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
Shaw, Dr. Douglas Award for Community Involvement
The Dr. Douglas Shaw Award for Community Involvement was established in 2004 by Dr. Shaw’s family, friends, and colleagues in memory of his outstanding 32 years as a professor of history, public administration, and urban studies. As well as teaching at The University of Akron, Dr. Shaw served as the associate dean of the graduate school. He was always a caring and professional teacher and touched the lives of many students with his wisdom and use of visual irony. Dr. Shaw had a passion for grassroots political activism that created a benefit for the community through neighborhood revitalization and economic development. He believed in instilling in his students “the understanding of the political process that gets things done and creates change.”
The Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies and the Department of Political Science, along with the Shaw family, will award the scholarship annually to a graduate student who demonstrates the use of his or her knowledge to benefit the community through grassroots participation in government. First preference is to be given to a graduate student in the Department of Public Administration and Urban Studies.