Ohio University

The Templeton Scholars Program is one of the most competitive and distinctive programs at Ohio University. If you are selected as a Scholar, you will indeed belong to a very carefully chosen cadre of students.

 

As a Templeton Scholar, you will be deeply engaged and enriched by a variety of intellectual and cultural topics and events. There are opportunities to delve into the areas of politics, humanities, economics, science, arts, and the environment, just to name a few. In addition, research, service, and student-led discussions will be a core part of your experience as a selected scholar.

 

The Templeton Scholars Program provides valuable educational opportunities designed to enrich the intellectual experiences of talented students from disproportionately represented  populations. The program promotes personal, social, cultural, and academic excellence as well as professional development. This vision is achieved through creative programs and faculty-mentored research, scholarship, creativity, and character education.

 

Objectives

·       Provide support services that lead to academic success.

·       Create opportunities for leadership development and student engagement.

·       Assist students with career exploration.

·       Provide opportunities for intercultural dialogue and multicultural education.

·       Encourage participation in campus and community service organizations.

 

History: The John Newton Templeton Story

Born a South Carolina slave around 1805, John Newton Templeton was emancipated at age eight by his owner's will in 1813. The Rev. William Williamson, the owner's son, and a staunch Presbyterian abolitionist, took Templeton and his family to Adams County, Ohio, where the Templetons were freed. While Templeton attended Ohio University, he lived in the log cabin known as the Silas Bingham House that is currently located along the Hocking River in Tailgreat Park across from the Convocation Center.  

 

In 1824, Templeton entered Ohio University. Four years later, he received his bachelor's degree, becoming only the fourth African-American college graduate in America and the first in the Midwest.

 

Templeton used his education to help other people of African descent; in 1835, he was arrested in Virginia for teaching them to read and write. Eventually he settled in Pittsburgh, where he became the first teacher and principal of the city's first African School.

 

The Scholarship

 

The Templeton Scholars Award is a merit scholarship program for academically talented students. With an emphasis on academic excellence, leadership, and campus involvement, the Templeton Scholars Program honors John Newton Templeton's legacy of academic achievement and excellence at Ohio University.

The Templeton Scholars Award is a four-year renewable scholarship that includes:

·       Full in-state tuition

·       Double room in a residential learning community

·       20 meals per week

·       Participation in Legacy, a weeklong summer pre-enrollment experience

·       Participation in seminars and lectures organized around a learning agenda facilitated by the Templeton Scholars Faculty Associates

·       Special opportunities outside the classroom such as the performing arts, literary festivals, visiting lecture series, and leadership seminars

 

Eligibility

A student must be a member of a disproportionately represented group, have a minimum ACT score of 28 or minimum SAT score of 1250, and demonstrate academic merit and personal achievement. Those who qualify will be notified by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships and the Office for Multicultural Student Access and Retention (OMSAR), and be invited for an on-campus interview.

 

Program Requirements

Scholarships are renewable as long as course requirements, grade point average, and the following program requirements are met. Students must:

 

·       Demonstrate academic excellence in selected field(s) of study.

·       Complete at least 15 credit hours per semester; 30 per academic year.

·       Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above.

·       Participate in weekly seminars as well as personal and intellectual enrichment programs.

·       Attend weekly conferences with the program staff. 

 

Click here to apply to the Templeton Scholars Program