2023 Aikey Foundation Scholarship Application Period Not Open Yet:
Unfortunately, due to the financial recession of 2008 and subsequent financial impact upon the foundation’s endowment investments, the board had regretfully decided that it must defer awarding a new Ruth M. Aikey Memorial four-year full-tuition scholarship in 2018-2022 until additional future donations were secured. There will be one new scholarship awarded in 2023. Over the past 19 years, the foundation has awarded 16 local deserving students over $422,257 in scholarships so far. One new full-tuition scholarship is worth an estimated $10,212 per year. If you wish to make a contribution of any size to a future scholarship while “Helping in the Education of Future Educators ™”, please feel free to make a contribution at “http://www.aikeyfoundation.org/donate/”.

This Ruth M. Aikey Memorial Scholarship is a four-year scholarship for promising individuals who are current residents of either Amherst, Avon, Avon Lake, Berea, Birmingham, Brookpark, Columbia Station, Elyria, Grafton, Kipton, LaGrange, Lorain, Middleburg Heights, North Ridgeville, Oberlin, Olmsted Falls, Rochester, Sheffield Lake, South Amherst, Strongsville, Vermilion, or Wellington in the state of Ohio and are citizens of the United States of America.  This scholarship will pay a full four-year tuition for one new bachelor degree-seeking recipient per year who is or will be attending Kent State University in either their Early Childhood Education or Middle Childhood Education program major and can show a financial need for receiving this scholarship.   Scholarship recipients will be selected based upon their completion of this application, financial need, grades, and answer to the essay question.

This scholarship will assist in the expansion of the knowledge of individuals concerning the world around them and all that it entails through the use of financial assistance.  Throughout their lives, Mr. Harry A. Aikey and Mrs. Ruth M. Aikey have assisted individuals who sought out to expand their horizons through higher education studies, especially in areas involving service to others or their community.  Mrs. Aikey was an elementary education teacher within the Elyria, OH and Olmsted Falls, OH school districts throughout her life.  This foundation's purpose is to continue that legacy into the future by helping in the education of future educators.

Criteria for Applying for, Receiving, and Maintaining this Scholarship:

1. The applicant must be a current resident of either Amherst, Avon, Avon Lake, Berea, Birmingham, Brookpark, Columbia Station, Elyria, Grafton, Kipton, LaGrange, Lorain, Middleburg Heights, North Ridgeville, Oberlin, Olmsted Falls, Rochester, Sheffield Lake, South Amherst, Strongsville, Vermilion, or Wellington in the state of Ohio and a citizen of the United States of America.
2. The applicant must be accepted to attend Kent State University.
3. The applicant must currently be in or has been accepted into either the Early Childhood Education or Middle Childhood Education program major at Kent State University.
4. The applicant must be a full-time degree-seeking student at Kent State University throughout the scholarship award period. A full-time student is defined as a student taking twelve credit hours or more per semester.
5. The applicant must currently hold a "B" or 3.0 unweighted cumulative grade point average (CGPA) or better and must maintain at least a "B" or 3.0 unweighted cumulative grade point average (CGPA) throughout the duration of the scholarship award period.
6. The applicant must be able to show a financial need for receiving this scholarship as defined by the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
7. The applicant must not be an immediate relative of any of the Aikey Foundation's officers or directors.
8. The applicant must be willing to sign a release of grades each semester.

Failure to maintain any one or more of these criteria may immediately disqualify the applicant for future scholarship payments.  Only applications submitted on-line during the open application acceptance timeframe will be accepted.