Daniel and Laura Keller Family
Endowed Scholarship Program

Questions and Answers

How many scholarships are available?

One award will be given for the 2018-2019 Academic Year.

How large are the awards?

The scholarship award will be $2,500.00 for the award year. This scholarship can be renewed for a total four year award of $10,000.

What are the criteria for eligibility?

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

A graduating senior with at least a 2.5 GPA
Enrolled in a Cincinnati Youth Collaborative (CYC) sponsored program (i.e., Talent Search, Project REACH, College Resource Center [through CATC or Library partnership] or Mentoring Programs).
Submit a completed scholarship application. Incomplete applications will not be considered. This includes the essay portion and two references.
Submit a high school transcript or similar document from school containing academic information. Submit official ACT or SAT scores if they are not recorded on your transcript.
File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid application (FAFSA). Once application is complete, applicant must submit a copy of the SAR report by the scholarship deadline. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
Qualify for financial aid.
Be enrolled at or accepted to one of The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges' (OFIC) 33 member private colleges and universities (click here for a complete listing).

What are the responsibilities of the scholarship recipients?

In order to maintain the scholarship, scholars must do the following:

Send a note of appreciation to Daniel and Laura Keller through OFIC.
Participate in CYC’s college transition and persistence programs.
Meet with academic advising to schedule classes
Commit to providing CYC with 10 hours of community service by assisting with initiatives that encourage and inspire high school students to pursue college.
Submit grades to CYC and OFIC each term.
Respond to CYC when contacted monthly to provide update on studies.
Required minimum college or university GPA
- Freshman year 2.2 / 2.2 Cumulative
- Sophomore year 2.4 / 2.3 Cumulative
- Junior year 2.6 / 2.4 Cumulative
- Senior year 2.8 / 2.5 Cumulative

How do I apply?

Complete the online application on the Daniel and Laura Keller Family Endowed Scholarship Program web site (www.ofic/smr/Keller). Use the password listed in the program announcement to access the web site. You will also need to create your own personal ID and password when you begin your application. Be sure to keep this personal ID and password, since you will need it to get back to your application.

The deadline for submission of the online application and receipt by mail of an official transcript, academic test results (if applicable) and a copy of your financial aid award letter from your chosen college is April 15, 2018. Mail materials to Daniel and Laura Keller Family Endowed Scholarship Program, 250 East Broad Street, Suite 1700, Columbus OH 43215.

What is OFIC?

The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) manages The Ohio Scholars Program and Scholarship Management Resources by assisting donors in identifying and selecting students who match their strategic focus or meet their guidelines for giving, then monitors students' progress to ensure that academic and financial aid eligibility is maintained. The Ohio Scholars Program is partnering with the Daniel and Laura Keller Family Endowed Scholarship Program to help establish and assist with this scholarship program, including reviewing applications and provide counsel in the selection process. This ensures the selection process is fair and objective.

Is applying online safe?

Yes. Your personally identifiable information is kept secure. Only authorized employees, agents and contractors (who have agreed to keep information secure and confidential) have access to this information. To protect the information being gathered, the scholarship application site has security measures in place including firewalls, encryption, and authenticated access to internal databases where needed.

How do you decide who will receive the awards?

Selection is based on academic merit, demonstrated leadership, community service, and financial need.

How and when will students be notified of decisions?

A decision will be made and the selected scholar will be notified by in June 30, 2018. The name of the selected scholar will be posted on this web site.

How and when will the awards be paid?

Award funds will be distributed by OFIC directly to the scholars’ institutions in the Fall.

Can these scholarships be renewed?

Yes, the maximum number of years a student can receive an award is four. Students are expected to complete a bachelor's degree in four years. In order to be considered for renewal, the student must continue to meet all eligibility requirements.

What is a SAR?

Students applying for financial assistance to earn an undergraduate degree are required by most colleges to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form (www.fafsa.ed.gov). This application can be completed on paper or online. The results of this application are shown in the Student Aid Report (SAR), which includes your estimated family contribution (EFC)—the amount that your family can be expected to pay toward your education expenses for the year.

What is an official transcript?

This academic record must come directly from your high school office and be signed by an appropriate official at the school or college. Records printed from the Internet or other unofficial copies are not accepted. You can request that your transcript be mailed directly to OFIC or you can get a signed and sealed transcript and mail it yourself to OFIC.

What are academic test results?

These are your ACT or SAT scores. If you take the test multiple times, please submit the most recent results. Some high schools record these scores on your transcript and some do not. If these scores do not appear on your transcript, please submit a copy of the original along with your official transcript.

What if I have additional questions?

Please email your questions to fields@ofic.org and reference the Keller Family Endowed Scholarship Program.