Photo: Last year’s five scholarship winners (courtesy MIS)
BROOKLYN, Mich. (Dec. 1, 2015) — College can be an expensive financial investment. So MIS Cares is hoping to make it a little easier for 10 Jackson and Lenawee County students taking the next step in furthering education.
As part of an ongoing initiative to promote learning among students at all educational levels, MIS Cares will award $1,000 scholarships to 10 deserving high school seniors in 2016. Five students will be chosen from Lenawee County and five students will be selected from Jackson County.
In 2015, the speedway awarded scholarships to five students who have enjoyed achievement in their first semester of college after a successful high school career.
The scholarship is open to any graduating senior in Jackson or Lenawee County who is entering a STEAM-related (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) field at a college or university in Michigan.
All eligible students can download the official application at www.mispeedway.com/scholarship. Completed applications need to be mailed to MIS Cares, attention Scholarship Committee. The deadline is February 26, 2016.
Students can also complete the application online at the following sites:
Lenawee Community Education Foundation – https://lenaweecef.awardspring.com/
Jackson County College & Career Access Center – http://jcisd.org/domain/256
Jackson Community Foundation – http://www.jacksoncf.org/page-1431730
“We are gaining a reputation for all of our educational opportunities at the track,” MIS President Roger Curtis said “We are seeing an increased dependence on the study of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics in NASCAR, as well as in our society. We are happy to honor 10 students in their educational pursuits through MIS Cares.”
The winners of these scholarships will receive the monetary award during the winners’ second semester, provided they have passed all first semester classes with a “B” or better grade.
MIS is becoming known as a place for educational opportunity for students at all levels. Michigan International Speedway and Adrian College partnered to develop, Track and Explore, a first-of-its-kind science-related field trip program.
This unique partnership in sports allows hundreds of school children and college students from the region to benefit from learning about the ecosystem of the Irish Hills area, while also experiencing nature and conservancy that could contribute to their future work as scientists.
In only its fourth year in 2015, all the spots were filled for the third-consecutive year as more than 1,400 local students came to MIS as part of Track and Explore to learn about the area’s ecosystem. The feedback has shown that the program has been an overwhelming success.
MIS will welcome students from across the globe to the Irish Hills as part of the Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) competition in the spring. Students will compete in one of the most prestigious SAE Collegiate Design events. Formula SAE is an educational competition that challenges university undergraduate and graduate engineering students to design, build and compete in scaled-down, Formula-style autocross race cars.
MIS, through its Michigan Heritage trophy, also works with each of the NASCAR manufacturers – Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota – to annually award a youth-based, STEM-based organization a $40,000 grant. Last year, the Michigan Science Center in Detroit won the award, as a result of Chevrolet both races in 2014.
MIS Cares is a donor advised fund of the NASCAR Foundation, a 501 © (3) non-profit entity. The mission of MIS Cares is to create a lasting, positive impact on our community through charitable giving and volunteer efforts that cultivate community growth and advances quality of life.
MIS focuses on charity through the program MIS Cares. MIS and its sister company Americrown combined donated a total of $916,567 to local service groups and organizations through cash donations, work programs, grants and sponsorships, as well as tickets and merchandise that clubs raffle to raise money in 2015.