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
Davis, Catherine Kay Displaced Homemaker Endowed Scholarship
The Catherine Kay Davis Displaced Homemaker Endowed Scholarship was established by Ms. Catherine Kay Davis at The University of Akron in October 2017. The scholarship will support undergraduate or non-traditional students who are displaced homemakers and have never attended college.
Faced with several challenges as a displaced homemaker, Ms. Davis enrolled at The University of Akron at age 38. Her sincere desire to learn helped her overcome several mounting difficulties in providing for her family. Throughout her college career, she owned and worked at a small wallpapering business and guided her three teenage children through their high school graduations, all while commuting to and from classes every day. Ms. Davis successfully navigated these challenges, earning her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Organizational Communication from The University of Akron in 1999. She then earned a Master of Arts degree in Communication from °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ in 2001. Ms. Davis says Dr. Dudley Turner was a constant source of encouragement, actively helping her find scholarship funds to lower the financial burden of completing her master’s degree.
Ms. Davis subsequently moved to Chicago where she earned a master’s degree in real estate finance, which further helped rehabilitate her professional career. She taught part-time at The University of Akron, as well as Pima Community College in Tucson, AZ, for a combined 12 years. During this period she began investing in real estate and financial markets.
By creating this endowed scholarship, Ms. Davis wants to share with displaced homemakers who are attending °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ that she is a strong advocate for their efforts to succeed and advance their own lives.
The Catherine Kay Davis Displaced Homemaker Endowed Scholarship provides assistance to an undergraduate student demonstrating outstanding personal characteristics, a strong financial need