OCCF awards $127,371 to Owen County students

Karah Bobeck, OCCF
·7 min read

Your Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) along with the help of many of our generous donors, who made these awards possible, proudly presented 73 scholarship awards at the 2022 Scholarship Celebration Program at Owen Valley High School on Sunday, April 24th. This year, your OCCF awarded $127,371 in scholarships to graduating seniors and postsecondary students, this is nearly $54,000 more than was awarded in 2021. $107,571 was awarded to 32 Owen Valley, Lighthouse Christian Academy, and White River Valley High School seniors, and $19,800 was awarded to 10 postsecondary students, who are attending college at Clarion University in Pennsylvania, Indiana University-Bloomington, Indiana State University, Ivy Tech Community College, Taylor University, University of Southern Indiana, and Vincennes University. Your OCCF’s Board and Staff are thrilled to announce that this award distribution made 2022 a record year for the number of scholarships given and scholarship monies awarded - largely due to the addition of three new scholarships in 2021-22. In addition to those scholarship winners, the Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship winner, Dev Patel, received the honor of having his name added to the permanent plaque displayed at Owen Valley High School. The plaque was presented to Dev at the Owen Valley High School Awards program. Dev plans to study Engineering at Purdue University this fall.

Madona Slough, representative of the Jefferson Twp/Coal City Alumni Scholarship embraces recipient, Haley Frank, for a job well done.
Madona Slough, representative of the Jefferson Twp/Coal City Alumni Scholarship embraces recipient, Haley Frank, for a job well done.

Each year emotions are high as students who have worked so hard to achieve academic excellence walk to the stage to receive their awarded scholarship; however, this year more than most was an especially touching event. The largest scholarship that your OCCF has ever awarded, the Morgan L. Drescher Family Scholarship was presented in memory of Morgan Drescher’s granddaughter, Joanne Drescher Caudill, whose bequest in her will made this scholarship possible. The Dick (Mr. Dyar) & Sue Dyar Scholarship was presented in memory of long-time educator, entrepreneur, and community pillar, Dick Dyar. And the Tri Kappa Vocational Scholarship was presented in memory of dedicated Tri-Kappa member, Shirley Money Wilson. You can view the photos from Sunday’s event on our Owen County Community Foundation Facebook page and on our website www.owencountycf.org on the Scholarship Program page.

Tom Abrell awards the Clinton & Louise Abrell Scholarship to proud recipient, Breanna Davis.
Tom Abrell awards the Clinton & Louise Abrell Scholarship to proud recipient, Breanna Davis.

This year three scholarships were presented for the first time: Geraldine & Wilma Bucklew Educational Scholarship, Morgan L. Drescher Family Scholarship, and the William Truax Family Scholarship. Many scholarships have different eligibility requirements; however, one element remains the same across the board – they make higher education more accessible and affordable for Owen County students. The complete list of scholarships awarded this year is listed below.

Seniors for the next graduating class can look forward to the kick-off of their scholarship season this fall. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to keep up to date with scholarship announcements coming later this summer; these will also be posted on our website.

We thank all of the generous donors, Owen Valley High School for the use of their facilities, our caterer, Cassie Britton, our program photographer, Casey Shively, and all of our guest presenters and OCCF volunteers that made this program possible!

Your OCCF was established in 1994 and during our 28-year history over $9 million in grants and scholarships have been distributed. We are committed to enhancing the quality of life for all citizens of Owen County, now and for generations to come, and are guided by our values of philanthropy, leadership, integrity, excellence, and respect. For more information on the scholarships awarded or to begin your own philanthropic journey, please call 812-829-1725, or stop by our office located on the Courthouse Square at 60 E Market Street in Spencer!

OCCF Scholarships Awarded in 2022

  • Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship, Full tuition at Purdue University + $900/year - Dev Patel

  • NEW Geraldine & Wilma Bucklew Educational Scholarship, $1,200.00 - Mackenzie Carver

  • NEW Morgan L. Drescher Family Scholarship, $40,000.00 - Logan Bridges

  • NEW William Truax Family Scholarship, $800.00 - Marina Knieriem

  • Babbs Supermarket Scholarship, $2,000.00 - Marissa Taylor

  • Bennie J & Joan R Woodruff Scholarship, $11,200.00 - Lucas Hendershot

  • Braysville Homemakers Scholarship, $300.00 - Ethan Fulk

  • Charles T. Cooper Scholarship, $300.00 - Haley Frank

  • Charles W. Edwards Scholarship, $500.00 - Maleah Kristoff

  • Clinton & Louise Abrell Scholarship, $500.00 - Breanna Davis

  • Coyne Family Scholarship, $1,500.00 - Kenzington Brown

  • David Campbell Gray Scholarship, $400.00 - James Truax

  • Dick (Mr. Dyar) & Sue Dyar Scholarship – Part 1, $500.00 - Cloe Sharpee

  • Dick (Mr. Dyar) & Sue Dyar Scholarship – Part 2, $500.00 - Norah Beeman

  • 2021 Dick (Mr. Dyar) & Sue Dyar Scholarship - Renewed, $500.00 - Julianna Hartman

  • Educators Philanthropic Investment Chapter (EPIC) Scholarship, $1,300.00 - Marissa Taylor

  • Elliott Hickam Memorial Scholarship, $900.00 - Marissa Taylor

  • Erika Wells Memorial Scholarship, $1,000.00 - Breanna Davis

  • Freedom Alumni Scholarship, $900.00 - Zackary Hamilton

  • Gary McCarter Scholarship, $1,000.00 - Nathan Goss

  • George & Nancy Thurston Scholarship, $5,100.00 - Grace Coryea

  • Gosport Alumni Scholarship, $400.00 - Olivia Wainscott

  • Gosport Lions Club Scholarship, $400.00 - Emily Wright

  • Ione W. Fulk Scholarship, $3,000.00 - Abigail Herrington

  • James P. Root Scholarship, $800.00 - Bethlee Von Bokern

  • Jefferson Twp/Coal City Alumni Scholarship, $1,100.00 - Haley Frank

  • Jeffrey Wayne Johnson Scholarship, $400.00 - Victoria Hey

  • Jim & Wilma Fulford Scholarship, $800.00 - Kyndall Drake

  • John Moore Scholarship, $400.00 - Zackary Hamilton

  • Josephine Brown Owens Scholarship, $1,000.00 - Haley Frank

  • Judy Hamilton Education Scholarship, $800.00 -Victoria Hey

  • Lloyd H & Rosalie E Lucas Agri-Science Scholarship - 4H, $500.00 - David Stone

  • Lloyd H & Rosalie E Lucas Agri-Science Scholarship - FFA, $500.00 - David Stone

  • Loretta Heidrick Memorial Scholarship, $800.00 - Kayla Kyle

  • Lyle & Marion Brighton Scholarship, $700.00 - Alexandra Sartelle

  • MacMorran Family Scholarship – Part 1, $1,550.00 - Victoria Hey

  • MacMorran Family Scholarship – Part 2, $500.00 - Phillip Meek

  • MacMorran Family Scholarship – Part 3, $500.00 - Grace Pendleton

  • MacMorran Family Scholarship – Part 4, $500.00 - Emily Stierwalt

  • 2021 MacMorran Family Scholarship – Renewed, $1,000.00 - Abigail Herrington

  • 2021 MacMorran Family Scholarship – Renewed, $1,550.00 - Maleah Kristoff

  • Margaret Marley Pinkston Scholarship, $1,300.00 - Waid Stormes

  • Mearl & LaVerne Brown Scholarship, $400.00 - McCartney Wright

  • Melvin R. & Margaret A. Hall Nursing Scholarship, $700.00 - Emily Stierwalt

  • Michael Job Vocational Scholarship, $1,100.00 - Emily Stierwalt

  • Mildred E Harbison Scholarship, $1,900.00 - Brock Rosenberger

  • Monroe, Long & Butts Vocational Scholarship, $1,000.00 - Ethan Fulk

  • Myrtle S. Marshall Business Scholarship, $5,621.00 - Nathan Goss

  • Our Community Bank Scholarship, $900.00 - Andrea Wood

  • Owen County Farm Bureau Scholarship – Part 1, $1,000.00 - David Stone

  • Owen County Farm Bureau Scholarship – Part 2, $2,000.00 - Victoria Worland

  • Owen County I.U. Varsity Club Scholarship, $500.00 - Cloe Sharpee

  • Owen Valley FFA Scholarship, $500.00 - Brock Rosenberger

  • Patricksburg Alumni Scholarship, $1,000.00 - Matthew Crum

  • PFC Brett Wood Memorial Scholarship, $500.00 - Brock Rosenberger

  • Quincy Alumni Scholarship – Part 1, $500.00 - Zackary Hamilton

  • Quincy Alumni Scholarship – Part 2, $500.00 - Lily Wallace

  • Quincy Alumni Scholarship – Part 3, $500.00 - Emily Wright

  • Quincy Alumni Scholarship – Part 4, $500.00 - McCartney Wright

  • Rebecca & William Applegate Scholarship, $500.00 - Elizabeth Johnson

  • Roma Wilson Scholarship, $4,200.00 - Victoria Hey

  • Ronald E. & Carol L. Patterson Dillingham Scholarship – Part 1, $3,000.00 - Andrea Wood

  • Ronald E. & Carol L. Patterson Dillingham Scholarship – Part 2, $3,000.00 - Ryan Woodward

  • Sons of American Legion Joe Carmichael Memorial Scholarship – Part 1, $500.00 - Zackary Hamilton

  • Sons of American Legion Joe Carmichael Memorial Scholarship – Part 2, $500.00 - Jaden Padgett

  • Spencer Alumni Scholarship – Part 1, $800.00 - Matthew Crum

  • Spencer Alumni Scholarship – Part 2, $800.00 - Haley Frank

  • Tri Kappa Cochrane Royer Scholarship, $1,500.00 - Norah Beeman

  • Tri Kappa Continuing Education Scholarship, $500.00 - Allison Staples

  • Tri Kappa Lillian Dyar Music Scholarship, $700.00 - Norah Beeman

  • Tri Kappa Vocational Scholarship, $300.00 - Katelyn Collier

  • Vada Baker Scholarship, $1,650.00 - James Truax

  • West & Parrish & Pedigo Scholarship, $1,000.00 - Matthew Crum

  • Woody & Barry Franklin Scholarship, $400.00 - Jerry McBee

This article originally appeared on Evening World: OCCF awards $127,371 to Owen County students