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

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

For immediate release

OWENS-ILLINOIS, INC. MAKES $25,000 SCHOLARSHIP GIFT TO THE OHIO FOUNDATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES

Owens-Illinois, Inc. (O-I), the world’s largest manufacturer of glass packaging, has provided $25,000 in scholarship support to the 2009-2010 campaign of The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC). 

With a cumulative giving total of nearly $700,000, O-I has been supporting the mission of OFIC to provide access to independent higher education to Ohio’s students since 1952.  The company has designated its support specifically to provide scholarships to students majoring in Mechanical, Chemical, or Electrical Engineering or Accounting with a focus on students from the northwest area of Ohio.  O-I is currently providing scholarships to 18 students enrolled in OFIC member colleges and universities.
 
Julia Faeth, recipient of an O-I scholarship, is a junior at the University of Dayton majoring in chemical and Materials Engineering.  She wrote to her scholarship donor, “I so much appreciate your decision to support students seeking higher education.  The Owens-Illinois, Inc. scholarship will help make it possible for me to continue my studies and work toward my dream of developing a new, renewable fuel source”. 

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 98,000 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 College, Urbana University, Ursuline College, Walsh University, Wilmington College, Wittenberg University and The College of Wooster. 

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