Huntington Bank and the Michigan Chronicle Continues Commitment to Detroit Students

Through the seventh annual Michigan Chronicle/Huntington Bank S.W.A.G. (Students Wired for Achievement and Greatness Scholarship Awards, the bank will provide individual student scholarships up to $25,000 and $5,000 in classroom grants for educators

DETROIT–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Huntington National Bank announced that it has renewed its partnership with the Michigan Chronicle to provide scholarships to Detroit high school seniors through the Michigan Chronicle/Huntington Bank S.W.A.G. Scholarship Awards. The $100,000 scholarship program targets students with a grade point average of at least 2.25, who are passionate about leadership and community service. Since its inception, Huntington Bank has invested nearly a million dollars in the S.W.A.G. program, established to create transformational impact in the communities the bank serves.

As part of the 2022 program, 15 awardees will receive scholarships between $2,500 and $25,000. Award levels include six $2,500 scholarships, five for $5,000, two at $10,000 and one $15,000 scholarship. The grand prize scholarship of $25,000 will be presented to one recipient. The program also will bestow five $1,000 school improvement grants to teachers, coaches, counselors, and other education support professionals at qualifying schools through the program’s Influential Educators Awards.

“When we began presenting the S.W.A.G. scholarships, first through Talmer Bank, Chemical, then T.C.F. Bank, our purpose was to ensure more deserving Detroit students have access to the financial means needed to assist with their higher education goals. Since then, we have not wavered from that commitment,” said Gary Torgow, chairman of Huntington National Bank. “We are now proud to launch this year’s scholarship and educators programs with Huntington Bank, as we endeavor to make lives better for the talented leaders who will receive these awards.”

Launched in 2015, the bank created the S.W.A.G. Scholarship Awards to ensure that more Detroit students who demonstrate leadership in areas other than academics have access to scholarship dollars. The scholarship program is open to current high school seniors who live in Detroit and attend a Detroit Public School Community District high school, or a charter school located within the city. Applying students must plan to attend college or a trade school in the Fall of 2022.

“The value of higher learning, whether trade school or college, is undeniable. However, with the continually rising cost of higher education, the opportunity is out of reach for so many of our brightest young stars. That’s why we, along with our partners at Huntington, persist with the S.W.A.G. Awards,” says Hiram E. Jackson, publisher of the Michigan Chronicle. “The program continues to grow every year and it’s rewarding that we’ve been able to make a real impact on the phenomenal young leaders in our city and be a part of their journey.”

More than a financial award, the S.W.A.G. Scholarship program is an investment into the future leaders identified each year. Through the program, awardees have the opportunity to participate in internships and other enrichment activities beyond their graduation from high school.

Huntington solidified its commitment to Detroit communities with the 2021 Strategic Community Plan by committing $10 million in funding to the Strategic Neighborhood Fund. In addition, the bank pledged $1 billion in lending to minority businesses and individuals in Detroit and Wayne County.

“Huntington is deeply committed to Detroit and the people who live and work in its communities – that includes the high school students who dream of obtaining a college degree and the educators who positively impact the lives of their students,” said LaTrice McClendon, community president of Detroit, Huntington. “Programs like the S.W.A.G. Scholarship and the Educators awards, allows Huntington to demonstrate its ongoing support of the city and its residents.”

Applications for the 2022 Michigan Chronicle/Huntington Bank S.W.A.G. Scholarship Awards and Educators Award open January 24, 2022. The deadline for submissions is April 1, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. Students, teachers, and parents interested in learning more should visit www.michiganchronicle.com/swagawards.

About Huntington

Huntington Bancshares Incorporated is a $174 billion asset regional bank holding company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1866, The Huntington National Bank and its affiliates provide consumers, small and middle-market businesses, corporations, municipalities, and other organizations with a comprehensive suite of banking, payments, wealth management, and risk management products and services. Huntington operates more than 1,100 branches in 12 states, with certain businesses operating in extended geographies. Visit Huntington.com for more information.