Ohio State Alumni Club

of Greater Cleveland

Bringing Cleveland and Columbus Together

Our Scholarship Programs

2004 Football BanquetWe are proud of our scholarship programs for Cleveland-area students.

Scholarships are currently awarded only to incoming freshmen. Applications are available through area high school counselors in the late fall. The deadline for applying for 2008 scholarships has passed.

The Mary Anne Harshman
CLASS Scholarship

This generous, twelve-quarter scholarship is named for Mary Anne Harshman, a long-time leader in the OSU Alumni Club of Greater Cleveland who passed away in July 2005.

Richard and Barbara Snyder Scholarship Fund

Dick and Barbara Snyder celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on September 18, 2005. At the suggestion of both the Alumni Association and the Office of University Development, they have established a scholarship fund. Distribution of scholarships from this fund will be handled by the OSU Alumni Club of Greater Cleveland’s scholarship committee.

Alumni Scholars Program Awards

These scholarships are funded by the Ohio State Alumni Association.

History of Our Scholarship Programs

Until the mid 1980s, the only scholarships the club awarded were the Alumni Scholars Program (ASP) awards, which were and still are funded by the Alumni Association (our parent organization). Mary Anne Harshman was the scholarship chair, and Dick Furry and Dick Snyder were the other members of the scholarship committee. They decided to award a tuition scholarship, and in 1986 Sandy Shell became our first scholarship student. Since the club was funding the entire scholarship, she would be the only scholarship student for four years, and then the club would select another student. But the frustration grew as wonderful students were interviewed in subsequent years in which no funds for a tuition scholarship were available. It was clear that a way to fund a student every year was needed. One suggestion was to find one wealthy member who would fund an entire scholarship for a student. Another wish was that every OSU graduate in Cuyahoga County would give just $1 a year, but the problem was that many of these alumni were not members of the club.

The solution that was eventually adopted was to ask twelve sponsors to each contribute the equivalent of one quarter’s tuition during the four-year period. Enough sponsors were recruited to begin the current program, which was named the Cleveland Alumni Sponsored Scholarship (CLASS). The students in turn would write a letter at the end of each quarter to his or her sponsors. Craig Kullik, Fairview valedictorian, was named the first CLASS Scholar in 1991.

Several changes have been made in the CLASS program during its fifteen-year existence. By the time the third scholar was named, it was evident that trying to get the right letters to the right sponsors was a record-keeping chore, and it was decided that all sponsors would get the letters from all the CLASS students. The next change, in the mid 1990s, was that, owing to rising tuition, the club would have to pay part of the tuition. In the late 1990s, because of the gap from June (end of spring quarter) to December (end of fall quarter), CLASS students were asked to write a letter every quarter, including summer quarter, whether or not they were in school that quarter. Finally, early in this decade, because of the huge increases in tuition, the CLASS scholarship was stabilized at a fixed rate that would not change with increasing tuition.

Because of the CLASS program and its sponsors, the club can now select an outstanding student every year. In 2005 we selected our fifteenth CLASS Scholar, Megan Vandrak. We also held our sixteenth annual Scholars Reception since a reception was held in 1990 to recognize Sandy Shell's graduation from Ohio State.

Succeeding Mary Anne Harshman, Dave Furry served for several years as scholarship chair. In 2004 Debra Light took over as scholarship chair, and committee members included Irv Sobul, Janet Smith, and Casey McMillen.

This has been a very successful program and we have been fortunate to have an exceptional group of CLASS Scholars through the years and many caring and generous sponsors.

Dick and Barbara Snyder celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on September 18, 2005. At the suggestion of both the Alumni Association and the Office of University Development, they have established a scholarship fund. Distribution of scholarships from this fund will be handled by the OSU Alumni Club of Greater Cleveland’s scholarship committee.

Both Dick and Barbara are past presidents of the Greater Cleveland Alumni Club, and together they established the first CLASS Scholarship. Dick is also a past treasurer and long-time scholarship committee member. Barbara has been a long-time member of the board of directors, having established the newsletter and serving as editor for many years.

Ways You Can Help

Become a CLASS Sponsor

Please contact Debra Light (216-295-9063 or debbruce@aol.com) for more information.

Donate to Our Scholarship Funds

Visit giveto.osu.edu. Select "other" (at the bottom of the list) where indicated and enter either of the following account numbers in the special instructions field:

Donate a Raffle Prize or Silent Auction Item

Our biggest scholarship fundraisers are the silent auction held at the annual Football Appreciation Banquet and the raffle at the golf outing. Most items are donated, making it possible for us to maximize the funds we are able to raise at these events. Please consider contributing an item on behalf of yourself or your business. Donors will be listed in the event program.

Items must have a minimum base value of $25.00. Examples of the types of items that do well are OSU memorabilia, local sports items (Indians, Cavs, Browns, etc.), high-value gift certificates, event tickets, and so on. Big-ticket items are especially welcomed: a time share week, a wine tasting for eight, a weekend getaway, skydiving lessons — think big and be creative!

If you can support this very important endeavor with a donation, please contact us at info@osuclevelandalumni.com.

Football Banquet Sponsorship Opportunities

Do you want your company to be associated with a winner? Become a sponsor of the highly successful Ohio State Football Banquet. The Ohio State Alumni Club of Greater Cleveland is hosting its 57th annual banquet on Tuesday, November 25, 2008, at Windows on the River. This event regularly draws more than 500 enthusiastic Buckeye fans. All proceeds from this event support the club’s scholarship program. Be a special part of this event by becoming a corporate sponsor.

Sponsorship opportunities are as follows:

$25,000 - Title Sponsor

$15,000 - Dinner Sponsor

$5,000 - Reception and Silent Auction Sponsor

$2,500 - Head Table Sponsor

$1,000 - Band Sponsor

If you have any questions or are ready to be a sponsor, contact Peggy Sobul at 216-368-3247.