Michigan is having a tough time convincing its college grads tostay put in the Wolverine State. So much in fact, that it's tossingaround an idea to give Michigan-area college grads who earnbachelor degrees a tax credit.

With that in mind, the $500 million Community Choice Credit Union, based in the Detroit suburb ofFarmington Hills and serving eight counties located in SoutheastMichigan, awarded $100,000 in college scholarships to 20 highschool seniors on May 9. The scholars will attend a university orcollege in Michigan and pledge to use their education to give backto their local communities.

“The Community Choice Foundation was created in 2009 with thethought that the credit union can use its position in ourcommunities as a means to create positive change,” said Robert Bava, its president/CEO.

“In the spirit of credit unions, which are people helpingpeople, the Community Choice Foundation has provided over $500,000in financial assistance to our scholars who are committed to givingback to their Michigan communities,” Bava said. “We are proud to bea part of a growing movement to retain Michigan's best andbrightest.”

The University of Michigan will gain 11 scholars with the creditunion's help. Michigan State will receive three and OaklandUniversity, Wayne State, Michigan Technological University,Kalamazoo College, University of Detroit Mercy and Eastern MichiganUniversity will all receive one student each.

State Rep. Andy Schor, D-Lansing, is the sponsor of House Bill4182, which would provide tax credits to college graduates ofpublic or private four-year colleges and universities in Michigan.

“Graduates of our colleges and universities are key to reversingthe brain drain, and my plan can help create an incentive to keepthese students working here in Michigan after they graduate,” Schorsaid.

Michigan students who graduated from a four-year college oruniversity in 2011 left school with an average debt of $27,451,according to the nonprofit Institute for College Access andSuccess, with nearly two out of three finishing in the red. A 2008survey found that roughly half of Michigan graduates left the statewithin a year.