Application process is open from January 15th through April 1st each year. [Application process for 2013 is closed][One scholarship will be awarded in 2013]

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, 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, 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.