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KALAMAZOO, MI — Right around the start of the pandemic, Zonterio Weekley was barely staying afloat — juggling two jobs, grinding through practices as a preferred walk-on at Western Michigan, and wondering how long he could keep going.
Then a teammate stepped in.
Patrick Lupro paid for Weekley’s books for two semesters, a gesture that Weekley says “lit a spark” that changed the trajectory of his life — and ultimately inspired him to give back to Kalamazoo.
Last month, on June 13, that spark came full circle as Weekley awarded the first 10 scholarships of his new Weekley Legacy Project, the first step in what he hopes becomes a city-shaping program to help Kalamazoo students pursue their dreams.
“I always knew I wanted to give back to Kalamazoo in some way,” Weekley told MLive. “Handing out those first scholarships, it brought me back to my time at WMU. We want to give back to the new life changers, and just see a better world.”
The nonprofit awarded 10 Kalamazoo Public Schools students with $500 scholarships during its inaugural cycle, raising $5,000 through community support since launching in January.
RELATED: Kalamazoo native, WMU football alum creates scholarship to fill Kalamazoo Promise gaps
The inaugural recipients are:
- Daviya McCoy (Kalamazoo Central)
- Sharlee Atkinson (Kalamazoo Central)
- Gavin Newsome (Kalamazoo Central)
- J.L. (Kalamazoo Central, anonymous)
- Odyssey Sherrod (Kalamazoo Central)
- Ioannis Evans (KPS Virtual)
- Adrieanna Peake-Wright (Loy Norrix)
- Timothy Terrentine (Kalamazoo Central)
- David Jones (Loy Norrix)
- Dontray Hemphill (Kalamazoo Phoenix)
The award ceremony brough together students, families and community members for a day Weekley described as “beautiful.”
The scholarship was created to help fill some of the financial gaps left by the Kalamazoo Promise.
While the Promise covers tuition for eligible Kalamazoo Public Schools graduates, expenses such as textbooks, housing and other college costs often remain. Students who enroll in KPS later in their academic careers also receive reduced tuition coverage.
Weekley understands those challenges firsthand.
A 2019 Kalamazoo Central graduate, he attended Western Michigan with the help of the Kalamazoo Promise but received no athletic scholarship as a preferred walk-on.
“I started this because I know how life-changing scholarship support can be,” he said. “I was scraping by on just grit.”
Those experiences shaped how Weekley designed the scholarship.
Growing in Kalamazoo’s Big Bend Apartments in a single-parent household below the poverty line, he wanted to remove as many barriers as possible for students seeking assistance.
“I know what it’s like to struggle and not have a stable income,” Weekley said. “I knew that I wanted to incorporate everyone.”
With encouragement from organization president Marcella Lipsey, Weekley established the Weekley Legacy Project as a nonprofit and launched its first scholarship cycle in January.
Rather than requiring a minimum GPA, SAT score or letters of recommendation, applicants answer three essay questions and demonstrate involvement through a club, sport, extracurricular activity, community service or significant family responsibilities, such as care for siblings.
“I wanted this to be all inclusive,” Weekley said.
The organization’s ambitions are already growing.
Beginning with the 2026-27 scholarship cycle, the program will expand to include students from Portage Central, Portage Northern and the Portage Community Experience Center.
“Just off this first cycle, we realized how impactful this scholarship was,” Weekley said. “With Portage being out sister city, and with that community having students with just as big of needs as Kalamazoo, we felt the need to expand.”
The goal next year is to award 10 scholarships worth $1,000 each, doubling the program’s annual investment to $10,000. The organization is also planning additional fundraisers, pursuing grant opportunities and seeking sponsors to support future growth.
“We want to service the community and allow these students to jump over any financial hurdle,” Weekley said.
Long term, Weekley envisions after-school mentoring, STEM programming and eventually serving students throughout Kalamazoo County.
“The sky is the limit,” he said. “We want to be a staple in the Kalamazoo community that any student can lean on. We want to give back to the new doctors, entrepreneurs and life changers. You reach one kid, you teach one kid. That’s the way I see it.”
Donations to support the Weekley Legacy Scholarship can be made through the organization’s website.
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