Whether it's the death of a parent, unemployment due to poor health or a reduction in wages related to job loss, more students than ever are hurting financially and applying for special financial aid consideration. Through the special consideration process, Ferris' Financial Aid staff hear the woes of students who are unsure of how they will make ends meet to begin, or continue, their education. These students need to supplement their financial aid package in order to attend Ferris.

In order to help these struggling students, the Ferris community has rallied around one of its founding principles: Opportunity, Woodbridge N. and Helen Gillespie Ferris built the institution today known as Ferris State University on the premise that education should be accessible for everyone.

That guiding principle inspired Opportunity@125, an initiative marking the University's 125th anniversary with the objective of raising at least $250,000 to be distributed as scholarships during the 2009-10 academic year. Additionally, the FERRIS forward! initiative gives alumni, faculty, staff and friends the chance to help provide scholarship resources for students in financial need.

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