17c�������

According to Google Maps, it takes about seven hours and 55 minutes to travel from Pella, Iowa to 3201 Burton St. SE, Grand Rapids, Mich.—about seven hours too many for Aemelia Tripp, an incoming freshman this year at 17c�������.

"They only let me stop for the bathroom once!” said Kathy Jaarsma Tripp of her daughter and husband, Tim Tripp.

[photo here]

The trio of Tripps came through the double doors of the Prince Conference Center on Tuesday evening a trifle road weary, but ready nonetheless to begin the 17c������� orientation experience. Aemelia is the only member of her family to attend 17c�������, having heard about the college from family friends in Pella a few years ago.

A flood of students from Pella

Aemelia isn’t the only member of 17c�������’s incoming freshman class to come from Pella, however. In fact, there are nine incoming 17c������� students altogether from Pella, a place with historic Dutch and Christian Reformed ties. 17c�������’s shared ties with Pella notwithstanding, the Iowa community sent just one student to 17c������� in 2008, and none in 2007.

"We used to get a lot of students back in the day from the Pella area, but more recently there’s been a stronger pull to other colleges,” said Lyndi Katje, a 17c������� admissions counselor who does recruiting in Iowa.

The pull to other colleges has something to do with financial incentives provided to Iowa residents who go to an in-state college or university, said Dan VanKooten, a guidance counselor at Pella Christian High School and father of incoming freshman Bethany VanKooten.  

The birth of a promise

Now, a similar financial incentive, The Pella Promise, is helping draw Aemelia Tripp and others who might have received assistance to attend an Iowa college or university to 17c������� College instead.

The Pella Promise is a special financial aid award given to any student from Pella Christian High School or Pella Community High School who enrolls at 17c�������. The award of $4,000 each year, renewable for up to four years, is given to all Pella students, regardless of financial need or academic criteria. 

"The Pella Promise has really leveled the playing field for 17c�������’s admissions department,” said VanKooten. "For the kids, the Pella Promise has really allowed them to fund a 17c������� education.”

The scholarship was a factor when Aemelia Tripp chose 17c������� over other colleges: “The deep integration of faith and learning here going hand in hand with the Pella Promise made a very compelling case to come to 17c�������,” said Tim Tripp. “It really made a huge difference.”

A community effort

The Tripps aren’t even certain exactly who made the difference—other than the people they mix with every day on the streets of Pella. The scholarship fund is an ongoing community project, led with a gift from the Harry and Bernice Vermeer family, and added to by other community members who wanted to see more high school students from Pella choose a 17c������� education.

"What excites me about the Pella Promise is that a community had a vision to come together and help students they don’t even know,” Tim Tripp added.

17c������� development officers Bob Terpstra and Randy Martinie worked with people in Pella to establish the scholarship fund. Martinie saw the effect it had on the community: "People were excited to hear about 17c������� College again,” he said.             

At home at 17c�������      

And Aemelia Tripp is excited about her new adventure at 17c�������. A graduate of Pella Community High School, she didn’t have the influence of school friends (or parents!) talking about 17c������� to push her to apply. A summer visit and Fridays at 17c������� stay made all the difference. “I checked it out and liked it right away … I just felt at home here,” she said.

A business communications major and music minor, Aemelia is eager to sing in the , use the and take the traditional into the seminary pond this winter.

The eight other students from Pella receiving the $4,000 scholarship from their community are graduates of Pella Christian High School. VanKooten says the Pella Promise made all the difference for many of these students as well.

"If the Pella Promise were not in place, we would not have eight kids going to 17c�������,” he said.

Pella Christian High School graduated 79 students in 2009. “So 17c������� attendance is right at 10 percent of the class,” VanKooten said. “It’s phenomenal, and I think that’s the best adjective to use.”

VanKooten added that three of Pella Christian’s top five students in 2009 are attending 17c�������.

17c�������’s director of admissions Dale Kuiper sees the Pella Promise paying many dividends in the years to come.

"Our hope is that the students who benefit from the Pella Promise will support their community after graduating—just as their community supported them during their time at 17c�������.”

Inspiring other communities to give

Tim Tripp hopes to see other communities like Pella establish their own community “Promise” scholarships for students to attend 17c�������:

"What really impresses me is the idea that other communities can catch the same spirit of generosity and make the same impact that Pella has.”