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
Wootton, Debora Lee Memorial Scholarship in Surveying and Mapping
The endowed Debora Lee Wootton Memorial Scholarship in Surveying and Mapping was established in 2013 by Mr. Jack Gaydar in loving memory of his wife, Debora Lee Wootton, who was of Cherokee Indian descent. The scholarship was revised in 2024 to comply with federal case law.
Jack, a 1999 University of Akron graduate, is a business owner in the engineering, surveying and construction industry and has been a part-time instructor in the Surveying Engineering Department at The University of Akron. Jack's wife was his partner in the firm of Iron Pin Surveying & Engineering Inc., located in Medina, Ohio.
The Debora Lee Wootton Memorial Scholarship in Surveying and Mapping was established to support full-time students with a minimum 3.0 GPA who are U.S. citizens and enrolled in the surveying and mapping program at The University of Akron. Preference will be given to students who advocate for diversity within the college by actively engaging or volunteering in initiatives such as the Women in Engineering Program (WIEP), the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Increasing Diversity in Engineering Academics (IDEAs), the °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NBSE), Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (Latinos in Science and Engineering - MAES), National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME), or any similar organization.
Recipients of the The Debora Lee Wootton Memorial Scholarship in Surveying and Mapping shall be selected by The University of Akron Scholarship Committee in the Office of Student Financial Aid.
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 “Debora Lee Wootton Scholarship” in the text box. Thank you!
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