BIG RAPIDS - Scholarships were not available when Charles and Dorothy Peterson attended college, but their strong belief in higher education drove them to earn degrees and lead successful careers, Charles as an optometrist and Dorothy as an elementary school teacher.
Wishing to give back to the students of tomorrow, the Petersons coupled their belief in higher education and commitment to giving back to create the Charles G. and Dorothy E. Peterson Scholarship Endowment Fund at Ferris State University to assist full-time students enrolled in the Doctor of Optometry program in the Michigan College of Optometry.
"They had a desire to provide opportunities for students to learn and then apply that knowledge as future doctors of optometry," said Nancy Peterson-Klein, who has continued her father's optometric legacy as a faculty member and associate dean of the Michigan College of Optometry.
"During his 40-year career practicing as a solo practitioner in Canton, Ohio, my father mentored other optometrists, including me," Peterson-Klein added, saying both of her parents were inspirations and guideposts to her and her sister, Sandra Peterson, who pursued a career in elementary education.
With state funding on the decline and rising tuition costs, the Petersons understood how important financial aid can be for a student with more than 83 percent of Ferris students qualifying for financial aid.
For more information or to make a gift to the Charles G. and Dorothy E. Peterson Scholarship Endowment Fund, please contact The Ferris Foundation at (231) 591-2365 or fsufdn@ferris.edu. Details about establishing scholarships or endowments may be obtained from the Advancement Office at (231) 591-3825.