CFOV Announces 2021 Scholarship Awardees

$357,574 in Scholarships Awarded to Support Ohio Valley Students

The Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley (CFOV) is pleased to announce nearly 200 area students will be attending colleges and universities across the country with support from the Foundation’s scholarship funds.

CFOV administers over 70 scholarship funds, each with a competitive application process, that are for the benefit of students throughout and beyond the Foundation’s eight-county service area.  These opportunities are made possible by generous donors who have established funds to demonstrate a commitment to higher education.  Scholarship funds often represent memorials for loved ones, an affinity for a field of study, school/university, intended career path, financial need and even being a first-generation college student.

In addition to having unique criteria, CFOV scholarships can also be crafted to support a student beyond the first year of higher education.  A growing number of opportunities include either a renewable component or an invitation to submit applications in the future for additional funding.  While the students receiving awards for the first time or through reapplication are recognized here, there are many others who continue to benefit from multi-year scholarships held by the Foundation.

“Scholarship time is an especially energizing period of the year and we are so pleased to provide such meaningful opportunities for area students,” said Susie Nelson, executive director of the Community Foundation.

This year, four new scholarship funds were added to CFOV’s portfolio:  The John Nicholas Varlas and Nancy Allen Varlas Scholarship benefitting John Marshall High School graduates; the David Robertson Scholarship benefitting WVNCC students; the May Green Scholarship benefitting Martins Ferry High School students; and the Lloyd Shirl & Esta Mae Taggart Scholarship benefitting Tyler Consolidated High School students.

“The affordability of higher education is not only a popular topic, but also a very real challenge for many students and their families.  Scholarships serve a powerful purpose by expanding educational opportunities while reducing financial stress,” Nelson shared.

A complete list of awardees is included here and can also be found by visiting www.cfov.org/scholarship-recipients.

The next Foundation scholarship cycle will open in January.  For more information about scholarship opportunities, please call 304-242-3144 or email jess@cfov.org.  

*The recognized students were selected to receive scholarship support.  Students must accept or decline awards – fulfillment of the award only occurs if the selected recipient meets the criteria of the specific fund at the time of distribution.