Jennifer and Jo Ann meeting for the first time

Helping our students realize their academic potential is one of our biggest priorities at EMU. Without the support of our generous donors many students would struggle to achieve their dream of improving the lives of others. Their personal lives are often filled with the daily challenge of simply making ends meet. You can make a difference for those students at EMU.

Jennifer Van Daele is an example of how scholarship donors make a lasting difference. Jennifer is a Nursing RN to BSN completion student who is married and raising a young daughter. She works the midnight shift full-time and goes to school online; life is busy for her! This year, Jennifer received the Jo Ann Naida Scholarship which alleviated a portion of her tuition. “This scholarship is a sign I was on the right path and gave me affirmation for all my hard work,” stated Jennifer.

Earlier this month, both Jennifer and Jo Ann had the opportunity to meet for the first time. They exchanged stories of their work in healthcare and even shared a personal connection; both having a love for working with pediatric patients.

Jo Ann received a scholarship decades ago as a student reminiscing “I could have never become a registered nurse without the scholarship I received. Nowadays, everyone is counting their nickels and dimes so I wanted to give a student motivation and recognition to make it through another semester.”

You can join donors like Jo Ann by making a gift today to ensure more students receive the financial support they need to stay in school. Your donation to the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) Scholarship Fund will be used immediately for scholarship support. Also, you will receive a tax deduction from the EMU Foundation for your contribution and 100% of your gift goes directly to student support.

Make a gift and change a life. Thank you for taking action today and changing the future of an EMU student!