Little things, big returns

The little things are what convinced 17-year-old Bella Miller that Ohio University was for her. Four years later, the sum of these little things is what she’ll miss most when she graduates this spring.

“There was more togetherness at OU,” says Miller, who’s studying management and strategic leadership. “It made it feel like more of a community and experience, rather than just living in a city and happening to go to school there. It’s a place you go to school and learn and are fully immersed.”

Like many students, Miller has paid her own way through college, largely with the help of private student loans. And just like thousands of other Bobcats, her scholarships, although small, “made a really big impact.”

“It’s like when we’re learning in business school about interest, and how small investments can make a difference in the long term,” Miller says. “Having that extra $2,000 means I can pay my rent for a whole semester without having to take a loan out for that.”

The impact of those scholarships has compounded beyond dollars and cents, too. They’ve enabled rich experiences like studying abroad in Australia, founding OHIO’s Yoga Club and interning at IGS Energy, where she’s accepted her “dream job” after graduation.

These experiences have provided Miller more than memories. They’ve led her to discover who she is and the life she wants to lead, professionally and personally—no small thing, and one that will last forever.

“Think of all the people who have helped you get to where you are today. Know you can make a huge difference, the way other people have made a difference for you,” Miller says. “If you are in a financial place to donate, know those dollars make an impact. Even a small amount makes a difference.”

Last fall, University Advancement launched OHIO’s new giving site: give.ohio.edu. Visit the site for information on how you can make the OHIO experience possible—today and forever—by making a gift that will be matched by Ohio University.

Featured image: This spring, Bella Miller will join the OHIO alumni community that has supported her throughout her college years, talking to her classes, meeting with her at recruitment and networking events, and contributing to scholarships she was awarded. Photo by Rich-Joseph Facun, BSVC ’01.