420 Oak Street
Prakken 101
Big Rapids, MI 49307
(231) 591-2365
The Ferris Foundation in GR
Ferris's Grand Rapids Advancement office provides the vision, leadership, and management for fundraising efforts in West Michigan. The office brings together university partners to strategically develop funding models and cohesive messaging to share with the community. Barbara Benda, Executive Director of Leadership Gifts and Relationships Grand Rapids Region and Associate Director of The Ferris Foundation, leads this effort.
The Ferris Grand Rapids Council
The vision of the council is to build a robust Bulldog community that ensures every area student has an accessible pathway to a Ferris education and a successful career. A group of dedicated volunteers, the council collaborates with the Ferris Foundation to cultivate Bulldog Pride, support Ferris' economic impact, and increase educational opportunity in the area.
In Grand Rapids, Ferris State University meets students “where they are”. Beyond traditional college recruitment, Ferris Grand Rapids works with under-connected and under-represented communities: listening, identifying needs, and finding partners.
Since 1991, Ferris Grand Rapids has been building these bridges for the educational and professional achievement of current and future students while cultivating a vibrant and supportive community around them. This important work is not done alone, in a vacuum. Our work engages partner organizations that in turn make our programming more robust and valuable to students.
Ferris State University has laid institutional foundations in Grand Rapids for many years. Moving forward, our work will focus on our strengths:
- Ferris Grand Rapids will address financial barriers with comprehensive scholarship
development. Ferris Grand Rapids will cultivate a welcoming and inclusive outreach
to diverse populations, meeting students of all backgrounds and walks of life “where
they are”.
- Ferris Grand Rapids will echo the larger university’s commitment to graduating students
who are ready to work, emphasizing hands-on experiences and real-world skills. Through
collaboration and community partnerships today, we will offer our students and the
larger Grand Rapids community a head start on the agility and scholarship to adapt
for tomorrow.
- Ferris Grand Rapids will remain a community of learners. Collaborating in meaningful ways is dependent on the humility to acknowledge that no person or institution has all the answers. Ferris Grand Rapids is unencumbered by the restrictions of a conventional institution. Instead, we are a living, adaptive organization that is very comfortable in ambiguous space.
West Michigan Opportunity Scholarship
In the West Michigan area, there are talented students who have dire need, but aren't eligible for scholarships because they come in just under the usual scholarship GPA. The West Michigan Opportunity Scholarship broadens scholarship availability beyond those who are already high-achieving, creating a base of support for West Michigan Ferris State University students to succeed.
Selected Partnership and Locations
Wayne Bersano
Agent, New York Life Insurance Company
Ferris State University: Hospitality Administration/Management
LinkedIn
Chuck Christmas
EVP - Chief Financial Officer, Mercantile Bank of Michigan
Ferris State University: Accounting
LinkedIn
Mary E. Dale
Global Vice President of Human Resources, Convivial Brands
Ferris State University: Applied Speech Communications
LinkedIn
Jean K. Elder
CEO and Senior Partner, J.K. Elder and Associates
Ferris Foundation Board of Directors
Ferris State University: Honorary Doctorate, A&S D. Pub Srv
University of Michigan: Development Psychology, Education, Organizational Development
LinkedIn
Mary Anne Jones
CFO and SVP of Operations, Priority Health
Ferris State University: Accounting
LinkedIn
Susan K. Jones
Professor of Marketing, Ferris State University
Ferris Foundation Board of Directors
Northwestern University: Advertising, Political Science
LinkedIn
Andrew Kapanowski
Real Estate Sales Specialist, NAI Wisinski of West Michigan
Ferris State University: Business Administration
Brad Laackman
President & CEO, Honor Construction
Ferris State University: Construction Management
LinkedIn
Andy Maier
Vice President Of Business Development, Freshwater Digital
Ferris State University: Business Administration/Advertising
LinkedIn
Evvia Marshall
Sr. Consumer Insight Analyst, Priority Health
Ferris State University: Computer Information Systems
LinkedIn
Drew Mayer
Account Manager, Trace3
Ferris State University: Business, Management, Marketing and Sales
LinkedIn
Paola Mendivil
Vice President of Catering. El Granjero
Program Manager, LEADeres at Ferris State University
Business Development Advisor, GROW
Ferris State University: Business Administration
LinkedIn
Andy O'Brien
Benefits Consultant, Axios Incorporated
Ferris State University: Business Marketing
LinkedIn
Laura Smith
Director - Account Management, VisiQuate, Inc
Ferris State University: Project Management
LinkedIn
Betsey Spayde RPh
Property Manager and Owner, FMG Properties, LLC
Ferris State University: Pharmacy
LinkedIn
Mike Van Diepenbos (Co-Chair)
Group Manager – Business Banking, Comerica Bank
Ferris State University: Business Administration
LinkedIn
Carolina Puerta-Estevez
Talent Acquisition Advisor, Corporate
Human Resources,Acrisure
Ferris State University: Public Relations
LinkedIn
Interested in joining the Council?