Ohio scholarships: Free money for OH students

The Ohio Department of Higher Education administers the Ohio College Opportunity Grant (OCOG) program, which provides grant money to those who demonstrate the highest levels of financial need, as determined by the results of the FAFSA. Students must be enrolled at Ohio public colleges or universities, Ohio private, non-profit colleges or universities, and Ohio private, for-profit institutions. Ohio residents enrolled in Pennsylvania institutions are also eligible to apply. Applicants must be enrolled in an associate degree, first bachelor's degree, or nurse diploma program at an eligible institution with an Expected Family Contribution of $3,750 or less and a maximum household income of $96,000. Veterans and students with intellectual disabilities may also apply. Students apply for OCOG benefits by completing the FAFSA. Please visit the award's website or contact the Ohio Department of Higher Education for more information.

The East Coast Amateur Radio Service (ECARS) Scholarship will be awarded to those with active Technician Class or higher. Applicants must reside in the general coverage areas of ECARS including ARRL Atlantic, Great Lakes, Hudson, New England, and Roanoke Divisions. Applicants must be pursuing their studies at a two-year trade school or 4-year undergraduate institution. Applicants should generally be between the ages of 17 and 25 at the time of the award, but older applicants retraining in a changing job market will be considered. Applicants must submit transcripts which must cover the applicant's entire high school career to date and, if in college, must include all semesters for which grades have been awarded. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the ARRL Foundation Inc. for more information.

The Raymond H. Fuller, P.E., Memorial Scholarship was established by his wife, Rhoda M. Fuller, in 1999, as a tribute to his lifelong accomplishments and his desire to promote the engineering profession to young people. Consideration will be given to the prospective recipient's academic achievement, interest in a career in engineering and financial need as determined by interviews and from references. Recipients must be accepted for enrollment at an Ohio college or university. To be eligible for EFO's scholarships, a student must be a graduating high school senior. They must meet the minimum SAT (Math-600, Reading or Composition-500) or ACT (Math-29, English-25) test scores as set by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.

The applicants for the Engineers Foundation of Ohio General Fund Scholarship will be evaluated based on the general criteria as well as activities, leadership, work experiences, membership and activity in professional and technical societies, honors won, and an evaluation by the engineering college dean or department chairman. Financial need will be considered as a deciding factor in case of a tie. Applicants must be enrolled at a college or university in a curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering or its equivalent. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.

The Lloyd A. Chacey, PE-Ohio Society of Professional Engineers Memorial Scholarship was established to honor Lloyd A. Chacey and to help future engineers to be the crowning tribute of a lifetime of service. The scholarship may be renewed for an additional year. Applicants must be a son, daughter, brother, sister, niece, nephew, spouse or grandchild of a current member of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers or so related to a deceased member who was in good standing at the time of his or her death. Student members are not considered NSPE-Ohio members for purposes of awarding this scholarship. Applicants will be evaluated based on the general criteria as well as activities, leadership, work experiences, membership and activity in professional and technical societies, honors won, and an evaluation by the engineering college dean or department chairman. Financial need will be considered as a deciding factor in case of a tie. Applicants for the Lloyd A. Chacey Scholarship must submit a transcript certified by their college registrar. They must also submit a personal evaluation or recommendation from the dean of their engineering college or the chairperson of their department. This recommendation should verify the applicant's academic standing, evaluate their potential for success after graduation, and comment on the applicant's personal attributes. Applicants may attach any supplemental information they feel would help the committee evaluate their application. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.

The Cyril W. Neff, P.E., P.S., Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Cyril W. Neff, who had a special interest in young engineers and in helping them get started in their professional lives. This scholarship is available to students entering Ohio colleges or the University of Notre Dame. This scholarship is renewable for three years. To be eligible for EFO's scholarships, a student must be a graduating high school senior. They must meet the minimum SAT (Math-600, Reading or Composition-500) or ACT (Math-29, English-25) test scores as set by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.

Roger W. Loveless, PE PS, was a graduate from The Ohio State University with a degree in Civil Engineering. His career included being a major in the Army Corps of Engineers. He retired as the Chairman of Alden E. Stilson & Associates Professional Engineers and Surveyors. Roger is a past president of The Ohio Society of Professional Engineers and served as a director of the National Society of Professional Engineers. In addition to the general criteria, applicants must be accepted and enrolled at a college or university in an ABET-accredited engineering program. Students must achieve freshman, sophomore, junior or senior college status when the scholarship is distributed. High school seniors may apply. Applicants will be evaluated based on the general criteria as well as activities, leadership, work experiences, membership and activity in professional and technical societies and honors won. The scholarship is renewable for three years. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.

Joe Niedecken was a past EFO scholarship recipient and chose to "Pay Forward" the gifts he had been given as a young engineering student. His family has honored his wishes by establishing this scholarship. Recipients must be planning to be majoring in engineering and attend the University of Cincinnati to apply for the scholarship. The scholarship is renewable for three years. To be eligible for EFO's scholarships, a student must be a graduating high school senior. They must meet the minimum SAT (Math-600, Reading or Composition-500) or ACT (Math-29, English-25) test scores as set by the National Society of Professional Engineers. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.

Nils "Rik" Nilsson, PE, F.NSPE, established the Nilsson Family Scholarship Fund to benefit exceptional Northeast Ohio students with financial need. This new scholarship honors the Nilsson family's enduring commitment to education and service and is dedicated to the memory of Rik's father, Vincent Nilsson, PE. Rik's vision is to support aspiring engineers who demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential, and a desire to make a positive impact through engineering. Through this scholarship, the Nilsson family continues to inspire future generations of engineers to lead with purpose and a commitment to service. The scholarship will support promising students with strong aptitude in math, science, and technical subjects who may lack the financial means to pursue an engineering degree. Applicants must achieve freshman, sophomore, junior or senior college status when the scholarship is distributed. High school seniors may apply. Applicants will be evaluated based on the general criteria as well as activities, leadership, work experiences, membership and activity in professional and technical societies and honors won, and financial need. To be eligible for EFO's scholarships, a student must be a graduating high school senior. They must meet the minimum SAT (Math-600, Reading or Composition-500) or ACT (Math-29, English-25) test scores as set by the National Society of Professional Engineers. The scholarship is renewable for three years. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Engineers Foundation of Ohio for more information.