The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation Awards 30 Fort Leavenworth Residents With A Collective $336K Academic Scholarships
Jul 22, Fort Leavenworth, KS — The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation, a non-profit affiliate of The Michaels Organization, recently celebrated the awarding of $336,000 in scholarships for the 2026-2027 academic year to 30 residents living at Frontier Heritage, the on-post housing owned and managed by Michaels. Scholars, their families, Michaels leadership, and Fort Leavenworth representatives gathered at the Frontier Conference Center for the celebration.
“Michaels is committed to supporting our military families who call Frontier Heritage home,” said Chase Cornett, Senior Investment Manager for The Michaels Organization. “We’re proud to offer these scholarships annually and to play a small part in helping them reach their goals.”
Michaels has been a Department of Defense private-sector partner since 2004 and began offering scholarships for military residents in 2006. Since then, the Foundation has awarded over $7 million to Michaels’ military residents – over $1 million of which has been to Fort Heritage residents.
Among this year’s scholars is Samuel, an incoming first-year student at the University of Minnesota, who plans to major in biochemistry as part of a pre-med pathway. With his degree, Samuel will gain a deeper understanding of how the human body functions, with the long-term goal of becoming a neurosurgeon – a career he feels will allow him to combine his interest in science with his desire to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
The Michaels Organization Educational Foundation provides grants to residents to use toward their pursuit of higher education at any accredited college, university, or vocational training program in the nation. Scholarships are awarded annually and students may reapply each year of their undergraduate education for continuing grants. The Foundation began awarding military residents in 2006 and has since awarded over $7 million in scholarships to residents of Michaels’ military communities. Overall, the Foundation has awarded $21 million to residents across Michaels’ portfolio.
All Foundation funds are raised through voluntary contributions by corporations, companies, families, private trusts, and individuals throughout The Michaels Organization’s business network. Ever since the program was established in 1991, Michaels’ founder Michael J. Levitt and his wife Pat Levitt have matched all donations $2 for every $1. Pat Levitt, who is chair of the Educational Foundation, will continue that match, following Michael’s death at the age of 94, on June 12, 2026.
The scholarships awarded to Fort Heritage residents are part of the record-breaking $2.4 million Michaels announced in June as being awarded to residents of military and affordable communities owned or managed by The Michaels Organization
