WHEELING – Nearly 200 area students will attend colleges and universities across the country thanks to scholarships from the Community Foundation for the Ohio Valley.

CFOV administers more than 70 scholarship funds, each with a competitive application process, which are for the benefit of students in and beyond the foundation’s eight-county service area.

Such opportunities are made possible by generous donors who have established funds to demonstrate their commitment to higher education. Scholarship funds often represent memorials for loved ones, affinity for a field of study, school / university, intended career path, financial need and even a first generation student.

In addition to having unique criteria, CFOV scholarships can be designed to support a student beyond the first year of higher education. A growing number of opportunities include either a revolving component or an invitation to submit applications in the future for additional funding. Beyond students who receive scholarships for the first time or through a new application, many others continue to benefit from the multi-year scholarships held by the foundation.

“Scholarship time is a particularly energizing time of the year, and we are delighted to offer such meaningful opportunities to students in the region,” said Susie Nelson, executive director of the foundation. This year, four scholarship funds were added to CFOV’s portfolio: the John Nicholas Varlas and Nancy Allen Varlas Scholarship for the benefit of graduates of John Marshall High School; the David Robertson Scholarship for WVNCC Students; the May Green Scholarship for the benefit of students at Martins Ferry High School; and the Lloyd Shirl and Esta Mae Taggart Scholarship for students at Tyler Consolidated High School.

“The affordability of higher education is not only a popular topic, but also a very real challenge for many students and their families. The scholarships serve a powerful purpose by expanding educational opportunities while reducing financial stress ”, Nelson shared.

The next round of foundation scholarships will open in January. For more information, call (304) 242-3144 or email [email protected]

Recipients in Brooke, Hancock and Jefferson counties include;

* Isabella Aperfine, Weir High School, Aaron Davies Memorial Fellowship;

* Chad Durante, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Beulah Boyd Fellowship from the American Association of University Women;

* Jacob Bonner, Madonna High School, and Joseph Bostaph, Weir High School, Beulah Meyer Scholarship;

* Joseph Rohde, Catholic Central High School, Dr Jim Mills Memorial Scholarship;

* Jason Polgar, Brooke High School, Frank Ferguson Memorial Scholarship;

* Brynna Jackson, Catholic Central High School, Gene DeProsperis Scholarship;

* Kayla Baseli, Weir High School, George Zatezalo Memorial Scholarship;

* Grace Hamilton, Steubenville High School; John H. and Dorothy M. Zmavec Fellowship;

* Noah Meyer, Local Buckeye High School, Leon Berze Memorial Scholarship;

* Jordan Apesos, Weir High School, Smaltz Family Scholarship;

* Taylor Kolb, Brooke High School, and Blaire McUmar, Weir High School, Tikkun Olam Scholarship from Temple Beth Israel in Steubenville;

* Isabella Haught, Brooke High School, Warren, Mary and Debbie Bennett Scholarship;

* Jeana Battista and Kamryn Bable, Brooke High School; Madalena Daugherty and Sydney Crawford, Madonna High School; Joseph Rohde, Catholic central; and Madison Phillips, Edison High School, Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Foundation scholarship.