John & Susan Collins Historic Preservation Scholarship

A Legacy of Preservation

John and Susan Collins were a husband and wife team of 27 years, passionate about historic preservation in their adopted home of Marshall, Michigan. John grew up in Boston, served in WWII, graduated from Boston University, and worked as VP of PR for Eaton Corporation to bring national attention to Marshall.

Susan grew up in Indiana, graduated from Purdue University, and worked as a computer engineer with Honeywell before settling in Marshall for its historic charm. Both served as presidents of the Michigan Historical Society and Marshall Rotary Club. John promoted preservation nationally, while Susan co-chaired committees to designate Marshall a National Historic Landmark District.

Program Guidelines

Eligibility & Coverage

• For full-time graduate students pursuing a Master's or Doctorate in Architectural Historic Preservation. (Excludes Museum Studies)
• Requires a minimum 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) in undergraduate and previous graduate work.
• Preference is given to students residing in or attending schools in Michigan, Massachusetts, and Indiana.
• Scholarship covers tuition and university costs, and may be awarded to the same student for up to four semesters (two academic years).

Required Materials

Applicants must submit the following documents for consideration:

Completed Application
Official Transcript
Letter Stating Professional Goals
Two Letters of Recommendation (One may be from an employer in the field)
List of Previous Field Employment
Letter of Acceptance from Chosen School

Average Grant Size

[ $X,XXX ]

Awarded per student

Students Supported

[ XX ]

Total historical recipients

Voices of Preservation

Hear from past recipients who have gone on to preserve and protect historical architecture across the country.

"[Placeholder text: The Collins Scholarship allowed me to focus entirely on my master's thesis regarding 19th-century masonry preservation. It was instrumental to my success.]"

Jane Doe

M.S. Historic Preservation, '21

"[Placeholder text: Without this funding, attending my dream program out-of-state would have been impossible. I am deeply grateful to the Collins family.]"

John Smith

Eastern Michigan University

"[Placeholder text: The support of the Marshall Community Foundation directly translated into my current career restoring historic downtown districts in Indiana.]"

Emily Johnson

Ball State University

Ready to advance your preservation career?

Review the guidelines carefully and submit your application through the Marshall Community Foundation portal.

Start Your Application

Administered by the Marshall Community Foundation