The Provost Scholarship for Business
In 2019, Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars (DRDFS) worked with David Provost to establish a named scholarship for students who graduate from the Next Level Scholars (NLS) program. The Provost Scholarship for Business is awarded to one student per graduating class. The scholarship provides $10,000 each school year for four years, for a total of $40,000, to study business at Eastern Michigan University (EMU). Each spring since it was established, a senior student has been selected to receive the scholarship.
Seniors in the NLS program who are interested in pursuing a post-secondary degree in business from EMU are encouraged to apply. This year, after many student applications were reviewed, Marcos F., from Center Line High School, was selected to receive the scholarship award!
Scholarship Surprise
Marcos and his mother are surprised with balloons and an oversized scholarship check.
DRDFS staff coordinated with Center Line’s Principal and NLS Program Adviser to plan a special celebration and a Zoom announcement while Marcos was at school. To keep the announcement a surprise, Marcos expected to be interviewed alongside his mother, Primavera, for a newsletter article.
When David Provost joined the Zoom call, he made the announcement, saying, “Marcos, I want to congratulate you and tell you that you have been selected to receive my scholarship to Eastern Michigan University!”
To celebrate, Center Line staff cheered as they presented Marcos and his mother with balloons and an oversized scholarship check.
Mr. Provost went on to say, “When I was your age, someone gave me a scholarship … I hope you can pay it forward years from now to the next person down the line. I am here to help you if you need it over the next four years. My goal is to help make you successful.”
EMU Bound
Marcos expressed his gratitude to Mr. Provost, saying, “You’ve given me an opportunity to not only achieve my dreams, but to give back. You’ve invested in me and for that reason, I have never been more grateful and motivated to do great things.” When he graduates from high school this spring and transitions into the DRDFS Alumni Network, Marcos will continue have access to the vast support system and additional resources that DRDFS provides. Marcos looks forward to attending EMU in the fall, studying business, and learning about entrepreneurship.
Marcos poses in front of Center Line High School with balloons and oversized scholarship check.
“I grew up without a clue of what I wanted to do, or where I wanted to go in life, until I had the opportunity to join Dollars for Scholars my sophomore year of high school. From visiting campuses, to SAT prep, the guidance I received from the program changed my entire outlook.
“From college tours to financial aid, Dollars for Scholars has greatly impacted my path to higher education. As a first generation college student, deciding where I would want to continue my education and figuring out how I would get there was a difficult process. My family and I lacked the time and transportation necessary to visit schools, and this limited me in figuring out my future.
“When joining Dollars for Scholars, I was eager to visit colleges and earn scholarship money. Being able to look at all the different schools with other students I could relate to was so reassuring. Dollars for Scholars was able to answer my questions about the ins & outs of post-secondary education, as well assist me with applications. This extra help was so motivating.
“Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars is a life-changing program. Before high school, I was going down a path that if most kids took, they’d end up either dropping out of school or going to jail. Detroit Regional Dollars for Scholars helped inspire me to get on a better path by showing me how to prepare for college. Hearing other students’ stories made me feel like I could be successful both in high school and post-secondary education.