MARQUETTE - Northern Michigan University student Justin Brugman said one of his major sources of financial aid is the Michigan Promise Scholarship.

Brugman and many other students around the state are worried that the state of Michigan may eliminate funding for the scholarship that helps students with up to $4,000 to attend college.

"I may need to get a private loan to pay for college this year, and if I cannot get myself a loan then I may not be coming back this fall," Brugman said. "Students plan on taking on extra jobs, taking out loans, and maybe cutting down to part-time status to make up for the loss of this important scholarship."

Recently Brugman and other students like Jason Morgan, president of the Associated Students of NMU, rallied at Northern's campus to raise awareness that the state is considering elimination of the program that helps roughly 1,200 students - for a total of $1.5 million - at NMU.

"Students are not only upset about the state legislators cutting the Promise grant, they are scared," Morgan said. "For many students, the grant is not a luxury or an option, it is money that they have been promised, have budgeted for and are relying on."

Morgan added that if Michigan wants to keep students in the state, they need to invest in higher education rather than cut funding for it.

State Rep. Steve Lindberg, D-Marquette, also rallied with the students. He said, "a promise should be a promise kept - I do agree with that."

Lindberg said students are worried because while the House recently passed an education funding bill that included the scholarship, the Senate sent the bill back excluding the program.

He added that he sees great value in the scholarships, yet the state is also facing a $1.7 to $1.9 billion budget shortfall.

"We cannot in the state spend money we do not have," he said. "It's really unclear to me what we're going to do with our budget."

Lindberg added that he understands students' concerns, especially because it is uncertain when the scholarship issue will be decided. That uncertainty will make it difficult for students to plan their finances.

"The entire budget is up in the air right now," he said.

Brian Hummel of the NMU College Republicans also attended the rally. He said the promise the state made to thosuands of students in Michigan should be kept.