“It was their generosity that planted the seed in me.”
As a Waubonsee student, Scott Mertes was determined to earn a college degree but faced the financial challenges familiar to many community college students. Receiving the John Acksel Memorial Scholarship eased that burden and gave him the confidence to continue pursuing his educational goals. Scott went on to earn bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and now serves as President at Mid Michigan College. Along the way, he never forgot the generosity that helped make his journey possible. Inspired by the Acksel family’s gift, Scott established the Waubonsee Foundation’s Three Brothers Scholarship and has gone on to support students at several other colleges and universities. For Scott, giving back isn’t simply about gratitude; it’s about ensuring that today’s students have the same opportunities that changed his own life.
