Michigan Tech alumni Rollin Jones ‘58 and Jim Lindstrom ‘69 spent the majority of
their civil engineering careers working for Robert Thompson of the Thompson-McCully
Company. Together, they managed and were instrumental in acquiring many Michigan
based asphalt paving companies to grow the company’s portfolio. Mr. Thompson’s unique
management style of sharing financial knowledge with key employees was a rarity for
its time and proved to create a performance-based learning environment. After Thompson-McCully
sold its holdings to CRH/Oldcastle Materials in 1999, Robert (Bob) and Ellen Thompson
formed the Thompson Foundation largely supporting education. As Vice Presidents for
Thompson-McCully, Rollin and Jim demonstrated superior leadership and a “nose to the
grindstone” work ethic which they attribute to their educational experience at Michigan
Tech. Through the years, Rollin and Jim made many trips to Houghton in search of
future employees that exhibit those same qualities. Jim recalls, “As the company grew,
we would go to Michigan Tech to recruit and hire for needed positions”. Bob and Ellen
Thompson have great appreciation for Tech graduates and their contributions to the
company’s success. They have established the Working Families Scholarship in memory
of Rollin, who sadly left us in 2018, and in honor of Jim who represents the living
legacy of this Michigan Tech scholarship.
Students who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply:
- Michigan resident
- Classified as a dependent student on their FAFSA
- Student Aid Index (SAI) between -1,500 and 16,000
- At least one currently working parent
- Not receiving Michigan Tech’s Tuition Reduction Incentive Program (TRIP), the State
of Michigan's Tuition Incentive Program (TIP), the Kalamazoo Promise, the Michigan
Indian Tuition Waiver, or other full tuition scholarships.
- Students must also be either:
-
- an incoming first-year student at Michigan Tech;
- a first-year student who has completed their first semester at Michigan Tech; or
- a transfer student who has completed 4 semesters or 60 credits at another institution
before their enrollment begins at Michigan Tech.
- Up to $5,500 per year from the Thompson Foundation; Michigan Tech commits to matching
up to $5,500 in university funding in the form of grants and scholarships, including
programs like the Presidential Scholars Program and Michigan Tech Transfer Award.
- Number of recipients awarded for fall 2025 will be 195.
- 125 new first-year students
- 60 achievers (current first-year) students
- 10 new transfer students
- Awards are renewable; number of semesters vary based on program.
-
- New first-year: 4 years (8 semesters)
- Achievers (current first-year): 3 years (6 semesters)
- New transfer: 2 years (4 semesters)
- Students must apply for admission to Michigan Tech by February 15.
- Complete the FAFSA application by February 28.
- Complete the Working Families Scholarship application by March 1.
- Submit an essay addressing the following topic: "What are you passionate about and
how will this scholarship help you achieve your goals at Michigan Tech?"
- Provide one (1) letter of recommendation
Application Deadline and Other Important Dates
- February 15: Application for admission to Michigan Tech on file.
- February 15: Complete the FAFSA application and have results sent to Michigan Tech.
- March 1: Applications for Incoming First-Year and Transfer Students must be submitted by
March 1 at 11:59PM.
- April 1: Applications for Current Enrolled Students must be submitted by April 1 at 11:59PM.
- First Week of April: Incoming First-Year and Transfer Student award recipients and applicants are notified.
Scholarship recipients must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 at the
end of each semester of study, complete a thank you letter to the Thompson Foundation
each year, file a FAFSA annually, and complete and report a minimum of 20 community
service hours per academic year (fall/spring semesters). Continuous, regular full-time
undergraduate enrollment (12 credits or more) and adherence to the student code of
community conduct must also be maintained.
Award levels for students who were first awarded the Working Families Scholarship at Michigan
Tech for the 2023-2024 academic year and before can be viewed here.
Learn more about the Thompson Foundation that funds this generous scholarship, and
how the Working Families Scholarship Program is designed to promote and support student
success.
