Named scholarships & funds
When it comes to earning a college degree, the greatest obstacle can be funding.
For this reason, The University of Akron is pleased for the opportunity each year to assist talented, deserving students achieve their dreams, thanks to more than 1,300 named scholarships established through the kindness and generosity of thousands of °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ alumni and friends, corporations, and foundations.
Scholarships truly are the best way to ensure that today’s students persist to graduation. Scholarships allow students to enroll full time and remain focused on their studies; they also reduce drop-out rates, decrease the stress of student loans, and shorten the road to graduation.
If you are interested in making a significant contribution to student success, please consider a gift to scholarships. You may also establish a named scholarship at The University of Akron, which can be created to honor a living person, in memory of a loved one, or to contribute to the growth of an area of study.
To learn more, please contact the Department of Development at 330-972-7238.
How do I apply for a scholarship?
This is not the page to apply for scholarships.
Students who want to apply for scholarships should visit the scholarship page on the Financial Aid site. You can find the link for the online application here.
The Department of Development does not accept applications for or distribute scholarships. Scholarships are distributed through the University’s Office of Student Financial Aid.
Search for a Named Scholarship
DiDonato, Mary Nursing Scholarship
The Mary DiDonato Nursing Scholarship was established in 2007 to recognize excellence in nursing practice. The scholarship provides support for a student enrolled in The University of Akron undergraduate nursing program. Recipients are selected based on their dedication to nursing, demonstration of the values of the profession, and service to the community through volunteerism. Scholarship recipients are selected by the Office of Student Affairs in Nursing.
Mary DiDonato has dedicated her life to the profession of nursing. Raised in a family where values and education were emphasized, Mary attended Garfield High School and then the St. Thomas School of Nursing. She spent the first part of her career working in the emergency room at St. Thomas. A caring and dedicated nurse, Mary then spent 37 years of her career working for Akron General Medical Center, with about 30 of those years proudly practicing as a head nurse in oncology.
Mary’s commitment to the Akron community extends to volunteer service. Her involvement includes time dedicated to the Christ Child Society of Akron, as well as participation on the first board of Justin T. Rogers Care Center in Akron. As an extension of her work as an oncology nurse, Mary is involved in Stewart’s Caring Place, an organization in Akron that supports families whose lives have been touched by cancer. Each year Mary lectures to students in the practical nursing program about breast cancer through the Akron School of Practical Nursing.