Purpose of the scholarship: Ashland University has been awarded a grant from the State of Ohio to give Choose Ohio First (COF) Scholarships to outstanding students with interests in bioscience related areas. These scholarships will support students who plan to pursue careers that apply biological knowledge to medical and agricultural areas, either through continued education in graduate schools, health related professional schools or through direct employment in industry after completion of the Bachelors Degree. There are currently 24 students in this program at Ashland University.
Amount of award: $4,500 per academic year for four years in addition to any other University awards. Total award of up to $18,000.
Applications for new COF scholarships will be accepted in late 2013 for the entering fall 2014 class. An online application can be found here at that time.
Requirements of COF Scholars:
- Minimum requirements to receive award:
ACT 27 or greater
High school GPA 3.5 or greater
- Must maintain a major in Biochemistry, Biology, Environmental Science or Toxicology
- Minimum GPA to maintain scholarship:
3.0 by the end of the 1st year
- Ashland University hosts a number of bioscience related guest speakers each year. COF Scholars should attend at least two of these guest lectures per semester to learn more about bioscience opportunities and will be required to submit short reflection papers on two these talks.
- While independent research projects and/or professional internships are not required of COF scholars, opportunities to do these will be available and will be encouraged. Ashland University science faculty members actively involve undergraduate students in their research programs. And as a member of the Bioscience Consortium of Northeast Ohio, Ashland University is able to provide industry internships to its students. Three members of the Bioconsortium in particular (WIL Research Laboratories, the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, and Clinical Diagnostic Laboratories) are partnering with Ashland University to provide internships for COF scholars.
- Recipients will take part in the annual Scholarship of Entrepreneurial Engagement-STEM event, a program for high school students to learn about entrepreneurship opportunities in science and engineering in the State of Ohio. You will have the opportunity to help mentor high school students at that event, and participate in mentoring high school teams taking part in a science business plan competition. This is also an excellent opportunity to network with the bioscience research and entrepreneurial community of Northeast Ohio. Service learning credit could be earned for this participation.
- Attendance at bioscience related career fairs/social events will be encouraged.
