CAS completion scholarship helps students overcome financial barriers

The College of Arts and Sciences provided 100 junior and senior students this year with a $4,000 completion scholarship. Created to address the rising cost of tuition, the scholarship supports students who have demonstrated academic success but face financial barriers that threaten their ability to complete their degrees. 

Eric Bates, a double major in sociology and psychology, says the scholarship lifted a significant weight off his shoulders. 

“I am absolutely humbled and beyond grateful for this contribution to my academic journey,” Bates says. As a fully blind, nontraditional student nearing 40, he says the award ensures he can remain on campus through graduation. “I now have the ability to fully focus on my studies and finish at a high level.” Bates says, “This contribution has very much solidified my ability to stay on campus for the remainder of my two semesters.” 

WMU alumnus Timothy Alan Stoepker, B.S. ’76, history and political science, says a significant part of his education at WMU was made possible by scholarships. 

“I was able to attend WMU because of scholarships, internships and financial assistance made available to me because of WMU alumni preceding me that graciously gave to WMU,” Stoepker says. 

He says he hopes that other alumni will join him in donating to WMU to assure learning opportunities for current and prospective college students.

“For the past 30-plus years I have had the opportunity to donate to WMU to help in a small way to fund scholarships for WMU students,” Stoepker says. “My donations are given in thanks for those unknown persons who helped to fund my education, and for the professors and staff that so diligently gave me the best education possible.” 

The college first provided completion scholarships in 2018; of the students receiving those initial awards, more than 93% have now graduated. More recently, of the students receiving a completion scholarship in 2025-26, 60% have already graduated, with another 37% on track to graduate this year. 

Recipient Mason Sanchez, a senior studying Latin and philosophy, says the scholarship will make a real difference as he finishes his last semester at WMU. “This support means more to me than I can fully express,” Sanchez says. “It is a powerful reminder that the college believes in its students and wants us to cross the finish line with dignity and support.”