
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