Committees

On behalf of MCSSA/MCSSCET, we are pleased to inform you that the Chuck Higgins/Mel Haga Memorial Scholarship 2025‐2026 school year application process is now open. The amount will be determined by the number of qualified applicants.

Note: ALL applicants must be in or entering the field of social work, human services, or juvenile justice.

This scholarship is dedicated and in memory of Chuck Higgins and Mel Haga. Chuck was a founding member of MCSSA and served as association president. Mel also dedicated his life and service to MCSSA.

Scholarship Processing

The following information is required to process scholarship awards for the fall semester. The scholarship award check cannot be issued until this information is received by MCSSA/MCSSCET:

• The name of the college or university they are attending.
• The applicant must be the child, grandchild, niece, nephew, stepchild, step‐grandchild, step‐niece, or step‐nephew of a MDHHS, or MCSSA/MCSSCET employee or board member, entering their junior, senior, or master’s level at a Michigan college or university.
• Undergraduate level students must have maintained at least a 2.75 grade point average; applicants must provide a certificate from their school as to their grade level. Graduate level students must have a grade point average of 3.0.
• Prior grantees having received two previous awards will be given consideration after all other applicants are considered.

Please attach the following to the application

• Three recommendation letters; 1 must be from a staff person from the college presently attending/attended
• Most recent transcript (official or unofficial)
• Personal resume
• Verification from the university registrar’s office of full‐time enrollment for the fall semesterForfeiture of Scholarship Award

Forfeiture of Scholarship Award

• No longer meets the scholarship qualifications
• Is placed on academic and/or disciplinary probation
• Does not enroll full‐time in a program of study for the semester/quarter in which the award is to be in effect

ALL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS ARE DUE TO THE MCSSA OFFICE BY JUNE 30, 2025

Candidates will remain anonymous from the selection committee members during their deliberations.

Recipients will be invited and encouraged to attend the Annual MCSSA/MCSSCET Conference/ Banquet Doherty Hotel – Clare, MI, September 16, 2025, to receive their award. If they are unable to attend in person, they will provide a short video to thank MCSSA, and so that our members can get to know about them and their career aspirations.

Please contact us if you have any questions at 517‐371‐5303 or mcssa@mcssa.com.

Thank you,

Grenae Dudley
MCSSA President

Christy Hilgers
MCSSA Scholarship Committee

mcssa@mcssa.com
517‐371‐5303