MCAN launches 10/10/10 Tour in honor of 10th Birthday

Today, MCAN kicked off its 10/10/10 birthday tour: Ten, $10,000 grants in 10 days! The grant tour celebrates MCAN’s 10th year as a statewide nonprofit organization focused on increasing college access and postsecondary attainment.

As part of the birthday tour, I will be traveling all across Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, to surprise 10 cross-sector organizations with grants that support college access and postsecondary attainment.

I encourage you to follow MCAN daily on social media and our grant-tour website, to learn the daily recipient of a “larger-than-life,” $10,000 ceremonial check. The tour will continue weekdays through Friday, Sept. 4. These grants are made possible by a state appropriation.

Happy 10th birthday MCAN and congratulations in advance to the grant recipients!

Author

Ryan Fewins-Bliss

https://youtu.be/lCdECAKnmpk

Short Description

On August 23, 2020, MCAN turned 10. In honor of this 10th Birthday, MCAN is giving out 10 grants of $10,000 each to 10 organizations in 10 days.

Aug 24, 2020

Priorities

College-Going Culture

Slug

birthday-tour

Ryan

Fewins-Bliss

Ryan Fewins-Bliss

Executive Director

He/Him/His

517-816-7767

ryan@micollegeaccess.org

As executive director, Ryan ensures MCAN is able to meet its mission by having the strategies, resources, and support necessary to reach Sixty by 30. This includes leading MCAN's policy work, fund development, partnerships, and efforts to achieve the organization's strategic plan.

Ryan has worked in education and the nonprofit field for nearly 20 years, having served in K-12, higher education, and community organizations. He served as assistant director of the Student Life Center at Saginaw Valley State University immediately after graduate school. In that role, he led the university's leadership and volunteer programming as well as community partnerships. After SVSU, Ryan took his civic engagement skills to Michigan Campus Compact where he served as assistant director of training and technical assistance. There, he supported Michigan colleges and universities in their community engagement. Ryan then spent the next four years consulting and supporting organizations around the state including the Jackson College Access Center, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Education Northwest/AmeriCorps VISTA, and the Shiawassee Child Advocacy Center, among others. In that capacity, he consulted with MCAN from its inception in 2010. Over time, he's served MCAN as a consultant, part-time staff member, assistant director, deputy director, and now executive director, a role he assumed in November 2019 when succeeding the founder.

Ryan earned a Bachelor of Applied Arts from Central Michigan University in integrative public relations and attended CMU for graduate school as well, earning a Master of Arts in educational administration and community leadership. College was the clear next step after high school for Ryan, as he was privileged to have support from his family and school. It wasn't until he got to CMU that he realized the pathway to college wasn't as easy for all students. He worked in the campus volunteer center through graduate school and learned about critical issues facing communities — especially the lack of equity in education. This sparked his commitment to public service and education access.

Ryan is active in his community and around the state, having previously served as president of CMU's Alumni Association, president of Michigan's board of directors for Court Appointed Special Advocates, and a founding board trustee of the Bath Township Public Library. Ryan proudly serves as a local elected official on the Bath Township Board of Trustees and as a longtime board member of Planned Parenthood of Michigan. He lives in Bath Township with his husband and three children.

Central Michigan University

Bachelor of Applied Arts, Integrative Public Relations

Central Michigan University

Master of Arts, Educational Administration and Community Leadership

No

Ryan Fewins-Bliss