Grass Lake Community Schools partners with Adrian College
Posted Monday, December 08, 2025
Author: Mickey Alvarado
Grass Lake Community Schools agreed to a partnership with Adrian College on Dec. 4 to receive a wide range of educational opportunities for its students, staff and faculty members.
Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking invited Grass Lake Community Schools’ Superintendent Nick Angel to campus, and both signed the partnership agreement.
The partnership includes early enrollment for students who want to get a jump-start on their college education, designated scholarships for graduates who enroll at Adrian College and professional development options for teachers and staff, drawing on the extensive faculty resources of the college.
“We are really passionate about providing quality secondary opportunities for our students,” Angel said. “We graduate students who I feel are strongly prepared for their postsecondary options. Roughly 40 percent of our students are in an early college program.”
A special admission consideration for qualified Grass Lake High School students who wish to attend Adrian College is included in the partnership as part of a concurrent dual enrollment agreement.
“We are really interested in blurring the lines between high school and college,” Docking said. “We are actually trying to move legislation through the state House right now with Nancy Jenkins and make it more lucrative for high schools that put kids in dual-enrolled classes.”
“When you look at how other states do dual-enrollment, Michigan is way at the bottom in terms of numbers and completions,” Tony Coumoundouros, Adrian College Dean of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education, said. “Part of it is the way the system is incentivized. It’s tough for people to do dual enrollment because there are a lot of other things to do in a high school. So, I commend you. Most schools I work with resist because it’s a budget and time issue. Grass Lake is going the extra mile.”
Automatic/direct admission is guaranteed for qualified Grass Lake High School seniors when meeting the following agreed-upon conditions:
- Students complete core college preparation curriculum of at least four English courses, three mathematics, three sciences, and three social studies courses (or study of a foreign language)
- Earn a minimum 2.5 high school GPA
- Graduate high school in the spring prior to entering the fall term as a new full-time, first-time entering college student
- Fully complete the Adrian College application for admission; and
- File the free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by May 1 of each year
Scholarships available to those who attend Adrian College on a full-time basis immediately following their high school graduation include the designation of five Presidential Scholarships ($15,000 per academic year) and five Trustee Scholarships ($18,000 per student per academic year) for qualified students attending directly from Grass Lake High School.
For students who do not qualify for an above-listed Merit Scholarship, Adrian College committed to providing institutional need-based financial aid up to the amount of $14,000 for any qualified (regular admission criteria) graduate of Grass Lake High School.
“Grass Lake High School graduates on average 90 seniors a year, so both institutions, and definitely the students, will benefit from this joint venture,” said Lori Kosarue, Adrian College Assistant Vice President for Enrollment. “With all of our new majors, we have something a majority of their graduates will be interested in.”
Adrian College will also provide special visits, receptions and invitations to programs offered on the Adrian College campus for the professional and personal development of Grass Lake High School faculty, staff and students.
