Attract talent

The class gateway pronounces that “schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.” Scholarships and fellowships do just that by supporting students with incredible potential as they pursue the dream of a college education. Scholarship gifts also help students who otherwise might not be able to afford to attend Ohio University.

Donor supported faculty positions – Endowed Chairs and Named Professorships – provide, in perpetuity, valuable tools to attract and retain premier teachers and researchers. The endowments that support these positions forever influence the quality education provided to Ohio University’s students.

Student Support

Scholarships

Scholarship incentives often play a crucial role as students make decisions about where to attend college and what major to pursue. At Ohio University, we look to private support to make the difference as we strive to attract the talented young people who will be tomorrow’s leaders. Endowed scholarships help to recruit students and to ensure that those who can and should benefit from an excellent education and professional career training can afford to attend, and to stay. But more importantly, scholarships change lives. An investment in scholarships is an investment in the University’s most precious resource: its students.

Scholarship gifts of any amount are welcome; however, a $15,000 minimum is required to establish an endowed  scholarship. Ohio University endowments provide about $4 million in scholarships annually, more than one-third of all scholarship aid awarded. Each year, hundreds of students with great promise apply for university-awarded financial aid. Just one quarter of these requests can be met. Support for scholarships will help the University to recruit additional top-notch students and narrow the gap between the number of awards requested and those granted.

Fellowships

Fellowships support graduate student work, teaching, and research across the campus. A minimum $400,000 gift is required to endow  a fellowship. This support for graduate students not only attracts the brightest students to our programs, but also provides fuel for the state of Ohio’s economy. MBA and MPA students provide valuable consulting services to the southeastern Ohio region as part of their learning experience. The University’s research and medical services depend on graduate fellows. Graduate student contributions to research drive the University’s effort to keep the state on the cutting edge of techniques and technology. Your gift to fellowships will support continued growth and discovery.

Faculty Support

Endowed Chairs and Named Professorships provide competitive compensation that supports recruitment and retention since the prestigious rank adds not only a salary supplement via carefully managed endowment earnings, but also discretionary funds. Candidates for chairs and professorships are leaders or rising stars in their fields who bring national visibility and recognition to the University. These positions are among the highest honors that the institution can bestow upon its faculty, and they carry with them a level of prestige for the faculty and for the institution.

Endowed Chairs, which support leaders in research and teaching, require a minimum endowment of $1 million. When fully funded, this endowment generates approximately $50,000 in faculty support annually (an estimate using the current spending allocation rate of 5 percent of the endowment’s total value). Named professorships, which support rising stars in the classroom, require a minimum endowment of $250,000. When fully funded, this endowment generates approximately $12,500 in faculty support annually. No more than 50 percent of funds made available from faculty support endowments are used to supplement the individual’s salary. In addition to a salary supplement, these endowments support, in perpetuity, research, travel to conferences and symposia, professional development, and other expenses related to scholarship.

Scholars honored as Endowed Chairs and Named Professors typically take on leadership roles on campus, attract superior students, and secure additional external funding. Their sharing of new knowledge benefits the entire university community. They are highly regarded for their contributions to modernizing courses and curricula, helping younger faculty improve their classroom teaching, securing federal and state contracts, and for bringing speakers and conferences of international repute to campus. The recognition of excellence, and the prestige that comes with it, not only ensures that teaching standards will remain high, but also enhances the value of the educational experience for students.