McPherson foundation awards first 'reverse scholarship' to attract local workforce
The tiered financial incentive offers new residents up to $5,250 to help pay down student loan debt and relocation costs.
McPHERSON, Kan. — Taye Retter, an incoming business instructor at Smoky Valley High School in Lindsborg, is the first recipient of the McPherson County Community Foundation's new "reverse scholarship," a financial incentive that pays college graduates and professionals to move to the area. Retter received the $1,000 McPherson County Professional Recruitment scholarship, which he can use to pay down a portion of his student loans or help cover relocation expenses as he moves to McPherson County.
Designed to help clear student loan debt and offset relocation costs, the McPherson County CPR program grants recipients up to $5,250 over a three-year period in exchange for living and working in the county. To encourage long-term retention, the initiative distributes funds in increasing increments, beginning with the $1,000 initial award. Retter will be eligible to reapply for additional funding after one and two years of living and working in McPherson County.
A graduate of Kansas State University and a native of Concordia, Retter learned about the scholarship from his new employer. "I heard about it from my new boss," Retter said. "He told me this would be an opportunity available to me." He said the funding will help ease his transition into the community ahead of his first year of teaching. "It really means a lot to me," Retter said. "Having something this significant to help with moving into a community is incredibly helpful."
The foundation continues to accept applications for two McPherson County CPR opportunities, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Eligibility requires applicants to be relocating to the county for employment or to be recent college graduates accepting a first full-time position in McPherson County after graduating in May of the current year. The program currently has funding to release one more scholarship in 2026.
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