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Bearcat Advantage reports 113 scholars enrolled and new adviser to support college persistence
Summary
District staff updated the board on the Bearcat Advantage scholarship program, reporting growth in enrollments and partnerships that provide up to 100% tuition at participating institutions and a new college adviser to support recipients.
Carrie Brakes, Bearcat Advantage program coordinator, told the Battle Creek Public Schools Board of Education on Sept. 22 that the scholarship initiative now has 113 recipients from the classes of 2023–2025 and new staff capacity to support students on college campuses.
“The Bearcat Advantage is built to grow with the cost of college,” Brakes said, describing partnerships with Michigan public and private colleges and historically Black colleges and universities that expand students’ options.
Brakes said the program provides eligible graduates with up to 100% of tuition at participating four-year Michigan institutions and additional aid through partners such as the Michigan Colleges Alliance. She reported that since the scholarship’s inception in May 2023 Bearcat recipients have secured more than $1 million in financial aid, and the average semester award has been about $6,800.
The presentation highlighted that students who meet 65% eligibility (attendance and graduation criteria) could receive about $51,000 and students at 100% eligibility could receive up to $78,000 through district-funded components; Brakes added that some recipients leveraging partner aid could access larger total packages in excess of those district figures.
Brakes also announced that the program has added a dedicated college adviser, expanding the Bearcat Advantage staff to two positions to provide coaching and campus support. She said that close partnerships with institutions such as Grand Valley State University include intrusive advising supports that proactively reach students; the district’s Bearcat participants at GVSU receive regular outreach and study sessions.
Board members asked for further data on the pipeline — how many graduates apply for the scholarship, how many accept and then enroll in the fall, and how many persist year to year. Brakes said acceptance typically happens in April and that some students opt to start at Kellogg Community College (KCC) before transferring; she estimated that patterns vary and said the district tracks accepted and enrolled counts.
Brakes provided semester and enrollment numbers by cohort: 25 class-of-2023 students enrolled this fall (up from 23 previously), 29 class-of-2024 students returned this fall, and 59 class-of-2025 students began college this fall. She said the program’s FAFSA outreach has raised the district’s FAFSA completion by 32.03 percent since inception, giving Battle Creek the highest county FAFSA completion rate for the class of 2025 among neighboring districts.
Brakes said the program now has scholars at 22 colleges and universities, and the district is expanding advising capacity and supports to improve persistence and completion.
No board action was required; trustees thanked staff and requested more detailed pipeline and cohort-tracking data at a future meeting.
