Local high school seniors have a chance to ease their college financial burden thanks to a unique partnership between Midlands Place businesses and the Papillion-La Vista Community Schools (PLCS) Foundation, which continues the tradition of the Midlands Place Scholarship.
"The scholarship is a constructive way for the merchants to see the value of our local school system," says Russ Daub, developer of the multi-building shopping center on 84th Street and Highway 370, "which is excellent for Papillion and La Vista."
Each Midlands Place tenant can donate $1,000, which the foundation matches. This provides two $1,000 scholarship opportunities, one for a Monarch grad and one for a Titan grad.
"It's neat to be a part of a small business in Papillion that can give back to the community," says Diane Heyne, Marketing Director for Midlands Place.
Heyne explains that being a senior at either high school is the only requirement for applying, with the specifications depending on the merchant. For instance, one tenant may offer a scholarship for a two-year degree and another for a four-year degree.
The process also requires a one-page essay. Past examples of prompts include asking applicants to pick a quote and describing how they relate to it. Others may cover topics such as sharing past service projects or overcoming hardships.
Interested seniors can find more information through their high school scholarship secretaries and senior bulletins or by visiting the events page of midlandsplace.com. This year's application deadline is November 29, and hundreds of students typically apply.
After applying, each merchant will select its recipients, who will be celebrated in May 2025 at a brunch event. The event will include the mayors of both cities, key staff members of the Papillion-La Vista Community Schools, and members of the PLCS Foundation. Scholarship winners will receive a certificate, and funds from the scholarship will be sent directly to the college or university they will attend.
Speaking on behalf of the PLCS Foundation, Executive Director Lee Denker calls the partnership unique because of the number of graduating seniors served.
"They are investing in our community's future by helping many Monarch and Titan grads with the high cost of education," Denker says. "It is terrific what Russ Daub and the Midlands Place businesses are doing to help our graduates follow their educational dreams. I'm so thankful they've partnered with the PLCS Foundation."
Heyne shares they have commitments from businesses such as Mathnasium, Spin Pizza, Vision Specialists, Sport Clips, and Incontro Closets. Combining those with commitments from Midlands Place, Diversified Properties, and Russ Daub himself allows them to impact more students in the community. "Normally, we have around $18,000 in scholarships to give away," she says.
"There are two or three tenants in there that have been backers of the scholarships since the beginning," says Daub. "The tenants understand it's the school system and families that create a good reputation for Papillion, which is a heck of a place for families to grow up."
Daub says that the continued partnership and opportunities for students personally make him proud and thankful for the merchants of Midlands Place.
"I've got a lot of tenants recognizing how valuable it is. That's gratifying to me because, without the tenants, we couldn't do this," Daub says.