MSU Extension Berrien County

Berrien County 4-H Alumni Scholarship 

The Berrien County 4-H Leaders Association, Inc. annually awards one or more scholarships, for a minimum of $700.00 each. When applying please indicate on the application the scholarship(s) for which you are applying. Please review the requirements carefully.  The Berrien County MSU Extension office must receive the completed application along with supporting documents by midnight on July 17, 2023. Interviews will be held on Thursday, July 20, 2023 at the Berrien County MSU Extension Office in Benton Harbor beginning at 5:30 p.m. Recipients will be notified by August 1, if they have been selected. Scholarships will be handed out at the Member and Leader Recognition Banquet in the fall of each year. 

Here is the link:

• Berrien County 4-H Alumni Scholarship Letter - 2023
• Berrien County 4-H Alumni Scholarship Requirements - 2023
• Berrien County 4-H Alumni Scholarship Application - PDF Form
• Berrien County 4-H Alumni Scholarship Application - WORD Form

 Applications can be submitted by: 

• Faxing to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office at 269-944-4128
• Mailing or dropping off to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office at: 
  • 1737 Hillandale Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022

Joseph Cerny & Evelyn Cerny Memorial Scholarship 

The Berrien County 4-H Leaders Association, Inc. annually awards one or more scholarships, for a minimum of $700.00 each. When applying please indicate on the application the scholarship(s) for which you are applying. Please review the requirements carefully.  The Berrien County MSU Extension office must receive the completed application along with supporting documents by 5:00 p.m. on July 17, 2023. Interviews will be held on Thursday, July 20, 2023 at the Berrien County MSU Extension Office in Benton Harbor beginning at 5:30 p.m. Recipients will be notified by August 1, if they have been selected. Scholarships will be handed out at the Member and Leader Recognition Banquet in the fall of each year. 

Here is the link: 

• Joseph Cerny & Evelyn Cerny Memorial Scholarship Letter - 2023
• Joseph Cerny & Evelyn Cerny Memorial Scholarship Requirements - 2023
• Joseph Cerny & Evelyn Cerny Memorial Scholarship Application - PDF Form
• Joseph Cerny & Evelyn Cerny Memorial Scholarship Application - WORD Form

 Applications can be submitted by: 

• Faxing to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office at 269-944-4128
• Mailing or dropping off to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office at: 
  • 1737 Hillandale Road, Benton Harbor, MI 49022

Berrien County 4-H Horse Leaders Equine Educational Scholarship

 The Berrien County 4-H Horse Leaders Association, annually awards one or more scholarships, for a minimum of $500.00 to an alumni of the Berrien County 4-H Horse & Pony project. Please review the the requirements carefully. Applications along with supporting documents must be submitted by July 15, 2023 by 5:00 p.m. at the Berrien County MSU Extension Office in Benton Harbor, MI. Applications submitted after this will not be eligible. Scholarships will be handed out at the 4-H Member and Leader Recognition Banquet in the fall of each year. 

Here is the link: 

• Berrien County 4-H Horse Leaders Equine Educational Scholarship Requirements - 2023
• Berrien County 4-H Horse Leaders Equine Educational Scholarship Application - 2023

Member & Leader Educational Training Scholarship

 The Berrien County 4-H Youth program offers members and leaders the opportunity to receive scholarships in various amounts to apply for continuing education in the form of state 4-H workshops and training. Leaders and Members must be active and approved in the current 4-H year to receive an form of scholarship and/or scholarship reimbursement. Notice must be submitted to the Berrien County MSU Extension office prior to registering for event for consideration. Workshops and training receive 1/2 the cost of the registration fee in the amount of the scholarship unless otherwise noted by the table below. Furthermore, if youth or leader does not attend the training or workshop after a scholarship is applied, the individual is responsible for reimbursing the amount provided. 

4-H Exploration Days Scholarship 

There are partial county scholarships available to members and leaders who are currently enrolled in Berrien County 4-H clubs that supported the annual 4-H Fund-raiser – either through selling product, or making a financial contribution of $10.00 per member.  If your club did not support the fund-raiser, you will not receive financial support from Council funds. Members and leaders are also encouraged to talk to their 4-H club about additional funds available to be applied to their fees and expenses. 

2023 Registration fee scholarship details include:

• 4-H members pay $50.00 and receive a $170.00 County scholarship (contingent on the above information).
• 4-H members that have never attended 4-H Exploration Days will receive an additional $40 scholarship. (Limited to 9 scholarships for Berrien County.)  
• 4-H State Award delegates will receive an additional $40.00 scholarship.
• 4-H leaders who will be chaperoning will receive a full county scholarship in the amount of $120.00 (contingent on the above information).
• 4-H parents pay the full fee of $120.00
• Scholarships are applied to registration once forms and payment have been received. Please note, scholarships are on a first come, first serve basis until financial allocations are depleted. 

Here is the link: 

• 4-H Exploration Days Event Website
• 4-H Exploration Days Session Schedule 
• 4-H Exploration Days FAQ

2023 Berrien County 4-H Delegation Orientation Dates: 

• Virtual Orientation for Youth
  • May 18, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom (Zoom link will be sent with orientation packet) 

• Virtual Orientation for Chaperones 
  • May 18, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom (Zoom link will be sent with orientation packet) 

Citizenship Washington Focus Trip

The Berrien County 4-H program will be offering a scholarship for a youth to attend the Citizenship Washington Focus Trip. The scholarship is for $1,800.00 to go towards the registration fee for the trip. Youth must be active and approved members of the Berrien County 4-H Youth program to apply. Applications must be submitted by the deadline. Deadline to apply is December 22 of each year. Submission needs to be made to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office in Benton Harbor, MI. The national CWF trip takes place every other year on odd years. (Example: 2023, 2025, 2027, 2029, 2031, etc.) 

Here is the link for more information:

• Citizenship Washington Focus Scholarship Application - PDF Form
• Citizenship Washington Focus Scholarship Application - WORD Form

For more information on the Citizenship Washington Focus Trip go to: CWF Trip

National 4-H Conference 

The Berrien County 4-H program will be offering a scholarship for a youth to attend the National 4-H Conference Trip. The scholarship is for $1,000.00 to go towards the registration fee for the trip. Youth must be active and approved members of the Berrien County 4-H Youth program to apply. Applications must be submitted by the deadline. Deadline to apply is September 15 of each year. Submission needs to be made to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office in Benton Harbor, MI. The national CWF trip takes place every other year on odd years. (Example: 2024, 2026, 2028, 2030, etc.) 

Here is the link:

• National 4-H Conference Scholarship Application - PDF Form - COMING SOON 
• National 4-H Conference Scholarship Application - WORD Form - COMING SOON 

For more information on the National 4-H Conference Trip go to: National 4-H Conference

National 4-H Congress Scholarship 

The Berrien County 4-H program will be offering a scholarship for a youth to attend the National 4-H Congress Trip. The scholarship is for $1,000.00 to go towards the registration fee for the trip. Youth must be active and approved members of the Berrien County 4-H Youth program to apply. Applications must be submitted by the deadline. Deadline to apply is September 15 of each year. Submission need to be made to the Berrien County MSU Extension Office in Benton Harbor, MI. 

Here is the link:

• National 4-H Congress Scholarship Application - PDF Form
• National 4-H Congress Scholarship Application - WORD Form

For more information on National 4-H Congress go to: National 4-H Congress