University adopts centralized scholarship process pilot to align with student needs

In an effort to better align the University’s scholarship programs with student needs, Ohio University is piloting a new strategic, centralized awarding process that will help make an OHIO education affordable for more students.

The new centralized process bolsters the OHIO Signature Award Program, from which the University’s merit-based scholarships are awarded centrally by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. In the new pilot process, awards previously administered by the colleges will be managed centrally as well. This change will relieve the colleges of administrative burden and will allow for the growth and extension of existing scholarship dollars, ensuring that all scholarship awards are optimized for maximum impact on OHIO students’ college costs.

“Many of these scholarship dollars originate from donor-funded endowments, which now will be awarded on behalf of the academic colleges by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships within the OHIO Signature Awards Program,” said Craig Cornell, Senior Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment Management at Ohio University. “It is our hope that this new process will streamline the student’s financial aid experience and allow the colleges to continue to support scholarship funding, making an OHIO education more affordable over time for an increased number of students.” 

In 2019-20, the University will pilot this program with select colleges across campus using a hybrid model for scholarship dollars. The process is also enabling OHIO to strategically use scholarships funded through the OHIO Match Program, funds that have been dedicated to strengthening the University’s endowed scholarship program. The intent is to extend this across all colleges following the initial pilot.

For more information about giving to scholarships that support student success at Ohio University, visit www.ohio.edu/advancement.