In 2007, The Kantzler Foundation established the Kantzler Fellows Scholarship Program at Saginaw Valley State University. The objective of the program is to encourage and support Bay County high school graduates who have been active in our community, have been accepted at SVSU, and hope to remain in the Bay Area after graduation from college with the expectation of becoming community leaders.

Kantzler Fellows receive a significant annual scholarship, participate in a highly selective 4-year leadership program, engage in numerous voluntary efforts and organizations, and meet at least two times per year with the Kantzler Foundation Trustees.

The Admissions Office at SVSU reviews all applications and ranks applicants according to academic performance, community and extra-curricular involvement, commitment to successfully completing a four-year degree, and a demonstrated desire to “give back” to the Bay Area after graduation. Finalists are selected to meet with the Kantzler Board of Trustees for a personal interview. The Kantzler Foundation Trustees make the final selection following the personal interviews.

The Kantzler Scholarship is automatically renewable for up to four years, as long as the recipient remains a full-time student, maintains at least a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and is participating in the Kantzler leadership program. Students may enter the program only as incoming freshmen.

To apply for the Kantzler Scholarship, individuals must be graduating seniors from a Bay County high school who have been accepted as a full-time incoming "fall freshman" in a four-year degree program at SVSU.

Applications are accepted through SVSU’s online scholarship application process. All applicants must be enrolled at SVSU in order to log in with their SVSU username and password and complete a General Application. If applicants meet the basic requirements for the Kantzler Fellowship, it will appear on their list of Recommended Opportunities, where they will have an opportunity to answer additional questions to complete their applications. (Please note that requesting a letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or administrator will be part of the application process.)

Visit the Saginaw Valley State University Kantzler Fellows website

What Kantzler Fellows have to say about the program:

Mallory Rivard

My experience in the Kantzler Fellowship has molded me into a better student, community leader, and professional woman. The National Society of Leadership and Success was the perfect way to inspire my future ambitions. The weekly networking meetings always held me accountable for my goals which led to great success within my first year at Saginaw Valley. Additionally, the support and guidance from all of the Kantzler trustees and Saginaw Valley faculty throughout the fellowship has truly been remarkable. These individuals serve as mentors and want you to succeed. They go above and beyond what is expected of them to make sure you are striving for the best version of yourself! Lastly, the opportunities that I have received from being in the Kantzler Fellowship are unique and life changing. I was able to speak in front of Saginaw Valley State University's Foundation board, have breakfast with our president, and be recognized as one of the community's up and coming leaders. The Kantzler Fellowship program has played a pivotal role in my life and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to enhance my professional leadership skills."

Maria Vos

"Wow. What can I say about the Kantzler Foundation? When I started my undergraduate work in the Kantzler Foundation, I was completely unaware of the impact I could have on the surrounding community. And, while I have always felt very attached to Bay County, the Kantzler Foundation developed my passion for community service in ways I never thought possible. I am so grateful for the opportunities I had to network with community leaders who were willing to mentor me through the creation of community service projects. It is primarily through them, and through the foundation, that I realized what the community had to offer and what I had to offer the community. This sense of service has only increased since graduating from the Kantzler Foundation. Today, I am leading the establishment of a brand new community center in Saginaw's Butman-Fish Library. All of the skills that I need to make this project successful are skills I learned as a Kantzler Fellow. Many, many thanks to the Kantzler Foundation, the trustees, and the faculty leaders for making all of this possible."

Natasha Gentle

"The Kantzler Fellowship has allowed me the opportunity to become more involved on campus than I ever thought I would. I have participated in programs such as the National Society of Leadership and Success, maintaining a pocket garden created by Kantzler Fellows at The River Walk in Bay City, and becoming a mentor to incoming freshman. Through this, I have also found the desire to volunteer in programs related to my Nursing major. I have been a volunteer at Camp Nightingale for three semesters and led tours of the Health and Human Service Building for high school seniors interested in pursuing a career in Nursing. I greatly enjoy helping others and having the ability to answer their questions about SVSU and the many programs it has to offer. This fellowship has also given me the chance to build personal and professional networking relationships with administrative staff at SVSU and many influential individuals in Bay County. Until I became a part of this program, I was unaware of the variety of events and programs that occur in our community! I believe this program has played a major role in my success at SVSU. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of it and hope to continue to do so as an SVSU alumnus. I look forward to the influence these experiences and relationships will play on my career. I have no doubt they will be anything but positive."