Who will be going to UM this year?

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DLP-0380 It keeps getting harder to get into the University of Michigan, but this year 27 students from the Shiawassee County region were admitted and will be attending this most prestigious university. And, as of August 1, another group of high school seniors have started on the path to gaining admission and scholarships.  Do you know any local students with strong academic records?  If so, the Cook Family Foundation would like to help them in their college search.

The Cook Family Foundation provides a scholarship to every student from ten high schools (Byron, Chesaning, Corunna, Durand, Laingsburg, Morrice, Ovid-Elsie, Owosso, and Perry) as well as any other resident from Shiawassee County who is admitted to and enrolls in the University of Michigan.  The process starts now as we work with local schools to identify qualified students.  Those students are invited on a trip to Ann Arbor this fall.  See our scholarship page (click here) for more details.

Can I Afford UM? This is a big concern for many families, and we are committed to helping Shiawassee area students not only get in to UM, but also to get the most help they can.  In addition to a scholarship from the Cook Family Foundation, many local students get significant financial aid to attend.  In fact, the University of Michigan is the only public university in Michigan that promises to cover 100 percent of demonstrated financial need of in-state students (read more from UM here).  Because of this financial aid, in-state tuition, and the significant earning potential of UM graduates, Money Magazine (click here) recently ranked UM as the #2 college in the US for the value of its degree.

DLP-9821 (1)How Do I Start?  UM, along with other top schools, uses the Common Application in the admissions process.  That application becomes available August 1, and we encourage high school seniors to start the process before school starts so that they can gather necessary records, finish a draft of essays, and line-up teacher recommendations.  The UM Office of Undergraduate Admissions has lots of information and assistance available (click here).  We also are available to answer questions about the application, financial aid and scholarship process in person (contact info here), on our website (click here), and on Twitter (follow us @GoBlueGoBruce).

Of course, the most qualified applicants have been working toward admission to a top school throughout their high school careers. Excellent grades, a strong curriculum, and high test scores just don’t happen senior year.  It takes four years of hard work and planning, and the Cook Family Foundation supports promising students through the Shiawassee Scholars program, which is run by the Shiawassee Regional Education Service District (click here for information)

Did you Get Our Newsletter?  You can download and read our most recent newsletter (click here) for a complete list of this year’s scholarship winners and photos of all the most recent Shiawassee Scholars.  If you would like a hard copy, contact us and we will add you to the mailing list.

Major Exhibit Showcases Community History

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MIO-Storefront Event Image FinalManufacturing made Owosso, just like many towns in Michigan that were settled in the 19th century and boomed in the 20th century.  This important history is the subject of a current exhibit being put on by the Owosso Historical Commission and the Shiawassee Arts Council.  Major financial support for the exhibit comes from the Cook Family Foundation.

In four different venues along the Shiawassee River, the exhibit showcases photographs, historic documents, and actual products from a number of companies that made furniture, food stuffs, records, sleighs, printing supplies, automotive components, and a range of other goods.  Most of these items can be found in the Shiawassee Arts Center and Curwood Castle.  Comstock Cabin, an historic early structure, contains information about the people who participated in the founding of Owosso in 1836.  The Woodard Paymaster Building tells the story of Lyman Woodard, who established the furniture company that still bears the family name.

The exhibit will be on display and open to the public free of charge through September 16.  A series of events will be held throughout the summer that highlight the historical and cultural assets of several partner organizations.  A calendar, along with background information, can be found at the exhibit’s website www.madeinowosso.org

Many of the businesses that were started in the previous century are now gone from Owosso.  However, the influence they had on the design, growth, and development of Owosso are still felt.  So too, the charity of individuals and families that started businesses has shaped the lives of many in the community and has served as a legacy to these entrepreneurs.  Wolverine Sign Works, founded 100 years ago, generated the wealth that led to the creation of the Cook Family Foundation. We are proud to be part of the history, and future, of Owosso.  (Go here to see a video about the benefactor of the Foundation).

Foundation pledges $150,000 to support Memorial Healthcare Foundation

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Owosso, MI — A primary purpose of the Cook Family Foundation is to strengthen the organizations that serve our community, and Memorial Healthcare has embarked on a major initiative to expand the capacity of its Emergency Department, the “front door” of the hospital.  To be a part of the Going to a Higher Level Campaign, the Cook Family Foundation has made a commitment of up to $150,000 to Memorial Healthcare Foundation.

Print“It is a pleasure to partner with Memorial Healthcare, the Foundation and its donors, and physician leaders to invest in our emergency department – a vital asset for a healthy community,” said Tom Cook, executive director of the family’s Foundation.

The Going to a Higher Level Campaign is an effort to raise funds to renovate and redesign the Emergency Department at Memorial Healthcare – the only emergency department in Shiawassee County. A primary mission of Memorial Healthcare is providing the highest quality emergency medical care and the planned investment is expected to improve the quality of care and experience of each patient. The Cook Family Foundation commitment is to match the amount of physician contributions to the campaign, up to a maximum award of $150,000.  The grant will be awarded over several years.

“We are grateful for The Cook Family Foundation and for its recognition of all that our medical staff does for the health and safety of the community,” said Ronald Bishop, DO, chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Memorial Healthcare. “We would love to maximize their generous matching gift with $150,000, or more, in support from our medical staff.”

Foundation new logowhitemiddlewithtagMemorial Healthcare Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation governed by an independent board of directors. The Foundation provides continuing financial support for the development and improvement of Memorial Healthcare’s programs, services, technology and facilities.