History
1979
The Martha Jane Hunley Blackburn/Donald A. Spencer Scholarship and Achievement Awards were established by the Black Student Cultural Programming Board in honor of Martha Jane Hunley Blackburn, the first African American woman to graduate from Ohio University and Donald A. Spencer, the first African American to serve as chairman of the Ohio University Board of Trustees.
1986
The Outstanding Programming Awards were established. These awards recognize student organizations for conceiving, planning and implementing outstanding programs on the Ohio University Athens Campus.
The Rudy Leadership Award was instituted as the result of the contribution of Joel S. and Marlene Rudy. The proceeds of their contribution are used to reward and recognize the exceptional leadership contributions, ability and potential of a currently enrolled undergraduate student.
2010
International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) created the Charles J. Ping International Leadership Award to recognize outstanding leadership by an international student enrolled at Ohio University. This award was named for President Emeritus Charles J. Ping, president of Ohio University from 1975-1994, to honor his support for international education and exchange. President Emeritus Ping's leadership resulted in the expansion of international education at Ohio University.
2012
The Kerrigan Family Scholarship was created by the Kerrigan Family to provide financial support to any student with demonstrated involvement in a leadership activity within the Ohio University Athens campus or the Athens, Ohio community.
2015
The Eyes of Freedom Scholarships were created by the Combat Veterans Club to honor the memory of the twenty-three United States Marines and the Navy Corpsmen serving in Columbus, Ohio's Lima Company, 3/25, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005.
2016
The Charles J. Ping International Leadership Award expanded to include a second category to recognize leadership and contributions to the international community by students who are not in F-1 or J-1 nonimmigrant status.
2017
Established through generous gifts to the Division of Student Affairs Support Fund, student employee scholarships were created to recognize the important role that students play in the work of the Division of Student Affairs at Ohio University. Scholarship categories include Academic Excellence and Excellence in the Workplace.
2019
Founding of Rita LaValley Recreation Employee Award.
2020
The Arnold Allyship Student Award and The Arnold Allyship Student Group Award were created in honor of Ohio University’s first LGBT Center administrative associate, Becky Arnold. The awards recognize both an Ohio University student and a student organization that demonstrated outstanding and active allyship toward improving the lives of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer communities on and off campus.
The LGBT Center Student Hart Award was established in honor of Ohio University’s first LGBT Center director, Mickey J. Hart. The award recognizes outstanding community care that improves the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer communities that reside on and off campus.