Scholars, Donors Honored at UC Clermont Luncheon

More than 150 scholarship recipients, donors, faculty, staff and friends of the University of Cincinnati Clermont College gathered on Nov. 8 on the college’s Batavia campus for the 2017 Donor Appreciation and Scholarship Luncheon.

The event underlined the importance of donor-funded scholarships to the education and lives of students through several keynote speakers.

After a welcome by UC Clermont Dean Jeff Bauer, remarks were delivered by Peter Landgren, UC Foundation president and UC vice president for university advancement, who said the college had already given away $100,000 in donor-funded scholarships for academic year 2017-18 so far — and shared how a $1,000 annual scholarship had motivated him to choose UC as an out-of-state undergraduate student himself. “The impact made by scholarships is a lasting one,” Landgren said.

He also announced a the new $50,000 Clermont County Chamber of Commerce Foundation Law Enforcement Endowed Scholarship, which will be awarded to a Clermont County resident who plans to actively seek employment in law enforcement within Clermont County.

“Student scholarships are immensely important to the future of our society,” said Kristi Nelson, interim provost and professor emeritus at UC, adding that 40 percent of UC Clermont students continue to the Uptown Campus to complete bachelor degrees — underscoring the importance of UC Clermont as a first step to higher education for many. “Donor-funded scholarships are much more than financial investments. They’re opportunities for donors to make a difference in the lives of others.”

That positive influence is not lost on donor Tina Bosworth, who established the Jeffrey W. Bosworth Memorial Scholarship in honor of her late husband, a former information technology professor, military veteran and director of veteran’s affairs at UC Clermont.

“Money should not be a reason that someone drops out of college, but financial inability is a main obstacle for students,” Bosworth said. “My husband was committed to helping students, especially veterans, stay in school. While Jeff can no longer encourage his students, I’m hopeful that this scholarship in his name will continue to help students afford their education.”

Second-year business student Spencer St. Pierre also shared a personal testament to the power of scholarships. While St. Pierre had “big dreams”, he wasn’t sure that college was even an option due to the high price tag. But when he found UC Clermont’s affordable tuition — almost half the price of most other Ohio colleges and universities — and was awarded the Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra Scholarship, he found a way toward a degree. While a student, St. Pierre also became an entrepreneur: He built his own automotive detailing business and became a partner on a new type of ceramic coating for cars that is now being produced in Malaysia for industrial and military use. All made possible, he said, thanks in part to the support he received from his scholarship.

“My advice to other students would be: don’t be afraid to tackle something,” St. Pierre said. “Thanks to the donors here today, I’m able to do what I’m doing now.”