Thompson Working Families Scholarship program creates opportunity for 179 first-generation students at Saginaw Valley State University

November 7, 2025

Thompson Working Families Scholarship program creates opportunity for 179 first-generation students at Saginaw Valley State University

By Courtesy of the Thompson Foundation and EAFocus Communications

Of the nearly 360 students at Saginaw Valley State University selected to participate in the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, half are first generation college students - among the first in their family to attend college. That's why the annual national celebration on November 8 of first-generation college students has meaning for so many of the program participants, known as Thompson Scholars.

Established by the Plymouth, Michigan-based Thompson Foundation in 2011 as a pilot program at Grand Valley State University, Ellen Thompson - a former teacher - along with her husband Bob Thompson, envisioned a scholarship program to help high-achieving students overcome financial barriers to higher education and prepare them for meaningful careers and community-centered lives. Saginaw Valley came on board in 2016 with an initial cohort of 10 students, joining Thompson Working Families Scholarship partner schools Grand Valley State University, Michigan Technological University and Bowling Green State University in Ohio (the Thompsons' alma mater).

The funding formula in the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program is the same at each partner school but differs from most other scholarships in higher education in that it requires 'skin in the game' from multiple parties. Thompson Scholars receive a total of $11,000 each year, covering much of their tuition. The Thompson Foundation funds $5,500 and the university must match that funding dollar for dollar. The student must cover any remaining cost of attendance. This program is funded each year based upon the students meeting the Thompson Foundation requirements: maintaining a minimum 2.75 GPA, taking credit hours that qualify them as a full-time student, and completing 20 hours of community service per year.

Ken Fettig, vice president for enrollment management at Saginaw Valley State University, oversees the Thompson Working Families Scholarship Program at SVSU and describes a vibrant and engaged Thompson Scholars' community on campus.

"The Thompson Working Families Scholarship program plays a vital role in helping first-generation students and their families achieve the goal of earning a degree from SVSU," Fettig said. "The program provides essential resources that are proven to foster student success: financial support beyond tuition, a strong peer cohort for academic, social, and career development, and meaningful opportunities for community engagement through service. As a result, our SVSU Thompson Scholars are thriving - succeeding in their coursework, graduating on time, and launching successful careers."

Lauren Behrendt, 20 and a junior at SVSU, was the valedictorian of her class at Memphis High School in Memphis, Michigan, near the 'Thumb'. She's a first-generation college student who says that her parents were always extremely supportive of her academic pursuits but were clear that she'd be responsible for paying for her college degree.

"After visiting several schools, I was definitely leaning toward Saginaw Valley because everyone I met was so friendly and the campus is beautiful - and financial support was important to my decision," Behrendt said. "Then I got a letter from SVSU that I could apply for the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, so that's what I did. Being a Thompson Scholar, combined with receiving the SVSU Founders' Scholarship, means my tuition is almost fully covered. Plus, I am a resident assistant and active in campus community service, which is part of the requirement for being a Thompson Scholar, so I have a very full life on campus."

An occupational therapy major, Behrendt will graduate in spring 2028 with a combined bachelor's and master's degree. Between the four-year Thompson Working Families Scholarship and her SVSU scholarship, it is only her fifth-year master's degree credits she will need to fund without these scholarships.

"I am beyond grateful to have been considered for this amazing scholarship because it has opened up so many opportunities for me at SVSU. It has given me a community to grow academically and socially and is a primary reason for why I can even attend college," Behrendt said.

Thompson foundation Program Manager Curt Little summarized the impact of the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program.

"The Thompson Working Families Scholarship program is more than financial aid - it's a transformative opportunity. For many of our Thompson Scholars, especially those who are the first in their families to attend college, this support opens doors to education, community engagement, and a future filled with purpose," Little said.

When the Thompson Foundation sunsets in 2033, it is projected that more than 13,000 Thompson Scholars will have been supported through the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program.