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
Beckett, William Endowed Scholarship in Engineering
The William Beckett Endowed Scholarship in Engineering was established by William H. Beckett in 2011 and revised in 2017 and 2024. Mr. Beckett grew up in West Akron and attended Buchtel High School and The University of Akron. He graduated from °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ in 1956 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and began his career with General Motors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In 1960, he went to work for RCA/General Electric (GE) in Moorestown, New Jersey. Mr. Beckett remained with GE until his retirement in 1993. During his career, he was involved with a line of work that included three phases: development of guidance systems for Intercontinental missiles, design of radar servo control systems used in tracking missiles and spacecraft, and development of computer software that was part of a naval ship weapons system. Now a resident of New Jersey, Mr. Beckett desires to assist University of Akron students pursuing engineering degrees.
The William Beckett Endowed Scholarship in Engineering will be awarded annually to full-time students enrolled in The University of Akron's College of Engineering and Polymer Science. The students must be pursuing a B.S. degree in either Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering and be members or plan to become members of the Women in Engineering Program (WIEP) and/or the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
Applicants also must:
- be a U.S. citizen,
- possess a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater,
- have attended at last one year (2 semesters) of full-time study at The University of Akron, and
- have financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid.
First preference will be given to graduates of an Akron Public High School, second to graduates from any Summit County, Ohio high school, and third preference to all other applicants meeting the previously stated criteria.
The College of Engineering and Polymer Science Scholarship Committee will be responsible for administering the scholarship.
Each year, all money distributed from the °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ Foundation endowment account to the University award account shall be completely spent on scholarships before the start of the fall semester. Any money not awarded by the start of the fall semester shall be returned to the °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ Foundation endowment account. The University award account will always have a zero balance at the start of the fall semester.
To make a tax-deductible gift to this scholarship, please visit °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ’s . Select “A different designation” from the drop-down menu and enter “William Beckett Scholarship” in the text box. Thank you!
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