As student debt continues to weigh heavily on Michigan families, Grand Valley State University is showing how a strategic, student-centered approach to state scholarship funding can make higher education more accessible and affordable.
Through targeted outreach, timely communication, and a campuswide commitment to financial wellness, GVSU is helping thousands of students tap into the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, saving families millions in tuition costs.
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Courtesy GVSUMichelle Rhodes, associate vice president for financial aid at GVSU.
“The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is a state-funded program, and it's based on students filing their FAFSA,” says Michelle Rhodes, associate vice president for financial aid at GVSU. “They have to meet a certain SAI (Student Aid Index) threshold. One of our focuses and goals and priorities is always to make sure students just fill out that FAFSA. Just by doing that, they are automatically eligible.”
Rhodes leads the university’s financial aid efforts, which this year connected 4,830 GVSU students to Michigan Achievement Scholarships worth $24.8 million, the second-highest amount awarded to students at a Michigan public university. The average award saves each student more than $4,200 a year.
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship, introduced by the state in 2022 and first awarded to the high school graduating class of 2023, was designed to reduce the financial burden of postsecondary education and put more Michiganders on a path toward earning a college degree or skilled trades certificate. Students can use the award to attend public universities, community colleges, or private institutions.
Getting ahead in the process
“One of the cool things about it is it gives students choices to go to whatever college they want,” Rhodes says. “Some of the amounts are a little bit different, but what we do at Grand Valley is try to proactively award it to students we believe are eligible. Sometimes just applying and filling out financial aid means they’ll automatically qualify.”
Rhodes says GVSU’s admissions and recruitment teams work closely with area schools and high school counselors to encourage early FAFSA completion, which unlocks eligibility for the scholarship and other financial aid opportunities.
“We want students to know they're getting this money because it’s a lot of money,” she says. “And I think that has helped our success in how many students receive it at Grand Valley. Maybe they even choose to come to Grand Valley because they see it.”
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Courtesy GVSUMichelle Rhodes, associate vice president for financial aid at GVSU, chats with colleagues.
GVSU President Philomena V. Mantella says the scholarship fits squarely within the university’s strategic priorities.
“Expanding access to financial aid underscores our commitment to assuring all students who are ready and hungry for a Grand Valley education have our unparalleled opportunity,” Mantella says. “While being among the most affordable options, we also focus on delivering the highest of value. Laker graduates are prepared to lead in the next generation of workforce talent benefiting our organizations and communities in the region, state, and beyond.”
Since 2019, GVSU’s Board of Trustees has approved a 53% increase in institutional financial aid, helping to keep the university among the most affordable of Michigan’s public four-year colleges.
Rhodes says affordability is more than keeping costs low; it’s ensuring students don’t take on unnecessary debt.
“It’s a focus at Grand Valley, for sure,” she says. “Even though tuition, housing, and food costs are rising, we are committed to making sure students don’t have to take on as much debt.”
GVSU student loan debt dropping
GVSU’s approach is paying off. Rhodes reports that average student loan debt has been trending downward, even as costs increase.
“Our loan debt is decreasing even as costs increase because we get more institutional support for financial aid,” she says. “We have this wonderful state program, great donors who’ve created scholarships, and we emphasize financial literacy, like only borrowing what you actually need.”
Rhodes says GVSU’s financial aid counselors meet with students and families one-on-one to help them understand their financial aid options, plan for costs, and minimize borrowing.
“We try to provide as much guidance, upfront and one-on-one counseling as we can,” she says. “Our proactive approach and all those layers have really shown that our loan debt has decreased over the years. We’re really proud of that.”
Rhodes urges families to act early and keep their college options open.
“What I usually like to say is make sure you meet those deadlines,” she says. “Schools can have deadlines, the state can have deadlines, and you just want to make sure as a family you’re doing things as early as possible. Sometimes if you fill out a FAFSA early, then it allows you to apply for other scholarships, too.”
She advises students to list multiple schools on their FAFSA, even if they’re not yet sure where they’ll enroll.
“Always put as many schools on the FAFSA as you think you want to apply to — keep your options open,” Rhodes says. “You might think you’ll go to a community college for free, but maybe by the time you get award offers from several other schools, including Grand Valley, the cost wouldn’t be that much different because there are different types of aid available.”
Rhodes emphasizes there’s no harm in applying to a four-year school, even if students aren’t sure they can afford it.
“There’s never any harm in applying to a university and keeping your options really, really open while you navigate that,” she says.
Ask for help
The university encourages students to contact schools’ financial aid offices for personalized guidance.
“If you’ve narrowed it down, or you think you might go to one or two schools, call their financial aid office,” Rhodes says. “We’re always happy to consult individually and say, ‘Hey, we see this scholarship,’ or help you meet those school-specific deadlines that can really be impactful.”
That tailored approach is resonating with students and families across Michigan. Parents like Laura Wright, of Portage, say the Michigan Achievement Scholarship made a significant difference in their decision-making.
“After seeing the financial strain we faced sending our oldest daughter to college, my youngest, Katie, was nervous about attending herself,” Wright says. “The Michigan Achievement Scholarship not only eased that burden but also gave our family a sense of support and encouragement.”
Thanks to the scholarship, Katie enrolled in community college to study agricultural diesel mechanics without taking on student loans.
“She can focus on her education and internship instead of juggling a job,” Wright says. “Knowing that someone values her time and future made all the difference.”
The Michigan Achievement Scholarship is just one tool, but GVSU’s use of it demonstrates how institutional strategy can turn a state program into measurable impact.
“Grand Valley is really, really committed to student success,” Rhodes says. “We’re committed to low loan debt and high value, low cost. As students and families make choices, look at all schools and wait until you get your financial aid offer. Don’t omit something based on cost perception alone.”
Rhodes believes the scholarship is doing more than offsetting tuition, it’s helping shift the narrative around who college is for and how it can be achieved.
“We’ve seen the tremendous support of the Michigan Achievement Scholarships for these students,” she says. “It is tremendously helpful for those families, for sure.”