Bob Block Memorial Scholarship
Scholarship Sponsored by Kalamazoo Community Foundation
Overview
This award honors the legacy of Bob Block by supporting graduating high school seniors from Kalamazoo County who have shown dedication to competitive swimming or diving and plan to pursue full-time study at a college or university.
Eligibility
- Must be a graduating senior enrolled at a high school in Kalamazoo County.
- Resident of Kalamazoo County.
- Demonstrated commitment to competitive swimming or diving during high school.
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- Intend to enroll full time at an accredited college or university.
Award Details
- Recipient type: Graduating high school seniors.
- Amount: $500 to $1,000.
- Financial need: Not required.
Background
Bob Block grew up in Kalamazoo in a sports-oriented family—his father was a professional boxer—and became a decorated diver at Loy Norrix High School. He went on to capture an NCAA Division III diving championship at Alma College, spent some time working in Cleveland, and later returned to Kalamazoo to attend graduate school at Western Michigan University. While building a reputation as an outstanding coach for local swimmers and divers, he was tragically killed in an automobile accident in the 1990s. In 1996 his wife, Susan Block, created the Bob Block Memorial Fund at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation to help graduating student-athletes who have demonstrated dedication to competitive swimming or diving and to their academic pursuits.