Otterbein Proud to Serve Military Families with Scholarships for Folds of Honor and Ohio War Orphans Recipients

Posted Oct 15, 2020

Westerville, OH—Otterbein University is proud to support military families by offering the Otterbein Honoring Service Scholarship to Folds of Honor and Ohio War Orphans recipients. This scholarship will make an Otterbein education more affordable for the children of these families by providing $19,000 toward an undergraduate degree — a 58% discount off Otterbein’s 2020-21 tuition. 

“It is truly an honor to provide the Otterbein Honoring Service Scholarship to students whose families have sacrificed so much. Supporting these students not only benefits them, but also the inclusive and diverse Otterbein community they will join,” said Otterbein President John Comerford. “This is one small way in which we can contribute to the common good and honor our own institutional values.” 

The scholarship is available to any undergraduate student who is a recipient of the Folds of Honor Higher Education Scholarship and/or the Ohio War Orphan & Severely Disabled Veterans’ Scholarship who has not completed a bachelor’s degree, whether they are applying as a new first-time first year student or a transfer student, starting with students who enroll in spring of 2021 and later. 

The first recipient of the Otterbein Honoring Service Scholarship is Devyn Craner, a first-year pre-veterinary major from Navarre, Florida. “It means a lot to me the Otterbein is supporting military families like mine by offering this scholarship. It shows how the university realizes the importance of the role military plays and the sacrifices that they make for our country. It has been a huge blessing to receive it,” she said.  

Craner recently enlisted in the Army National Guard and hopes to commission as a veterinarian in the Army after veterinary school. 

Conditions of the award include: 

  • Student must meet Otterbein admission criteria; 
  • Renewable for a total of eight semesters of undergraduate enrollment, or first undergraduate degree, whichever is achieved first; 
  • Replaces all other merit aid (need-based aid may still be available to eligible students); 
  • Students must enroll full-time each semester (12 credit hour minimum); 
  • Students enrolling for more than 18 hours per semester must pay for additional credits; and 
  • Student must maintain a 2.75 GPA and make Satisfactory Academic Progress each term. 

The $19,000 scholarship represents a 58% discount off Otterbein’s 2020-21 tuition of $32,624, leaving a net price of $13,624 before state, federal or institutional need-based aid or loans. Students are responsible for textbooks and supplies, room and board if living on campus, and Otterbein annual student fees totaling $450. 

This new scholarship joins Otterbein’s established support for veterans. Otterbein is also proud to be a participant in the national Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program to help U.S. military veterans attend college and earn a degree. Yellow-Ribbon-eligible veterans who apply and are accepted to Otterbein can attend tuition-free. In the U.S. News & World Report 2020 edition of “America’s Best Colleges,” Otterbein was once again named to the “Best College for Veterans” list. 

“Otterbein is committed to serving veterans and their families and acknowledge their service to our nation. We see their potential and desire to continue their education, and Otterbein makes a 21st century education affordable for them. Once here, we provide extensive support to ensure they are successful in their transitions to college and their academic careers,” said Jefferson Blackburn-Smith, vice president for enrollment management.  

“Folds of Honor is proud to partner alongside Otterbein University and their new Honoring Service Scholarship, which supports our Folds of Honor recipients and other military dependents in the state of Ohio,” said Ben Leslie, Executive VP of Development at Folds of Honor. “This is one more way we can support our military families given their service to our great nation.” 

Folds of Honor is a national organization whose Higher Education Scholarship program was established to provide post-secondary scholarship assistance for spouses and dependents of our nation’s service members. By standing in the financial gap of the more than one million dependents adversely affected by war, Folds of Honor is honoring their sacrifice by educating their legacy.   

The Ohio War Orphan & Severely Disabled Veterans’ Children Scholarship Program awards tuition assistance to the children of deceased or severely disabled Ohio veterans who served in the armed forces during a period of declared war or conflict.  

For more information about the Otterbein Honoring Service Scholarship, visit www.otterbein.edu/financial-aid/scholarships. For more information on admissions for veteran students to Otterbein, visit www.otterbein.edu/veterans.  

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