Alumni engagement is a defining hallmark of an Albion College education. Through mentorship, guidance, and participation in on-campus programs, alumni contribute in meaningful ways that enrich the student experience. This tradition of support continues through the alumni referral program. Prospective students who are referred by alumni and enroll receive a $3,000 scholarship for each year they attend—extending the legacy of alumni impact to the next generation.

For Marquette, Michigan, native Althea Schalow ’28, the path to Albion College was already taking shape by her senior year of high school—but thanks to the support and referral of Lesley Davis Addison ’92, her college search became a little smoother, more personal, and a lot more rewarding.

After Director of Orchestra & String Studies Ji Hyun Kim visited Schalow’s high school, the possibility of attending Albion piqued her interest. She had a conversation with her high school guidance counselor, who then connected her to Addison–who is not only a fellow Marquette native, but had also worked as a guidance counselor at Althea’s middle school.

“I was honestly shocked to hear that there was someone else in the community who went to Albion,” Schalow said. “I had never heard of the Albion before, so it was a huge comfort to know that someone else in Marquette had gone to Albion and had that whole experience.”

When Addison went on her own college search, she’d found a similar comfort in knowing that other students from her high school had attended Albion, but she didn’t truly know it was the place for her until she visited campus.

“When I work with students, I always encourage them to visit colleges,” Addison said. “I feel like you can just tell when you’re on campus. You can tell if it’s the right place for you.”

For Addison, Albion College was the right place, and she’s never looked back. Through the years, Addison has helped countless students find their paths to Albion. She worked as an admission counselor at Albion after graduating and continues to attend college fairs in northern Michigan on behalf of the institution. Every year, she sends out reminders to guidance counselors in her county that she is an Albion alum and is happy to talk to or make referrals for students who are interested in attending Albion.

“I think anything that we can do as alumni to help make something that is as good as Albion accessible to students is worth it,” Addison said. “We know how much Albion means to us, how much we’ve gained from it–friendships, education, experience, and more. It’s hard to put it into words, to describe exactly what a benefit that Albion experience has been for us. So, if we can help make it more attainable for somebody else, I don’t see why we wouldn’t do that.”

For Schalow–though she appreciates the scholarship that comes with it–the referral itself means much more than that.

“It’s very comforting having that financial cushion. It really helps,” Schalow said. “But for me personally, there’s a reminder every time I look at my transcript and see the referral scholarship, that all of this is worth it. Things can get hard, but it’s a reminder that there are people who have gone through these college experiences before, and there are people who believe in me. And that means I can do this.”

If you know a student who is interested in attending Albion, please visit albion.edu/admission/refer-a-student/ to make a referral.