Receiving a scholarship from Berrien Community Foundation was the confirmation Kate Rendell needed to know she was on the right track.
Rendell, who is now the executive director for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Southwest Michigan, remains thankful for receiving the Dunn Scholarship and Upton Opportunity Scholarship in 2019 when she restarted college.
“I felt like receiving those scholarships was a validation I was on the right path,” said Rendell. “To be supported by an individual is one thing, but a group of strangers who want to see change and improve people’s lives — it really gave me a lot of confidence and drive to continue on even though the subject matter I deal with is very difficult.”
CASA advocates for children in the foster care system, most of whom were put there because of abuse or neglect in their homes. CASA volunteers are sometimes the only constant in a foster child’s life. They dive deep into the child’s case and learn everything they can about the child’s life so they can best advocate for the child when working with lawyers, workers and the court.
Rendell started volunteering with CASA of Southwest Michigan back in 2017. Between 2017 to 2022, she advocated for four children.
“Working with such vulnerable youth broke my heart wide open and let me know there was more work to be done,” said Rendell. “I was so changed by my experience that I decided to go back to college; I was also determined to not take on debt.”
So, she began researching available scholarships and found Berrien Community Foundation. She received two scholarships — the Dunn Scholarship and the Frederick S. Upton Opportunity Scholarship. The Dunn Scholarship was created in memory of Jeanne Dunn to assist women in transition to reach their career and educational goals to be able to better support themselves. The Frederick S. Upton Opportunity Scholarships is awarded to students who showcase the mission of its namesake founder: love your community, be aware of what is needed to enrich the quality of life, and serve others with wisdom and compassion.
She double majored in social work and political science while at Western Michigan University. She worked for CASA of Kent County before becoming the CASA of Southwest Michigan executive director in February 2024.
The married mom of two said if she didn’t have those scholarships, she wouldn’t have likely been able to do two unpaid, in-depth internships.
Rendell is just one of the many former scholars who have found success. Berrien Community Foundation has been easing the financial burden of Berrien County college-bound students for more than three decades. This year, BCF crested the half-million-dollar mark in scholarships awarded.
“We awarded $533,000 to 86 local students who can breathe a sigh of relief and better focus on their academic journeys,” said BCF Program Director Susan Matheny, who oversees the scholarship program. “We and scholarship donors believe in these students and want to see them succeed.”
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