The scholarship is intended to support students from Gratiot, Isabella, and Montcalm counties in response to declining enrollment rates among students who come from rural counties in Michigan.
Alma College has introduced a new scholarship to help students from rural counties access higher education amid decreasing enrollment among students from Gratiot, Isabella, and Montcalm counties. The Tartan Edge scholarship, which will go into effect for the 2026-2027 school year, will significantly decrease tuition rates for students from the participating rural counties.
According to an article on Alma College’s website, Joe Odenwald, the college’s president, was quoted as saying of the new scholarship, “The Tartan Edge is our promise to the communities that raised us. Students in Gratiot, Isabella, and Montcalm counties deserve access to a life-changing, relationship-centered education — and they shouldn’t have to leave home to find it. This initiative ensures that cost will not be the barrier that stops local students from realizing their potential.”
Students who qualify for the Tartan Edge scholarship will pay a flat rate of $17,000 for the 2026-2027 school year. That total includes tuition for up to 18 credits per semester, as well as on-campus housing and meals. Students will be responsible for any additional credits they take in addition to typical fees. Students can expect a flat yearly increase of $1,500 per year.
The Tartan Edge scholarship includes opportunities for students to receive mentorship, career development, and a high-touch support system. The scholarship program plays into Michigan’s Sixty by 30 initiative, which aims to have 60% of the state’s working population obtain a credential or degree by the year 2030. Currently, Michigan sits at about 32% of the population having a bachelor degree, with rural counties like Gratiot, Isabella, and Montcalm far below that number at 16.8%
Doug Freed, the college’s Vice President for Enrollment, said, “We know that talented students in our rural communities sometimes limit their college choices because of cost. The Tartan Edge removes that barrier and empowers students to think bigger — to pursue majors, careers, and experiences they once thought were out of reach.”
For more information about Alma College, visit the school’s website.