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
Wilson, George L. and Jennifer Family Scholarship in Business
The George L. and Jennifer Wilson Family Scholarship in Business was established out of loyalty to The University of Akron and to support the We Rise Together Campaign. Mr. Wilson, a native of Dover, Ohio, attributes the foundation of his success to his accounting degree from The University of Akron. He believes that professional attainment is available to anyone, not just to people from large cities or to those who attended an ivy league academic institution.
A 1987 graduate of Dover High School, Mr. Wilson received his Bachelor of Science in Accounting from °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ in 1991. While at Akron, he was an active member of Delta Sigma Pi, professional business fraternity. He later went on to earn his master's degree in business administration from Indiana University.
Mr. Wilson has been president and CEO of Quanex Building Products in Houston, Texas since January 2020. Prior to that, he served as president for Quanex Insulating Glass Systems from 2011-17, and then as vice president and chief operating officer of Quanex Building Products from 2017 to 2019. Prior to joining Quanex, Mr. Wilson held leadership positions with Lauren International, where he was VP of Human Resources and VP of Operations; and Federal-Mogul, where he rose from a cost analyst to general manager of the Lighting Products Division. He began his career at AMKO Service Company, a subsidiary of Praxair, as a staff accountant.
He is married to Jennifer Smith, a native of Cambridge, Ohio. The couple met in Cambridge, Ohio where Mr. Wilson was working for Federal-Mogul. The Wilsons are proud of their two sons, Zachary and Nathan.
The George L. and Jennifer Wilson Family Scholarship in Business is open to undergraduate students in all majors in the College of Business, who have a minimum high school or university cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Applicants may be enrolled as either full or part-time, and must have financial need. Recipients will be selected by the College of Business Dean's Scholarship Committee. If the recipient continues to meet the above criteria and remains in good standing, this scholarship is renewable for a total of eight semesters.
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