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
Helm Jr., Robert E. Post-Doctoral Fellow in Polymer Science and Biomaterials
The Robert E. Helm Jr. Post-Doctoral Fellow in Polymer Science and Biomaterials was established with support from Mr. Helm’s son and daughter-in-law, Robert W. Helm and Mimie Helm, of Ellicott City, Md.
Mr. Helm graduated from The University of Akron with a degree in chemistry in 1950. He had served in the U.S. Army during World War II and attended the University with support from the GI Bill. He was recruited into the management training program at the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron. Later in his career, he became the chief chemist at the Firestone manufacturing facility in Salinas, Calif.
In 1981, Mr. Helm joined the Sigmaform Corporation, a maker of advanced polymer materials based in Santa Clara, Calif. He retired from Sigmaform in 1987.
Mr. Helm was active in the Boy Scouts of America for most of his life. He was a member of Troop 17 in Akron, an Eagle Scout, and a member of the Order of the Arrow. He also was active as a lay leader of West Congregational Church in Akron and later of First United Methodist Church of Salinas.
Mr. Helm married Shirley Whitney of Fitchburg, Mass., in 1954, and they had three sons and six grandchildren. Their eldest son and his wife have established this fellowship to support young scholars in the field of polymer sciences, in which Mr. Helm worked for more than 37 years.
The Robert E. Helm Jr. Post-Doctoral Fellow in Polymer Science and Biomaterials fund supports research in the biomaterials discipline in the Institute of Polymer Science of the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. Candidates are determined by the biomaterials faculty in collaboration with the Office of the Dean. Preference is given to a deserving post-doctoral researcher, or at the discretion of the College, one or more graduate students who exemplify a strong commitment to leading-edge research in the field of biomaterials.
​