(231) 591-2365
420 Oak Street
Prakken 101
Big Rapids, MI 49307
Mickey Shapiro
"There aren't too many places that give people a chance. Ferris State University is one of those places. I know from experience. I struggled in high school and was accepted at Ferris into a summer probationary program in 1965. It was small. They noticed whether or not you were there. They taught you how to study. Because of that start, I was able to go on to graduate from college and start my own successful real-estate development company.
"Through the years, I’ve never forgotten what Ferris did for me. I understand that school isn’t easy for everyone; I established the Mickey Shapiro Opportunity Scholarship to recognize those people who have to work extra hard to succeed. Through this scholarship, I am supporting promising students who struggle and giving back to the school that first gave me a chance."
In 2015, Mickey Shapiro established the Mickey Shapiro Opportunity Scholarship Endowment at Ferris State to support provisionally-admitted students who successfully complete their trial year. In 2017, he also provided funding to Ferris enabling the University to acquire a perpetual license for the Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive, making the University one of only three Michigan institutions with access to the archive.