NOW Graduate


Scholar News Te Columbus Foundation and Te Ohio


Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC), in partnership, developed GraduateNOW!, a new program designed to provide funding to students from Franklin County who are in


danger of dropping out of college a few months or credit hours short of a degree because of unforeseen financial hardship.


Brittany Miller - Malone University


Te 2010-11 school year was one that most college seniors have already forgotten, but for Malone University senior, Brittany Miller of Westerville, it is still on the top of her mind. Brittany, while in her fourth year of what will likely be a 4 ½-year journey to graduating with a double major in Business Administration and Bible and Teology, lost her mother in November of 2010 and her father just before fall classes began at Malone in 2011. Both of her parents fought cancer, and now Brittany is fighting to finish her degree without their financial support.


Now, not only is Brittany trying to keep up with her classes, she is also dealing with the aſtermath of losing both parents. She continues to meet periodically with the financial aid office, but even the help of Malone University faculty and staff collecting money to help her take care of unexpected bills wasn’t enough.


Brittany’s name was submitted to Te Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges as a candidate


for GraduateNOW!, a program recently developed by OFIC and Te Columbus Foundation to provide funding to students from Franklin County who are in danger of dropping out of college a few months or credit hours short of a degree because of unforeseen financial hardship.


Trough GraduateNOW!, Brittany received a scholarship to carry her to graduation this year!


Ben Ellesser - Otterbein University Ben Ellsesser, from Gahanna, Ohio is currently a senior at Otterbein University majoring in Environmental Science. He is a student athlete, a three-year letter winner and currently holds down two jobs as well as interning for the city of Columbus water quality assurance laboratory. He anticipates working as an environmental professional aſter graduation.


As he began his senior year, Ben’s family hit numerous financial roadblocks that were going to jeopardize his ability to complete his degree. His mother was in and out of the hospital, which leſt his family with unexpected medical bills, and like most college seniors, he found himself without as much financial aid as he had received in previous years . His parents work very hard to provide for Ben and his two siblings, even though they had exhausted every possible avenue for additional financial aid, they were still were coming up short. Having no other choice, Ben was making plans to leave Otterbein at the end of the semester uncertain whether or when he would graduate. Ben was granted the financial help he needed from the GraduateNOW!, and now he can complete his degree!


15


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19