Nov 22
Jun 03, 2020
Breed Family Business Scholarship Fund Established
The Breed family has a deep connection with Lake Superior State University. With six children, the financial landscape was challenging at times but for Bill and Sandy Breed it was important to support the college aspirations for their family. In order to accomplish this task, the Breed family knew that student financial aid and scholarships would be a necessity. Student financial aid and scholarships would ultimately help the Breed family fulfill their college dreams.
Through the creation of the Breed Family Business Scholarship, the Breed family is helping Lake Superior State to fulfill its continued goal of supporting our students. Supporting the path of success for students has been a tradition at Lake Superior State University for decades through the support of our generous donors. This support is evident through Lake Superior State University’s newly adopted Strategic Plan that focuses on the theme of Superior Education, Superior Experience, Superior You. Within the five main pillars of the new plan, social mobility is a consistent theme. The Breed family is an example of the support that has built the foundation of success at LSSU.
LSSU has the distinction of being ranked #1 as Michigan’s most affordable university, and the #14 most affordable university in the U.S., with over 90% of our students receiving scholarships and financial aid and offering a one-rate tuition to all students around the globe. The faculty and staff provide individual attention and a quality educational experience to enable students to earn a college degree and launch them on the path to a meaningful and productive career. Additionally, LSSU was ranked as the #3 public university in Michigan by the 2020 WalletHub college rankings, which heavily emphasizes the social mobility of students. With a high frequency of first generation students, we are changing generations of lives for our graduates.
The William and Sandra Breed family from Onaway, Michigan is an outstanding example of this demographic with four sons and one grandson attaining their degrees at LSSU. Bill and Sandy’s desire for a safe, community-oriented environment to raise their family, coupled with Bill’s passion for the outdoors, convinced them to relocate to Northern Michigan.
Vic, a 1982 Business graduate and recipient of the Lukenda School of Business Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. His brother Joe, who received LSSU’s Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2014, is also a 1985 graduate of the business school. In 1986, Matt Breed graduated with a Criminal Justice degree followed by Pete, a 1988 alumnus of the School of Engineering. Paul and Marie, pursuing their higher education at other Universities, graduated with degrees in Business and Music, respectively. The second generation of Breeds at Lake State continued when Matt’s son Nick also became a Criminal Justice alumnus in 2012.
This was the impetus for Vic and his wife Alene to establish the William and Sandra Breed Family Business Scholarship Fund. The purpose of the fund is to benefit students majoring in any field of study within the Lukenda School of Business. The financial need of applicants will be a consideration.
“Our parents instilled in each of us, a strong work ethic as well as the motivation to further our educations and be lifelong learners,” said Vic Breed. “We also could not have done it without help from scholarship donors who wanted to see students succeed. It’s really a combination of those factors that guided our decision to establish this fund in my parents’ honor.”
Bill Breed passed away in July 2018 while Sandy still lives in Onaway and remains active in her church and community activities. The first recipient will be awarded the scholarship for the fall 2020 semester. The tentative plan is for members of the Breed family to meet the recipient later this fall at the annual scholarship brunch.
“The Breed family has a long and impressive history with Lake Superior State,” said LSSU President Rodney Hanley. “With this generous act of creating this scholarship the Breeds are supporting an integral part of what our University accomplishes in terms of providing social mobility opportunities for our students.”
To learn more about supporting the William and Sandra Breed Family Business Scholarship or starting your own scholarship fund, contact Sharon Dorrity, Director of Donor Relations at (906) 635-2665 or email sdorrity@lssu.edu.
Lake Superior State University is one of Michigan’s most affordable public universities with One-Rate at Lake State tuition for all. Surrounded by three Great Lakes, LSSU is an unsurpassed location for research, focusing on real-world experiences. For more information, visit LSSU.edu.
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