4 students award prestigious Wopat Scholarships as Foundation doles out $340,000 in funds

As many seniors make plans to celebrate graduation, the Marion Community Foundation adds to the excitement by announcing the recipients of its 2015 Scholarship Program.  Marion Community Foundation has awarded $339,450 from 77 funds to 134 local students. Awards were made to local students from 10 area high schools and 23 colleges.

“We at Marion Community Foundation are so pleased to annually award and recognize outstanding young people throughout our community,” said Dean Jacob, President and CEO of Marion Community Foundation. “Each year we receive more applications than the previous year and, even with new scholarship funds each year, the program becomes more competitive.” This year’s applicants included several high school valedictorians and ACT scores as high as 35.

The highest awards of the program are the Wopat Scholars, eight of which were selected in 2015.  Four students receive $10,000 awards, renewable annually for three additional years — Kyle Goings and Jenna Houdashelt of Marion Harding High School, Mary Camm of Pleasant High School, and Sarah Longo of River Valley High School. The four additional Wopat Scholars receive a one-time award of $4,000 and include: Hollie Dunn of Elgin High School, Zialesi Adissem and Harlee Conley of Marion Harding High School, and Kacy Worley of River Valley High School.

The Wopat Scholar awards, as well as the Wopat Impact Awards, are made possible by the substantial gift of the late Robert M. and Dorothy C. Wopat. In 2008, the Wopats donated $16 million to Marion Community Foundation to establish three funds. In addition to their scholarship fund, they created the Wopat Community Fund and the Wopat YMCA Fund, which award grants annually.

“Each of our 280 applicants was outstanding. The selection committee finds such variety in the backgrounds and future goals of each of the applicants,” said Larry Geissler, Scholarship Selection Committee Chairperson.

This year’s scholarship selection committee also included Sue Jacob, Nicole Workman, Nancy Hafer, Megan Queen, and Kathy Goodman.

Pleasant High School’s Mary Camm, who has completed a full year of college course work through post-secondary enrollment options and her license as a nurse aide while in high school, is a prime example of the top students supported through the scholarship program.  Camm plans to attend Ashland University in the fall and pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

Camm said she both realizes and appreciates the community support that her scholarships represent.

“I just want to say thank you to the donors and community and all who help Marion Community Foundation to help students go to college,” she said.

Sarah Longo, another of this year’s Wopat Scholars, is one of this year’s valedictorians at River Valley. She plans to attend Ohio State University in the fall and major in math education with a minor in youth development.  The daughter of Jim and Mary Longo of Marion, she plans to pursue her dreams and follow in her mother’s footsteps.

“My mom is a county extension agent, so 4-H and youth development has always been a part of my life,” said Longo. “And I have always had a burning desire to be a teacher.”

Longo credited the encouragement of her math teachers at River Valley with her plans to specialize in math education.

Jacob said he was extremely pleased with this year’s scholarship program. “We had a 66 percent increase in the number of applications and gave away $15,000 more than last year,” he said. “While $340,000 sounds like a lot – because it is – it is simply not enough to meet the needs of Marion students. We have a lot of good students who are trying hard and deserve to be supported with scholarships. Establishing a named, endowed scholarship fund is easy and not as costly as one might think.”

New funds added in the past year include: the Joe & Peggy Casey Memorial Scholarship Fund, “Stormy Ray” Cushing Scholarship Fund, Dr. Kathy Dixon Memorial Fund, Art & Anne Huggler Memorial Scholarship Fund, Donald B. Justice Memorial Scholarship Fund, and Paul Pezley Baseball Scholarship Fund.

Information on making a gift to an existing scholarship fund or starting a new one to honor or memorialize a loved one can be found online at MarionCommunityFoundation.org or by calling 740-387-9704.

The Marion Community Foundation 2015 scholarship funds and their award recipients are as follows:

Elgin High School:

• Catherine Amelia Thew Brown Memorial Scholarship – Cantyn Belmer;
• The Community’s Memorial Scholarship in memory of Twilia (Rippey) Hazen, Russell Reichardt and Jane Louise Watts – Dylan Williams;
• “Stormy Ray” Cushing Scholarship – Paige Hatzenbuehler;
• Marge Sorreles Davies Memorial Scholarship – Tara Nelson;
• Everett Family Scholarship — Hollie Dunn;
• Marguerite Marcelin Hastings Memorial Scholarship — McKenzie Graham;
• Marion Area Auxiliary Scholarship – Tara Nelson;
• Helen M. Thew Memorial Scholarship – Rachel Crabtree;
• Jeanette Turner Memorial Scholarship – Kain Anderson and Rachel Crabtree;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholarship – Rachel Crabtree;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholar Award – Hollie Dunn;

Marion Harding High School:

• Alex Scholarship — Keaton Graff;
• Bergmann Family Scholarship –Jacob Lester;
• Clare Cooke Performing Arts Scholarship — Kyle Goings;
• Cornell/Goodman Scholarship — Jacob Lester and Marco Rodriguez;
• Marion Elks Lodge No. 32 Scholarship — Kyle Goings;
• Helen E. Evans Scholarship — Kaleb Irey;
• Isabel Freer Memorial Scholarship — Harlee Conley;
• John T. Gordon Memorial Eagle Scout Scholarship — Dale Lingo;
• Dr. James S. & Mary Gray Greetham Memorial Scholarship — Sydney Cunningham and Jenna Houdashelt;
• Aris Kasotis Memorial Scholarship – Cain Lackey;
• Kory Kirkpatrick Memorial Scholarship — Jonathan Brazell;
• Mandy Kruder Memorial Scholarship — Parker Baird and Christina Franklin;
• Dr. Sarah Kulkofsky Memorial Scholarship — Sydney Cunningham;
• Marion Area Auxiliary Scholarship — Megan Burris and Sydney Cunningham;
• Kenny Martin Memorial Scholarship — Cheyenne Abrams and Scott Price;
• Rocco Nicolosi Memorial Scholarship — Dale Lingo;
• Joe Petrich & Al Beach Memorial Scholarship — Christina Franklin;
• Paul Pezley Baseball Scholarship – Dillon Hoskins;
• Beatrice Prior Memorial Scholarship — Alison Church, Sydney Cunningham, Kendra Fogle, Jenna Houdashelt, Paige Montgomery, Kayla Russell, and Allison Skinner;
• David K. Rogers Memorial Scholarship — Marco Rodriguez;
• Danny C. Sipes Memorial Scholarship — Dillon Hoskins;
• Stewie Family Scholarship – Harlee Conley;
• Herbert & Jane Tillett Scholarship — Christina Franklin;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholarship – Scott Price and Marco Rodriguez;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholar Awards – Zialesi Adissem, Harlee Conley, Kyle Goings and Jenna Houdashelt;
• Youth Engaged in Philanthropy Scholarship — Kyle Goings;

Pleasant High School:

• Joe & Peggy Casey Memorial Scholarship – Dustin Sites;
• “Stormy Ray” Cushing Scholarship – Maria Curren;
• Marion Elks Lodge No. 32 Scholarship — Mary Camm;
• Wayne Hoch Memorial Scholarship — Taylor Chase;
• Roger & Donna Holbrook Memorial Scholarship — Melissa Dean;
• Gene Jerew Memorial Scholarship — Kamryn Queen;
• Stephanie K. Lust Memorial Scholarship — Mary Camm, Zachary Haverfield, and Grant Wilson;
• Marion Area Auxiliary Scholarship — Hannah Kantzer;
• Pleasant Academic Boosters Scholarship — Mary Camm, Melissa Dean, Heather DeJonge, Hannah Kantzer, and Boston Osborne;
• Pleasant Local Schools Board of Education Scholarship — Allen Zhang and Emily Curtiss;
• Eugene & Cecilia Reszczynski Scholarship — Justin McCurdy;
• Sims Family Scholarship — Melissa Dean and Boston Osborne;
• Douglas & Elaine Waring Memorial Scholarship — Kevin Taylor;
• Andrew Wigton Memorial Scholarship — Abigail Russell;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholarship – Zachary Haverfield and Allen Zhang;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholar Award — Mary Camm;

Ridgedale High School:

• Catherine Amelia Thew Brown Memorial Scholarship — Alexis Hensel;
• Craig Scholarship – Trent Hensel;
• Adam Johnston Memorial Scholarship — Caitlyn Lust;
• Marion Noon Kiwanis Scholarship – Trent Hensel;
• Ted & Elaine Mitchell Scholarship –Brooklynn Beard;
• Gary W. Troll Memorial Scholarship — Paige Merritt;
• Jeannette Turner Memorial Scholarship – Brooklynn Beard and Paige Merritt;

River Valley High School:

• Hazel B. & A.B. Augenstein Scholarship — Marina Maynard;
• “Stormy Ray” Cushing Scholarship – Alyssa Johnson;
• Brenda Dye Music Boosters Scholarship – Aaron Suarez;
• Marion Noon Kiwanis Scholarship – Valeria Acuna and Stephanie Mitchell;
• Marion Area Auxiliary Scholarship – Kacy Worley;
• Alex Masters Memorial Scholarship –Valeria Acuna;
• Eugene & Cecilia Reszczynski Scholarship — Geavonni Ross;
• Eula M. Rhoads Scholarship – Stephanie Mitchell;
• Eddie Shelton Agricultural Scholarship – Austin Wagner;
• Helen M. Thew Memorial Scholarship – Valeria Acuna;
• Jeannette Turner Memorial Scholarship –Megan Barrett;
• John & Jackie Watkins Scholarship — Austin Wagner;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholarship – Aaron Suarez, Kayla Radcliff, and Megan Barrett;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholar Awards – Sarah Longo and Kacy Worley;

Mohawk High School:

• Marion Elks Lodge No. 32 Scholarship — Katelynn Kinley;

North Union High School:

• Erin Y. James Memorial Scholarship — Taylor Hoffman;

Ridgemont High School:

• Ridgemont Scholarships — seniors Riley Drumm, Logan Hill, Ryan Johnson, Adreonna Radcliffe, Madison Roehler, Lyndsey Schwartz, Adam Wagner, and Jaycie Whitmore, and graduates Katelyn Brown, Logan Brown, Amber Creviston, Jenna Jordan, Grace Poeppelman, Thane Schwartz, Cody Seiler, Shawn Smith, Heather Tanner, Colin Turner, and Bailey Wagner;

Shelby High School:

• “Stormy Ray” Cushing Scholarship – Micaela Pohlabel;

University High School:

• Gregory A. Rees Memorial Scholarship — Daniel McNeil;

Colleges:

• Bergmann Family Scholarship – Kaden Zachmann, Ohio State University;
• Helen and Bob Bintz Scholarship – Kelsea Sullivan, University of Dayton;
• Catherine Amelia Thew Brown Memorial Scholarship –Taylor Ellerkamp, Colgate University;
• “Stormy Ray” Cushing Scholarship – Megan Honaker, Heidelberg University, and Heather Hunt, Marion Technical College;
• Dr. Kathy Dixon Memorial – Kaden Zachmann, Ohio State University;
• Carol S. Geissler Memorial Scholarship — Lauren Gruber, Heidelberg University;
• Gladys & Everett Granger Memorial Scholarship – Jimmy Longo, Ohio State University;
• William and Marjorie Grover Scholarship — Paivyn Baldauf, Ohio University;
• Charles L. Hastings Memorial Scholarship – Jimmy Longo, Ohio State University;
• Art & Anne Huggler Memorial Scholarship – Austin Smith, University of South Florida;
• Judge Thomas K. Jenkins Scholarship — Christopher Wilds, Ohio Northern University, and Bailey Higgins, Ohio Northern University;
• Donald B. Justice Memorial Scholarship – Kier Scott, Tiffin University;
• Louise Kling Memorial Scholarship — Taylor McCurdy White, Michigan State University
• College of Osteopathic Medicine, and Brandon Riedlinger, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine;
• Philip Leedom Memorial Scholarship — Shellie Dye, Heidelberg University;
• Marion Academy of Medicine Scholarship — Taylor McCurdy White, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine;
• Marion Technical College Scholarship – Laura Berry;
• Vera O. McDanel Scholarship — Sara Davis, University of South Florida, Kaden Zachmann,
• Ohio State University, Margaret Houston, Malone University, and Kier Scott, Tiffin University;
• Ted & Elaine Mitchell Scholarship – Kim Cannane, Ohio State University, and Allison Tumey, Ohio State University;
• Christopher B. Ream Scholarship — Cassandra Thompson, University of Findlay;
• Eugene & Cecilia Reszczynski Scholarship — Ashley Brancamp, Ohio State University;
• Eula M. Rhoads Scholarship – Hannah Croyle, Kent State University, and Tyler Fields, Ohio State University;
• Rubcich Family Scholarship – Hannah Fuller, Ohio State University;
• Taft Middle School Music Department Scholarship – Christopher Wilds, Ohio Northern University;
• Helen M. Thew Memorial Scholarship – Lauren Gruber, Heidelberg University, Ben Highfill,
• Marion Technical College, and Megan Honaker Heidelberg University;
• Jeannette Turner Memorial Scholarship – Kain Anderson, Ohio State University, and Julya Faulker, Ohio Northern University;
• Jeannette White Memorial Scholarship — Tyler Fields, Ohio State University;
• Robert & Dorothy Wopat Scholarship – Scott Foster, Ohio State University, Sam Hardin, Baldwin Wallace University, Randy Kinietz, University of Mount Union, Megan Nedds, University of Findlay, Austin Smith, University of South Florida, Cassandra Vaflor, University of Toledo, Kylah Webb, Kent State University, Emma Weber, Ohio Wesleyan University, and Paxton Wenger, Otterbein University.