Michigan Retailers Association Scholarship

The philosophy of the Michigan Retailers Association Scholarship Program differs from traditional scholarship programs that reward only the highest level of academic achievement. MRA scholarships will be awarded to deserving students whose academic credentials fall within an average to above-average range. In general, average and above-average credentials are, for high school seniors, those that rank a student in the top half of their senior class. Standardized test scores should be at least 18 for the ACT Composite or, for the SAT combined Critical Reading and Math scores, at least 850. Students enrolled in college should present college GPAs that range from 2.50 to 4.00 on a 4.00 scale, in addition to having the proper high school credentials. Consideration also is given for extracurricular activities, including, but not limited to, part-time retail employment.

Eligibility

Those eligible to apply are high school seniors and college freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are:

1. Dependent children of owners of MRA member businesses, or of full-time employees of MRA member firms. The parent-employee must have been employed by a MRA member firm for at least one year as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarships are awarded.
2. Part-time employees of MRA member businesses who are full-time students. Part-time employees must have been employed by a MRA member firm for at least six months as of January 1 of the year in which the scholarships are awarded.

Scholarship Awards

Thirteen awards worth $3,500 will be given out in 2024. These awards are for one year and are not based on financial need. Applicants may apply each year they are eligible. There is a new competition for these awards each year. Awards can only be won by those studying for an undergraduate degree. Winning a scholarship one year does not necessarily mean that a recipient will win a scholarship the following year. The scholarships will be applied to educational expenses at accredited, nonprofit colleges, universities, or approved educational and professional training institutes in the United States. A student may change colleges and retain the award.

Winner Selection

An independent selection committee made up of educators will select the winners during the month of April. In selecting the winners, the committee evaluates the applicants’ academic records, test scores and extracurricular activities, including, but not limited to, retail employment. The committee will not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion or national origin. Applicants are ranked largely on the basis of the qualifications described above. All applicants will be notified of the results of the competition in June.