A STRONG, RECOGNIZABLE COMMUNITY ASSET
HOW KC SCHOLARS STARTED THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IS NOW A COMMUNITY ASSET
From its beginning, KC Scholars has been planned and is now implemented as a community asset! It will create a strong college-going culture across our region and be among our most prized and transformative programs!
KC Scholars started as a community-engaged process. Over 70 members of the regional community helped to plan KC Scholars. They served on planning committees in 2016 and 2017 and their experiences and expertise shaped program design.
As a community asset, KC Scholars a 501(c)(3) entity, resides in the community, and has a community-based Board of Directors.
KC Scholars was publicly launched on September 28, 2016. It awarded its first Scholars in May 2017 and its second cohort in May 2018. Read more about the number of Scholars and impact here.
KC Scholars has grown into a strong, recognizable community asset! It is unlike other programs nationally and is changing the lives of thousands of low- and modest-income Kansas Citians and will be transformative to our region’s workforce and economy.
KC SCHOLARS WILL POSITIVELY IMPACT THE REGION
KC Scholars was designed to create individual impact and to positively impact the Kansas City region’s economy and workforce.
KC SCHOLARS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY TO DONATE AND SERVE
Designed by the community as a community asset, KC Scholars embraces the philosophy that community involvement is necessary for its success and to achieve the desired impact. Check out the many ways to become involved in KC Scholars.
- Community members can donate so that more scholarships are awarded annually. 100% of donations support scholarships.
- Community members can be scholarship application reviewers and nearly 200 did so in 2018. Learn more.
- Community members can share the scholarship opportunities with their family and friends and in the organizations in which they are involved. Refer to the Marketing Resources page for more information.
- Community members can set up a Named Scholarship and name it and direct it to support something they care deeply about.
WHY KC SCHOLARS MATTERS SO MUCH
Near every Scholar says that KC Scholars was a game-changer and that it matters a LOT.
Listen to these Scholars share why KC Scholars matters so much.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
As a 501(c)(3), KC Scholars has a community-based board of directors.

Terry Bassham
KCPL/Great Plains Energy

Tammy Edwards
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Board Treasurer
KC Scholars

Michelle Kay
Enterprise Holdings

Jan Kreamer
KC Scholars

Beth Tankersley-Bankhead
KC Scholars

David Warm
Mid-America Regional Council
Board Secretary
KC Scholars
MEET THE KC SCHOLARS TEAM

Beth Tankersley-Bankhead
- B.S. in Elementary Education,
University of Central Missouri - M.S. in Guidance and Counseling,
with an emphasis in College Student Personnel, Eastern Illinois University - PhD in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, with an emphasis in Higher and Continuing Education,
University of Missouri-Columbia

Juanita Ariza
- B.A. in Communications & Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia
- M.S. in Higher Education and Student Affairs, Indiana University-Bloomington

Maria Chaurand
- B.A. in Psychology, Rockhurst University

Karen Collins
- B.A. in Management, Webster University
- M.A. in Management and Leadership, Webster University

Michael Fitkin
- A.A. in Financial Services Management, Johnson & Wales University
- Certificate in Application Development, Centriq

Jon Hile
- B.S. in Justice Systems, Truman State University
- M.S. in Public Administration,
with an emphasis in Urban Administration, University of Missouri-Kansas City

Camry Ivory
- B.A. in Linguistics and Spanish, University of Missouri-Columbia
- M.A. in Higher Education/Higher Education Administration,
University of Missouri-Kansas City

Amy Polen
- B.S. in Organizational Communications, University of Kansas

Valerie Salazar
- B.A. in Communication Studies and Spanish, Texas Christian University

Amy Shapiro
- B.S. in Business Administration, University of Kansas

Cherelle Washington
- B.A. in Communication, University of Missouri-Columbia
- M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, University of Missouri-Columbia

Dustin Wightman
- ABA in Business Administration from University of Kansas
2018 AWARDEES
To learn who received scholarships in May 2018, click below to download lists.
YOU MAY BE SURPRISED IN MAY 2019!
Every May, KC Scholars has surprise scholarship award ceremonies at schools across the 6-county service region.
At that moment, you can see lives change. Scholars are so proud and happy that they are receiving the award.
Watch Scholars being surprise awarded in 2017 and 2018 – this is what KC Scholars is all about.