Oct
14
BGSU Firelands Recognizes Scholarship Recipients, Donors
October 14, 2016 | Leave a Comment
On Friday morning, Bowling Green State University Firelands College honored some of their best and brightest during the 17th Annual Scholarship Breakfast.
Held in the Cedar Point Center on the BGSU Firelands campus, the event brings together the recipients of scholarships offered through the College and the donor organizations and individuals who financially contribute to the scholarships.
“The scholarship breakfast is a chance to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our students and the generosity of our alumni and community,” said Dean of BGSU Firelands Andy Kurtz. “Our donors have the opportunity to see first-hand how their generosity impacts real lives, real families, and real careers. Equally important, students have the chance to meet with their benefactors and thank them for helping to fulfill their dream of earning a college degree,” he added.
A capacity crowd of more than 200 people including donors, students and their families, and representatives from the Bowling Green campus attended the event.
“Education is the foundation of success,” said BGSU alumna Judith Sommers, who was in attendance at the event. A retired teacher and school counselor with more than 40 years of experience, Sommers knows first hand the importance of education.
“Encouraging students to further their education is critical, but sometimes more direct support is needed. As an advocate, I felt I needed to ‘put the money where my mouth was,’” said Sommers. In 2011, she created the Judith A. Sommers Scholarship Fund which is designated for a full-time education major from Huron County.
During the Scholarship Breakfast, more than 130 students were recognized and they collectively were awarded nearly $165,000 in scholarships.
Students can receive scholarships based on their achievements inside or outside of the classroom or for financial need. For some students, financial need is the only thing that stands between them and their dreams of a college education.
“Although donors differ in many ways, they share one common trait – they all believe education is important,” said Kimble Arnold, a third-year student working toward a bachelor’s degree in applied health science. Arnold received the BGSU Firelands Scholarship in Memory of George Mylander, a new award created by Wighhtman-Wieber Charitable Foundation in honor of Mylander’s passing earlier this year.
“Thanks to the donors, we are able to further our education, careers, and reach goals which otherwise may not have been attainable,” said Kimble, a Monroeville resident with aspirations of becoming a doctor.