CFOV Awards Scholarships
$462,272 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 a new application are recognized here, there are many others who continue to benefit from renewable scholarships held by the Foundation.
“We are proud to support students through scholarships, perhaps more so now than ever before given the challenges facing our communities. Taking the next step into a post-secondary education is significant, but affordability is often a barrier that can be reduced thanks to scholarships” said Susie Nelson, executive director of the Community Foundation.
The 2020 scholarship season included the launch of the Smaltz Family Scholarship, a new scholarship fund for the benefit of Weir High School students, and the expansion of the EQT Scholarship. Demand for scholarship support remains high as the application volume increased 18% over 2019 figures.
“Our work with donors and the broader philanthropic sector certainly suggests education is a top priority. A scholarship fund with the Community Foundation is a fantastic way to strengthen a student’s experience while also contributing toward larger goals such as degree attainment and youth retention,” Nelson shared.
A complete list of awardees can be found by visiting www.cfov.org/scholarship-recipients.
Applications for the 2021 scholarship cycle will be available in mid-December. For more information about scholarship opportunities, please call 304-242-3144 or email jess@cfov.org.
