Thompson Working Families Scholarship: Eligibility and Opportunities

The Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, a beacon of hope for students from working families, opens doors to higher education. Founded on the principle of making college accessible, the scholarship supports students in achieving their academic dreams. This article delves into the eligibility criteria, benefits, and requirements of the Thompson Working Families Scholarship, providing a comprehensive overview for prospective applicants and current recipients.

The Vision Behind the Scholarship

Ellen Thompson, a former elementary school teacher, and her husband, Robert Thompson, recognized a significant gap in financial support for children of working-class families aspiring to attend college. Driven by their respect for the hard work and dreams of the employees in their asphalt and concrete businesses, they launched the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program in 2011 at Grand Valley State University. Their vision was to create a program that would enable students to graduate with a bachelor's degree while significantly reducing their reliance on student loans. The Thompson Foundation's commitment is amplified by participating universities, which match the foundation's funding dollar for dollar.

Core Values and Impact

Robert and Ellen Thompson believe in education’s ability to make a significant difference in someone's life. After selling their successful asphalt company in 1999, Bob and Ellen Thompson formed the Thompson Foundation and cited its key mission as creating educational opportunities for city youth and families with low incomes. Ellen Thompson has said it was the couple's relationship with employees at their asphalt company that spurred them into creating scholarship programs. “I see how long and hard some people work, and the dreams they have for their children,” said Ellen Thompson. As for the Thompsons, their only goal is to help students succeed and to perhaps inspire people to give. Robert and Ellen see an opportunity to help students for whom money may be an obstacle to college success. Thompson scholars are encouraged to be active in extracurricular activities and Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and are required to give back through community service. And Bob Thompson has a message for students: "You can do things to help others, one-on-one, and make it happen. You're almost obligated by me to do that."

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the Thompson Working Families Scholarship, students must demonstrate financial need and meet specific academic criteria. Key requirements include:

Financial Need: Recipients must need financial assistance and have applied for all available federal and state grants, loans, and work-study programs.
Student Aid Index (SAI): Applicants must have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of 16,000 or less, as determined by the federal calculation on the FAFSA form. For instance, for the 2026-2027 academic year, applicants to Bowling Green State University (BGSU) must have filed the 2026-2027 FAFSA prior to February 27, 2026.
FAFSA Completion: Submission of the FAFSA and any additional verification documents by the university's priority deadline is mandatory each year. At BGSU, if selected for verification, all documents must be submitted to Financial Aid by June 15th.
Full-Time Enrollment: Recipients must be fully admitted into a degree-seeking program and enrolled as a full-time student, taking at least 12 credit hours each semester (fall and spring). Audited courses do not count toward the required credit hours.
Good Standing: Recipients must remain in good standing at their respective institutions, adhering to the Undergraduate Catalog, Code of Academic and Student Conduct, and Student Handbook.

Scholarship Benefits and Usage

The Thompson Working Families Scholarship provides substantial financial assistance to help cover the costs of tuition, fees, and other educational expenses.

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Award Amount: Thompson Scholars receive significant financial support each academic year. For example, scholarship recipients at schools like Grand Valley State University receive $11,000 ($5,500 from the Thompson Foundation and $5,500 from the university) each academic year through the program, covering much or all of the cost of tuition.
Eligible Expenses: The scholarship is primarily intended for instructional and general fees, room and board, and books.
Coordination with Other Aid: If a student receives other scholarships or waivers that cover specific charges, such as athletic or Resident Assistant scholarships, the Thompson scholarship may be reduced accordingly. It is the student's responsibility to notify Student Financial Aid & Scholarships of all aid received.
Restrictions: The scholarship cannot be used for charges billed by another institution for unique programs of enrollment.
Application to Student Bill: The scholarship is applied to the student's bill and divided equally between the fall and spring semesters. Funds not used during the semester are not refunded to the student.
Campus Restrictions: Scholarships are typically for main campus enrollment and tuition rates only and may not be used at branch campuses or for online courses charged at the online rate. For instance, at Bowling Green State University, the scholarship is for the main campus and cannot be used at Firelands campus or for online courses.

Renewal Criteria and Academic Requirements

To maintain eligibility and renew the Thompson Working Families Scholarship, recipients must meet specific academic requirements and program participation criteria.

GPA Requirement: Recipients must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA, which may vary by institution. At BGSU, to receive the full renewable value, students must maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA at the end of each semester.
Credit Hour Completion: Students must earn a minimum number of credit hours each academic year. At the end of each academic year, students at BGSU must have earned 30+ credit hours after year one, 60+ credit hours after year two, and 90+ credit hours after year three. Audited and repeated courses do not count towards completed hours.
Continuous Enrollment: Scholarship funds may be received for a specific number of continuous semesters if renewal criteria are met. For example, at BGSU, funds may be received for a total of six continuous semesters for the Achievers Scholarship, or eight continuous semesters for other Thompson scholarships.
Program Participation: Recipients are required to attend all mandatory scholarship meetings, including orientation, one-on-one meetings with their scholarship advisor each semester, and any assigned group meetings or Thompson events.
Community Service: Many Thompson scholarship programs require recipients to complete a minimum number of community service hours each academic year. For instance, recipients at Saginaw Valley State University are required to complete a total of 20 hours each academic year, with a minimum of 10 hours completed by the end of exam week in the fall semester.
Donor Communication: Recipients may be required to submit status updates (letters) to the donors and be available to meet with them if requested.

Specific University Requirements

The Thompson Working Families Scholarship program operates with slight variations at different universities. Here are a few examples:

Bowling Green State University (BGSU)

University Freshmen Academic Scholarship (UFAS): Students receiving a BGSU University Freshmen Academic Scholarship (UFAS) in an amount greater than $5,500 will see a reduction of that scholarship to $5,500. The BGSU portion of this award may only be used for general and instructional fees. UFAS plus the Thompson Working Families Achievers Scholarship combined can only be awarded up to $11,000.
State Scholarships: If a student is awarded a state scholarship that is tuition specific (like Ohio War Orphans or Ohio National Guard), they will no longer be eligible for the Thompson Working Families Scholarship and other BGSU tuition-specific scholarships.
Scholarship Duration: The Achievers Scholarship at BGSU can be received for a total of six continuous semesters if renewal criteria are met. No portion of the scholarship can be used after Spring 2029.
Initial GPA Requirement: For the Thompson Working Families Achievers Scholarship at BGSU, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and 30+ earned credit hours at the end of Spring 2026 are required to officially receive the scholarship and join the program starting in Fall 2026.
Summer Classes: Failure to meet the initial GPA or credit hour requirements at BGSU might result in the scholarship being rescinded unless a student takes summer classes to complete these requirements.
BGSU College Credit Plus: BGSU College Credit Plus courses may impact the offer or renewal of this scholarship because they contribute to a student’s cumulative BGSU GPA, which needs to be a 3.0 or higher.

Grand Valley State University (GVSU)

Matching Funds: At GVSU, matching funds are GV-specific grants and scholarships, such as "Laker Lane Scholarship" or "Grand Valley Grant," in a student's financial aid package.
Graduation Cords: GVSU hosts an event for graduates each Fall and Winter semester where Thompson Scholars can pick up their graduation cords.

Saginaw Valley State University (SVSU)

Community Service Examples: SVSU provides examples of acceptable community service activities, including virtual volunteering, helping a neighbor, picking up trash in a park, writing letters to residents of a retirement home, and making dog toys out of recycled materials.
Scholarship Appeals: SVSU allows students to submit scholarship appeals if their GPA falls below the minimum requirement and they have completed all service hours.

Community Service

Service is an essential component of the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, fostering civic engagement and a sense of responsibility among its recipients. The program encourages students to be creative in finding ways to give back to their communities. Acceptable activities are virtual volunteering (for example, an online voter registration drive, or phone banking), helping a neighbor by raking their yard, shoveling snow or walking their dog, picking up trash in a park, writing letters to residents of a retirement home, making dog toys out of recycled materials and donating to a shelter, and many more options! When tracking hours, you do not need to list an organization if you did your service independently.

Maintaining Eligibility

Several factors can impact a student's continued eligibility for the Thompson Working Families Scholarship:

Changes in SAI: At BGSU, if there is any change to your 2026-2027 SAI, which results in an SAI over 16,000 prior to the start of the Fall 2026 semester, you will no longer be eligible to receive the Thompson Working Families Achievers Scholarship or participate in the program.
Transferring Institutions: Transferring to another institution (even if re-enrolling at BGSU later) typically results in forfeiture of the scholarship.
Academic Progress: Should a recipient choose to add a second degree, change their major, or not follow the advice of an academic advisor which delays graduation, the student will be responsible for costs beyond the specified semesters. At BGSU, this is six semesters for the Achievers Scholarship.
Failure to Meet Requirements: Failure to meet GPA, credit hour, or community service requirements can lead to the loss of the scholarship.

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