Over $245,000 in Scholarships Awarded to Local Students

Marion Community Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2013 Scholarship Program awards — $245,260 in 133 scholarships awarded to 100 scholars. This total is an increase of more than $100,000 and nearly 20 scholarships from last year’s program, due to the ever increasing number of scholarship funds at Marion Community Foundation.

The highest award of MCF’s Scholarship Program — the Wopat Scholars – doubled in size. Wopat Scholars receive $10,000 per year for four years.  Last year two such awards were made; this year four recipients were named.

The 2013 Wopat Scholars are: Adeline Baird and Kate Stoneburner of Marion Harding High School, Kara Kubbs of Pleasant High School, and Mitchell Messenger of River Valley High School.

Made possible by the substantial gift of the late Robert and Dorothy Wopat, the scholarship fund they created supports these substantial 4-year scholarships, as well as several smaller awards. The Wopat Scholars will not have to reapply each year, but must meet certain standards to continue to receive the scholarship.

“These are intended to be ‘impact’ scholarships,” said Bebout. “The Scholarship Committee has identified outstanding candidates from among this year’s applicants who demonstrate both superior academic merit and financial need.  The intention of impact scholarships is to enable students to attend a college or university program that they might otherwise not consider.”

“We continue to be grateful to the Wopats for their generosity and forward thinking.  The Marion community is just beginning to feel the positive, tangible impact of the Wopats’ gift,” said Bebout.  He notes that the $16 million left by the couple has created three funds at MCF — the Wopat Community Fund, the Wopat Scholarship Fund, and the Wopat YMCA Fund.

In addition to the expanded Wopat Scholars program, Marion Community Foundation awarded new scholarships from the following new funds: Clare Cooke Performing Arts Scholarship Fund, Everett Family Scholarship Fund, Gladys & Everett Granger Memorial Scholarship Fund, Louise Kling Memorial Scholarship Fund, Eula M. Rhoads Scholarship Fund, International Association of Administrative Professionals Scholarship Fund, Isabel Freer Memorial Scholarship Fund, and Beatrice Prior Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The 2013 MCF Scholarship Program concluded in early May with the awards being recommended by the scholarship committee and approved by the board of trustees.  The MCF Scholarship Committee consists of Tom Johnston (committee chair), Larry Geissler, Sue Jacob, Pastor Doug Ford, and Megan Queen.

The 2013 scholarship funds and their award recipients are as follows:

• Adam Johnston Memorial Scholarship — for Ridgedale High School seniors — awarded to Alex Anderson ($500);
• Alex Scholarship — for Marion Harding High School seniors — awarded to Kelli Saunders ($1,425);
• Andrew Wigton Memorial Scholarship — for Pleasant High School seniors — awarded to Colin Wood and John “Jay” Reid ($1,075 each);
• Aris Kasotis Memorial Scholarship – for Marion Harding High School seniors — awarded to Dylan Davis ($900);
• Bergmann Family Scholarship – for Marion County seniors and graduates pursuing degrees in electrical engineering or computer science – awarded to Joshua Alexander ($1,325);
• Carol S. Geissler Memorial Scholarship — for Marion Harding High School seniors and graduates pursuing degrees in education — awarded to Bethany James ($1,000);
• Catherine Amelia Thew Brown Memorial Scholarship – for Marion County seniors and graduates – awarded to Kathryn Westbrook ($2,100) and Michele Zentkovich ($2,000);
• Christopher B. Ream Scholarship — for Marion County students pursuing degrees in special education or obstetrics — awarded to Katherine Brown ($1,025);
• Clare Cooke Performing Arts Scholarship – for seniors and graduates pursing careers in the performing arts – awarded to Luke Stewart ($450);
• Cornell/Goodman Scholarship – for Marion County seniors and graduates – awarded to Cieria Butterman ($2,000);
• Danny C. Sipes Memorial Scholarship – for Marion Harding High School seniors and baseball team members — awarded to Shawn Tyler ($1,800);
• David K. Rogers Memorial Scholarship – for Marion Catholic seniors – awarded to Suzanne Blue ($500);
• Douglas & Elaine Waring Memorial Scholarship — for Marion County high school seniors — awarded to Layne McElroy ($2,150);
• Eddie Shelton Agricultural Scholarship – for Marion County senior of graduates pursuing a degree in agriculture – awarded to Lauren Prettyman ($925);
• Erin Y. James Memorial Scholarship – for seniors of North Union High School – awarded to Devon Taylor ($650);
• Eugene & Cecilia Reszczynski Scholarship — for Marion County students — awarded to Victoria Meadows ($4,025) and Julya Faulkner ($1,000);
• Eula M. Rhoads Scholarship – for Marion area seniors in the top 25 percent of their graduating class – awarded to Allison James ($2,000) and Holly Wagner ($1,150);
• Everett Family Scholarship – for seniors and graduates of Elgin High School pursing a degree in agriculture – awarded to Jessica Cornelius ($950);
• Gary W. Troll Memorial Scholarship – in 2013, for seniors attending Seneca County high schools — awarded to  Brandyn Reinhart ($775);
• Gene Jerew Memorial Scholarship — for Marion County students — awarded to Connor Davidson ($925);
• Gladys & Everett Granger Memorial Scholarship – for college students from Marion County – awarded to Joy Fetter ($875);
• Gregory A. Rees Memorial Scholarship – in 2013, for a senior from Marion Harding  High School and a senior from University High School (Morgantown, WV) – awarded to Allison Predmore and Katherine Warner ($500 each);
• Hazel B. & A.B. Augenstein Scholarship — for River Valley High School seniors (4-year award) — awarded to Andrew Milligan ($1,365, in first year);
• Helen & Bob Bintz Scholarship — for Marion County students attending the University of Dayton — awarded to Kelsea Sullivan ($2,400) and Katherine Brown ($1,000);
• Helen E. Evans Scholarship — for Marion Harding High School seniors pursuing degrees in education — awarded to Trevor Jones ($1,125);
• Helen M. Thew Memorial Scholarship – for Marion County seniors and graduates – awarded to Megan Nedds ($2,100) and Kristian Irey ($2,000);
• Herbert & Jane Tillett Scholarship – for Marion Harding students – awarded to Bethany James ($250);
• International Association of Administrative Professionals Scholarship – for seniors and graduates in the upper 25 percent of their graduating class from schools in the following counties: Marion, Morrow, Crawford, Wyandot, Hardin, Union, or Delaware – awarded to Laura Berry and Tori Sparks ($500 each);
• Jeannette Turner Memorial Scholarship – for Marion County seniors and graduates – awarded to Misty Cushing ($2,100) and Abigail Wilch ($2,000);
• Jeannette White Memorial Scholarship — for Marion Harding High School seniors and graduates pursuing careers in veterinary medicine — awarded to Allison James ($350);
• John & Jackie Watkins Scholarship – for Marion County high school seniors pursuing a degree in agriculture – awarded to Jessica Cornelius ($200);
• Joe Petrich & Al Beach Memorial Scholarship — for Marion Harding High School seniors who have participated in the interscholastic athletic program — awarded to Kenidi Backensto ($775);
• Judge Thomas K. Jenkins Scholarship — for Marion County graduates to attend law school — awarded to Nathan Heiser and Samantha McGuire ($1,950 each);
• Kenny Martin Memorial Scholarship — for Marion Harding High School graduates or seniors — awarded to Adeline Baird and Karl Wagner ($1,000 each) and Tyler Fields ($2,325);
• Louise Kling Memorial Scholarship – for seniors and graduates of Marion Harding High School pursuing a degree in medicine or music – awarded to Taylor McCurdy ($8,775) and Luke Stewart ($3,000);
• Mandy Kruder Memorial Scholarship– for Marion Harding High School seniors pursuing degrees in education — awarded to Brittany Hickman ($3,000);
• Marge Sorreles Davies Memorial Scholarship – for Marion County seniors and graduates pursing a degree in nursing – awarded to Kelsi Lauer ($575);
• Marion Academy of Medicine Scholarship — for Marion County graduates to attend medical school — awarded to Tyler Kaufman ($875);
• Marion Area Auxiliary Scholarship — for Marion County students pursuing education in health care or medical sciences — awarded to Mikela Cellar, Margaret Houston, Seth Lyon, Andrew Milligan and Autumn Snider ($1,000 each);
• Marion Elks Lodge #32 Scholarship — for high school seniors residing in Marion and contiguous counties — awarded to Sara Clark and Maddison Davis ($650 each);
• Marion Technical College Scholarship – for students attending MTC – awarded to Shane Hoskins ($200);
• Ridgemont Scholarship – for seniors and graduates of Ridgemont High School (Ridgeway, Ohio) – awarded to Heaven Curl, Gabriel Gallo, Jenna Jordan, Amber Pemberton, Grace Poeppelman, Dallas Rhodes, Miranda Roehler, Thane Schwartz, Cody Seiler, Robin Shafer, Shawn Smith and Colin Turner ($1,000 each);
• Robert M. & Dorothy C. Wopat Scholarship (which is separate from and in addition to the Wopat Scholars program) – for Marion County high school seniors and graduates – awarded to Kyle Arnott ($750), Paityn Baldauf, Grace Blackford, Sara Clark, Taylor Ellerkamp, Courtney Rengert, Victoria Meadows, Holly Wagner, Josh Campbell, Julaina Bennett and Emily Springer ($1,000 each), Ryan Cluff, Mollee Galloway, Dezman Garner, Margaret Houston, Megan Long, Bailey Williams, Elizabeth Scott, Layne McElroy, Hannah Ratterman, Kendra Crabtree, Elijah Burris and Marlecia Holston ($2,000 each), Paxton Wenger ($3,000), and Cieria Butterman, Seth Lyon, Shawn Tyler, and Cameron Osborne ($4,000 each);
• Rocco Nicolosi Memorial Scholarship– for Marion County high school seniors — awarded to Holly Wagner ($750);
• Roger & Donna Holbrook Memorial Scholarship – for Pleasant High School students – awarded to Kara Kubbs ($1,350);
• Sims Family Scholarship — for Pleasant High School seniors — awarded to Sara Clark and Mara Wilson ($1,000 each);
• Stephanie K. Lust Memorial Scholarship — for Pleasant High School seniors — awarded to Ryan Cluff and Kara Kubbs ($1,550 each);
• Taft Middle School Music Department Scholarship – for students from the former Taft Middle School district who participated in band or orchestra during each of his/her four years at Marion Harding High School  – awarded to Margaret Houston ($!,125);
• Ted Mitchell Memorial Scholarship – for Marion area high school students to attend The Ohio State University — awarded to Ryan Cluff and Haleigh Stacy ($1,000 each) and Teylor Gracely ($675);
• The Community’s Memorial Scholarship in memory of Brenda Gulliford – for a senior from a Marion County high school ranked in the upper 50 percent of his/her graduating class – awarded to Evan Springer ($500);
• The Craig Scholarship — for seniors of Ridgedale High School — awarded to Savanna Bentley ($1,000);
• Vera O. McDanel Scholarship — for Marion County high school seniors and graduates — awarded to Micah Blue ($1,350), and Kathryn Westbrook and Mitchell Messenger ($2,000 each);
• Wayne Hoch Memorial Scholarship — for Pleasant High School graduates and seniors — awarded to Emily Hulit ($225);
• William and Marjorie Grover Scholarship — for seniors and graduates of Pleasant High School — awarded to Paityn Baldauf ($500);
• Isabel Freer Memorial Scholarship – for the top academically ranked graduating female(s) of Marion Harding High School – awarded to co-valedictorians Margaret Houston ($3,000) and Haley Palm ($625); and,
• Beatrice Prior Memorial Scholarship – in conjunction with the Freer Scholarship, for the subsequently top ranked female(s) of Marion Harding High School – awarded to Haley Palm ($2,375), Elizabeth Scott, Megan Honaker, Kate Stoneburner, Coral Miley and Samantha Young ($2,000 each), and Brianna Marshall ($625).