University of Cincinnati Receives $250,000 for Scholarship Fund for Students with Disabilities

Each year, students with disabilities or their parents contact the University of Cincinnati’s Disability Services Office, searching for financial assistance to defray the rising costs of attending college. Starting next year, these students and parents will have a new option, thanks to a gift of $250,000 to endow a scholarship for physically challenged students.

The gift, from the Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation, will establish the Winnie Unnewehr Fraser Endowed Scholarship Fund, creating one full-tuition scholarship in the Disability Services Office at UC. The fund, the first of its kind at UC, is dedicated to help a growing population of physically challenged students, with paraplegia or quadriplegia, meet education costs.

"We’re extremely grateful to the Schott Foundation for meeting a critical need for students with disabilities at UC," said Debra Merchant, JD, director of Academic Excellence and Support Services at UC. "This scholarship will provide the financial support that opens doors to career options and independence for physically challenged students."

The scholarship, named for Marge Schott’s sister, honors the determined spirit of the late Winnie Unnewehr Fraser, who spent 38 years in a wheelchair after a 1968 car accident. She went on to regain use of her arms, raise three children, and was a participant in the Paralympics. She died in 2006.

"Our family is very proud to establish this scholarship at UC in honor of Marge’s sister, Winnie," commented Bobbie Unnewehr, sister of Marge and Winnie.

The Disability Services Office is dedicated to empowering students with disabilities through the delivery of reasonable accommodations and support services while educating the UC community to see beyond disabilities to the richness of inclusion.

For more information on applying for the Fraser Fund Scholarship or supporting the fund, please contact Christa Anne Flueck at 513-556-6294 or via e-mail at christa.flueck@uc.edu.