The Ohio State University has begun a new fund-raising campaign to support students from all 88 Ohio counties. The “Ohio Scholarship Challenge” seeks to raise $100 million in general undergraduate scholarship funds for Ohio State students at all campuses. This Challenge is also part of the university’s larger effort to raise $500 million in private funds for student financial aid and scholarships. The Ohio Scholarship Challenge honorary co-chairs are Ohio State head football Coach Urban Meyer and men’s basketball Coach Thad Matta.

The Challenge will create a full-tuition endowed scholarship in each county and raise current use scholarship dollars. Unlike many other scholarships, those funded by the Challenge are transferrable between majors and portable between campuses. This enables a recipient to keep the scholarship regardless of major or campus attended. Scholarships are also renewable for up to four years as long as the student remains in good standing at Ohio State.

Through the Challenge, the university seeks individuals, organizations and groups to donate and/or raise undergraduate scholarship funds for students from their area. Gifts may be given as current-use or endowed scholarships. As an incentive through the But for Ohio State campaign, the university will match the new endowment payout for four years for donors who accept the Challenge.  Donors can determine the scholarship name, designate a scholarship to benefit students based on need or merit or both, and designate a scholarship to benefit a geographic area (e.g. high school, county, city, or region).

Anyone can make a tax-deductible contribution in any amount by visiting www.giveto.osu.edu/challenge.

More information is also available via the Ohio State Office of Academic Affairs development team at 614-247-6600. Jodi Bopp is the senior director of philanthropy (bopp.12@osu.edu). You can also contact Erin Holmes Wingfield, director of development for the Ohio State University Foundation, OSU Extension – 4-H youth development, in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (holmes-wingfield.1@osu.edu).