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
Read, Judith A. Memorial Leadership Award
The Judith A. Read Memorial Leadership Award was established in 2016 by The University of Akron Women's Committee (°µºÚ±¬ÁÏWC) in collaboration with Roger T. Read, husband of the late Judith A. Read. The award honors Judith's lifelong accomplishments and her tireless devotion to the community.
Judy earned a bachelor's degree in English with distinction from The University of Akron in 1963 and, as a student, was inducted into the Phi Sigma Alpha honorary society. She ultimately became a teacher and worked for Akron Public Schools and schools in Virginia. Judy remained committed to The University of Akron throughout her life, serving as president of °µºÚ±¬ÁÏWC and as a member of the College-Centered Committee of The University of Akron Foundation. In 1994, the University presented Judith with its Alumni Honor Award, and in 2009 she received the University's highest recognition, an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. The following year, as a member of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Advisory Council, she received the Buchtel Award in Humanities.
Judy, who passed away May 12, 2016, at the age of 76, had a passion for community and dedicated her life to making a difference by helping others. She was a past board member of the Greater Akron Musical Association, Akron Community Foundation, Akron Art Museum, Summa Foundation and the Greater Akron Torchbearers Advisory Board; past president of United Disability Services; and former chair of the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area and the Women's Initiative Council for the United Way of Summit County.
Judy's devotion to the community was recognized by many. She was a recipient of the United Way Distinguished Service Award, the Elizabeth A. Dalton Award from the Greenleaf Family Center, and the Phi Delta Theta Alumni Woman of the Year Award in 1999. She and Roger also were recipients of the H. Peter Burg Community Leadership Award from the Summit County Chapter of the American Red Cross in 2008, and they received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the North Central Ohio Chapter of the Association of Fund raising Professionals in 2007.
The Judith A. Read Memorial Leadership Award will be provided annually for three years (2017, 2018 and 2019) to two outstanding University of Akron students following his or her junior year, with preference given to female students. Selected students will receive up to $2,500, which will cover costs incurred by students attending a national or regional conference that addresses leadership skills for college students. To be eligible, students must:
- Demonstrate leadership roles in both campus and community organizations
- Serve as a volunteer
- Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement
Award nominations may be made by any University of Akron leadership organization or a member of the faculty or staff. Recipient selections will be made by °µºÚ±¬ÁÏWC's Ad Hoc Award Committee. If funds are available, the committee will select a third student to attend a national or regional conference.
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