The purpose of the luncheon is to celebrate donors and student recipients, as they sit together and share lunch. The donors get to learn a little more about their students, and the students get to meet the generous people helping them pay for college.
“This is one of the best things we do at the Foundation. When we give out money, we give out money for lots of different reasons. Sometimes people are feeding the hungry or maybe providing for people, but this is in our view the way to provide the biggest change. We are providing people with an education that improves not only themselves but their entire families,” said Mike Gampp, chairman of Scioto Foundation.
Speaker Dr. Wayne Wheeler said the Foundation received 315 applications this year, including 37 students with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Scholarships were awarded in amounts between $250 and $5,400, with the average student receiving $1,200 for college.
Of the student recipients, 36 percent will attend Shawnee State University, 17 percent will attend The Ohio State University, 7 percent will attend Ohio University and 7 percent will attend Marshall University. Wheeler said 41 percent of recipients are enrolled in allied health programs, 15 percent are enrolled in education and 9 percent are enrolled in business.
During the Scholarship Spotlight, students talked about their experiences in college and the important difference their donors have made in their lives. Several students said they appreciated the opportunity to be a recipient, and hope someday they can be a donor and make a difference in another student’s life the way their donors have in their own lives.
Among the many donors presenting scholarships to students were Ralph Arrick for the Arrick Scholarship, Trent Williams for the East High School Scholarship and Mark Hunter for the Stephen A. Hunter Hope Fund Scholarship. John Burke of OSCO was also at the luncheon event representing three scholarship funds — one for employees of OSCO, another named for his father, William Burke, for students in allied health programs, and a third scholarship named for his mother, Mary Ann Burke, for students enrolling at Shawnee State University.
“It was awesome,” Burke said with exuberant laughter. “It’s always exciting to see the talent and it’s great to see money going to such bright students. It’s a great investment.”
Gampp said anyone who would like to become a scholarship donor, or any other charitable fund, can contact the Scioto Foundation, located at Fourth and Chillicothe streets in Portsmouth. They are also available online at www.sciotofoundation.org.
RYAN SCOTT OTTNEY can be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 235, or rottney@heartlandpublications.com.
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