News Announcement
For further information please contact
Cheryl L. Kight - Vice President, Marketing

Columbus, September 10, 2009

UPS FUND PROVIDES $1.6 MILLION TO PRIVATE COLLEGES
       $91,800 TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO 34 OHIO COLLEGES

 

The UPS Foundation of Atlanta, Georgia and the Foundation for Independent Higher Education (FIHE) of Washington, DC have announced that more than $1.6 million in grants is being awarded to benefit private colleges and universities across the nation.  A grant of $91,800 was awarded to The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC), which will distribute funds to its 34 member institutions for UPS scholarships.

When announcing the grants, Ken Sternad, President of the UPS Foundation, said, “Our young people, our communities and our workforce all benefit from the increased educational opportunities that FIHE provides.  The UPS Foundation is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with FIHE to support this meaningful and sustainable program.”

Ed Hartzell, Chair of the OFIC Board, stated, "Our state’s economic growth and stability depend on the education of our workforce.  Ohio must increase the number of its citizens that have earned at least a bachelor’s degree in order to compete in a constantly-changing and ever-more-demanding global economy.   For 35 years the UPS Foundation has provided scholarship support through FIHE to students with financial need enrolled at OFIC member colleges and universities.  We sincerely appreciate the commitment of the UPS Foundation and value its long partnership with OFIC in providing college access for Ohio’s students. “  

Nationwide, nearly 600 private colleges will receive a UPS Scholarship, which will be disbursed to students selected on the criteria of financial need and academic achievement.  The UPS scholarships are funded by the UPS Educational Endowment Fund, which is held and administered by FIHE and was originally established in 1974 funded through grants to FIHE from UPS.  Since 1975, the Fund has generated more than $44 million in scholarships distributed to FIHE member associations.

The Foundation for Independent Higher Education is the national partner in a network of 32 state and regional funds, including The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges, that develop resources for private colleges and universities. 

OFIC is the primary corporate and foundation solicitation organization for 34 independent Ohio colleges and universities and operates one of the largest, most comprehensive and diverse scholarship programs in the state.  OFIC member colleges collectively enroll 98,000 students and award one-third of all bachelor’s degrees in the state. For 59 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 34 member colleges.

The member colleges are:  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 University, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Kenyon College, Lake Erie College, Lourdes College, Malone University, Marietta College, Mount Union College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum University, 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.