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
Gaffney, Frank J. and Alice M. Endowed Scholarship
The Frank J. and Alice M. Gaffney Scholarship was established in 2004 by their daughter, Maureen Gaffney Katanic, and her husband, Nick Katanic. Originally, the scholarship supported students in both the School of Law and the College of Education at The University of Akron. In February of 2016, the scholarship was revised to support students at the School of Law, where Maureen began her 17 ½-year career at The University of Akron. Maureen is a graduate of The University of Akron’s College of Education and John Carroll University. Nick is a graduate of Kent State University.
A businessman, lawyer, politician and former F.B.I. agent, Frank J. Gaffney received high school diplomas from both St. Vincent High School and St. Mary High School. He was a graduate of St. Vincent College and Western Reserve University Law School. Two highlights of Mr. Gaffney’s career include serving as the first president of Summit County Council and as a Bath Township trustee. Alice M. Gaffney graduated from St. Vincent High School and Trinity College. Mrs. Gaffney taught high school history. She also established “Pathways to Success,” a tutoring business to help students achieve higher levels of proficiency in the classroom. Mrs. Gaffney’s father was The Honorable Augustine F. O’Neil, whose career included service as an Akron Municipal Court judge and an Assistant U.S. Attorney General for the state of Ohio. Frank and Alice Gaffney’s family includes four grown children and seven grandchildren.
The purpose of The Frank J. and Alice M. Gaffney Scholarship is to provide one or two academic scholarships to students attending The University of Akron School of Law. Selection of The Frank J. and Alice M. Gaffney Scholarship recipient(s) will be the responsibility of the School of Law Scholarship Committee, in coordination with The University of Akron’s Office of Student Financial Aid.
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