The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges                      
250 E. Broad St., Suite 1700
Columbus, Ohio 43215-3722

For more information, please contact Cheryl Kight,
614-649-1950 ext. 111 or kight@ofic.org

June 21, 2010 - For immediate release

THE JOHN B. FIRESTONE CHARITABLE TRUST MAKES $60,000 SCHOLARSHIP GIFT TO THE OHIO FOUNDATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES

The John B. Firestone Charitable Trust has provided $60,000 in scholarship support to the 2009-2010 campaign of The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC). 

With a cumulative giving total of $325,000, the John B. Firestone Charitable Trust has supported the mission of OFIC to provide access to independent higher education to Ohio’s students for 7 years.   The scholarship assistance is directed  specifically to provide scholarships to students from Spencer Township or Spencer Village enrolled fulltime in a bachelor’s degree program.  The trust is currently providing scholarships to 11 students.
 
Ashley Biggins, recipient of a John B. Firestone Trust scholarship for each of her four years at Mount Union College, is completing a degree in History with a minor in Adolescent Young Adult Education and plans to teach Social Studies at the high school level.  She wrote to her donor, “This scholarship has made it possible for me to complete my education at Mount Union College, and I am appreciative of it on a constant basis.  Thank you for this prestigious honor.”

OFIC, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, is the primary corporate and foundation solicitation organization for 34 Ohio independent colleges and universities. OFIC member colleges collectively enroll 99,000 students.  For 60 years the Foundation has worked to highlight the leadership, value and excellence of independent higher education.  Through contributions raised in annual solicitations of businesses and foundations OFIC has provided unrestricted operating funds and scholarship assistance, thereby assuring continuation of excellence in independent higher education.  OFIC is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of Ohio’s corporate leaders, as well as presidents of the 34 member colleges.

The member colleges are:  Ashland University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Bluffton University, Capital University, Cedarville University, University of Dayton, Defiance College, Denison University, The University of Findlay, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Franklin University, Heidelberg University, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Kenyon College, Lake Erie College, Lourdes College, Malone University, Marietta College, Mount Union College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum University, Notre Dame College, Oberlin College, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio Northern University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Otterbein University, Urbana University, Ursuline College, Walsh University, Wilmington College, Wittenberg University and The College of Wooster. 

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