News Announcement
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Cheryl L. Kight - Vice President, Marketing

Columbus, June 2008

THE CHARLOTTE R. SCHMIDLAPP FUND, FIFTH THIRD BANK, TRUSTEE, MARKS 100TH ANNIVERSARY, MAKES 3-YEAR $180,000 COMMITMENT TO THE OHIO FOUNDATION OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES
     
This year marks the 100th anniversary of The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee, one of the largest private foundations in the United States solely supporting women.  Jacob G. Schmidlapp, noted Cincinnati philanthropist and former Fifth Third Bank president, having lost his wife, mother and one daughter in a railway accident, established the fund after the death of his remaining daughter, Charlotte in a freak automobile accident.  Mr. Schmidlapp designated the funds to assist other young women, as his daughters could not, realize their dreams.

Grants are made to non-profit organizations that support women and girls, particularly promoting access for women in the fields of science, medicine, and technology.

In 2003 the fund began a partnership with OFIC by establishing The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Scholarship Program.  Through this program scholarship assistance is provided to nine outstanding women annually who are majoring in math, engineering, or science at an OFIC member college or university.  

The impact of the program has led the fund’s trustees to approve a grant totaling $180,000 to be distributed over a three-year period, representing a significant annual increase in support of student scholarships.

Heidi B. Jark, Vice President and Manager of the Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank,            states, “This fund was created to ensure that women would have an opportunity to become self-empowered through education. By partnering with the OFIC we are continuing Charlotte Schmidlapp's legacy as we provide college scholarships to young women who will become the next generation of leaders." 

Scholars are selected based on academic performance, financial need, and recommendation by their colleges.  Lake County resident Melissa Vaccarino is a 2008 graduate of Baldwin-Wallace College with a major in Biology and a minor in Geology.  She comments, “I was honored and very appreciative to receive a scholarship in Charlotte’s name.  Providing a scholarship such as this for women in math, science and engineering is a great way to support their advancement in the workforce.”

Oberlin College student Courtney Epstein is an aspiring astronomer with a double major in pure math and physics and participates in Oberlin’s Honors Program in Physics.  Courtney says, “This scholarship is making my senior year at Oberlin possible.  The support it provides is allowing me to focus on my passion.” 

Other scholars who received support through this program for the 2007-2008 academic year are Sarah Baker, Denison University; Bailey Blake, Ohio Northern University; Theresa Dahlinghaus, Ohio Wesleyan University; Katrina Duckett, University of Dayton; Leslie Mills, Oberlin College; Kristen Larson, The College of Wooster; and Rebecca Velotta, Hiram College.

OFIC is the primary corporate and foundation solicitation organization for 35 independent Ohio colleges and universities. OFIC member colleges collectively enroll nearly 97,000 students and award one-third of all bachelor’s degrees in the state. For 58 years OFIC has worked to highlight the leadership, value and excellence of independent higher education and has provided unrestricted operating funds and scholarship commitments through funds raised in annual solicitations of businesses and foundations, thereby assuring continuation of excellence in private higher education. OFIC is governed by a Board of Trustees comprised of Ohio’s corporate leaders, as well as presidents of the 35 member colleges.

The member colleges are: Antioch College, Ashland University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Bluffton University, Capital University, Cedarville University, University of Dayton, Defiance College, Denison University, The University of Findlay, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Franklin University, Heidelberg College, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Kenyon College, Lake Erie College, Lourdes College, Malone College, Marietta College, Mount Union College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum College, Notre Dame College, Oberlin College, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio Northern University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Otterbein College, Urbana University, Ursuline College, Walsh University, Wilmington College, Wittenberg University and The College of Wooster.