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
Lewis, Ruth B. Memorial Scholarship
The Ruth B. Lewis Memorial Scholarship was created through gifts given in memory of Dr. Lewis, who served on the faculty of The University of Akron School of Communication from 1966 until her death in 1992. A vibrant and energetic professor who was deeply committed to her students, Dr. Lewis was the first chair of the department of mass media communication, a forerunner of the School of Communication. She was one of the first educators to be inducted into the Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame, and in 1994 her life and achievements were celebrated posthumously as Woman of the Year. At the University, Dr. Lewis helped launch the Women’s Studies Program, and she was a founding member of the Affirmative Action Commission.
Ruth Bartlett Lewis received her Ph.D. in 1961 from the Ohio State University after working in Cincinnati’s fledgling broadcast industry in the late 1950s. In 1966, she brought her professional experience to Akron to become the general manager of WAUP-FM, which is now WZIP-FM, and to develop the mass media curriculum. On March 28, 1992, Dr. Lewis died from an apparent heart attack; she would have been 59 on April 13. Driving back to Ohio after spending time with her ill mother in Florida, Dr. Lewis complained of trouble breathing while she was at a rest stop in Kentucky. She was taken to a local hospital, where she died.
The Ruth B. Lewis Memorial Scholarship was established to support communication students who are pursuing a media emphasis; preference will be given those with a news interest, particularly in the production of documentaries. Students need to be citizens of the United States and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be eligible for scholarship consideration. To honor her passion and activism in human rights, the scholarship was established to support women and minorities; therefore, preference will be given to female and/or minority students. Recipients of The Ruth B. Lewis Memorial Scholarship shall be selected by the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences School of Communication, in cooperation with the office of Student Financial Aid.
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