What if a financial load is taken off the plate of students in need through equitably-based scholarships as part of one company’s commitment to social equity?
That is the question East Lansing-based Pleasantrees, a vertically integrated cannabis company is answering through a newly-created scholarship program for Michigan State University (MSU) students.
Through the new program, Pleasantrees will offer 10 individual book scholarships of $500 to qualified applicants at MSU.
To meet the qualifications, applicants must:
● Be a member of an ethnic minority group that is historically underrepresented in higher education, including, but not limited to, the following: Black/African American; Hispanic or Latin; Asian/Pacific Islander; or First Nations/Indigenous, also known as BIPOC.
● Be a current/former resident of a city/municipality that has been disparately impacted by the criminalization of cannabis (as is established and routinely updated by the Marijuana Regulatory Agency see here.)
● Have a combined household income of less than $50,000 annually
● Be able to express how the major and/or discipline the applicant is pursuing will be used to positively improve their communities from a social equity standpoint, which should be submitted in a short statement of between 150-250 words
● Be an enrolled MSU student
All entries must be submitted by April 30.
Additional information is available on the Pleasantrees website here.
Those interested in participating in the program can submit their inquiries to Jerome Crawford, director of legal operations and social equity at Pleasantrees.
“Pleasantrees is committed to being a contributing member of the communities it serves,” said Crawford. “Further, we recognize the disparate impact the criminalization of cannabis has had on certain communities and we aim to change that perception through continual and constant positive outreach.”
Crawford also said in an interview with the Michigan Chronicle that the cannabis store is using its platform to give back through the scholarship as well as support the community through inclusive hiring practices.
“(We want) applicants that come from these impacted and underrepresented (backgrounds) and … they want to … better the world,” he said. “We want to be more intentional about who it is going to and the communities they come from.”
Crawford, who went to MSU for undergrad and law school, said that it is “pretty cool” to be giving back to a community that supports the store.
Pleasantrees opened East Lansing’s first recreational cannabis store in September 2020 has the support of civic officials, as well, according to a press release.
“People that go to college increase their earning potential for a lifetime. Affordability impacts a person’s ability to stay in school. It’s nice to welcome businesses into our City that value our economy,” said East Lansing Councilwoman Dana Watson. “The legalization of marijuana is a positive step for numerous reasons. Offering various types of equity initiatives is an opportunity for businesses to acknowledge the harmful past of illegalization for Black and brown families. Pleasantrees is a good business for the community.”
Pleasantrees is Michigan’s largest wholesaler of medical and recreational cannabis and recently opened two recreational cannabis retail establishments in Hamtramck and East Lansing.
The company has a 50,000 square-foot cultivation facility in Harrison Township and has plans for multi-state expansion in the future.
Also, the company is focused on manufacturing, brand development, and retail rollout.
Pleasantrees was founded in 2018 and is the flagship brand of Emerald Growth Partners, headquartered in Harrison Township, the release added.
For more information visit enjoypleasantrees.com.
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