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News and Announcements

2020 class of The Gates Foundation-Ross County Scholar’s Fund recipients announced

The newest class of The Gates Foundation-Ross County Scholar’s Fund recipients has been announced. 

Realizing the value of a college education’s impact in opening the doors of opportunity for young people, Chillicothe natives Larry Gates and his wife, Mary, established the fund in 2004 to help Ross County students realize their ambitions.

Since the awarding of the first scholarships, more than 220 grants have been given to deserving Ross County students, and the 2020 recipients mark the 17th class of scholars to utilize the grants to pursue their college ambitions. The scholarships are intended to help offset the cost of an undergraduate college education not covered by financial aid and/or scholarships.

This year, the Foundation awarded 18 scholarships, including 13 continuing students and five students who will begin their college journeys this fall.

Through this scholarship fund, Mary and Larry Gates have captured the spirit of this region and have put into practice the value of “paying it forward.” 

“We are both blessed to have grown up in this community and wanted to help current and future Ross County residents have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, and a college education is the best gift an individual can receive in that regard,” Larry Gates said.

The endeavor has been a labor of love for the scholarship fund’s founders.

“Some of the joys of this undertaking have been the wonderful people we have met, especially the scholarship recipients and their families,” the Gateses said. “To see these young people go forward and have rewarding academic careers and then professional careers is tremendously rewarding. People ask if we would do it again, and the answer is unequivocally yes.”

2020 – Ross County Scholars

New recipients include: 

Name

High School

College

Kayla Fitzpatrick

Chillicothe HS

51 Chillicothe

Gabriel Mallow

Chillicothe HS

51 Athens

Conor McMahon

Unioto HS

51 Chillicothe

Nickolas Nesser

Zane Trace HS

51 Chillicothe

Jarrett Seebohm

Chillicothe HS

51 Athens

 

Renewed recipients include: 

Name

College

Justin Fink

51 Athens

Lauren Finney

Miami University

Kiana Fitzpatrick

Bowling Green State University

David Hirsch

The Ohio State University

Meghann Leedy

51 Athens

Sarah Massie

The Ohio State University

Autumn Mohan

51 Athens

Joshua Parker

51 Athens

Darby Pillow

Morehead State University

Chris Postage

51 Athens

Jeffery Postage

51 Athens

Ann Shelby

51 Athens

Sydney Tackett

51 Athens

 

Gates Foundation directors include Nicole McLaughlin, Michelle Shanholtzer, Matthew Haller, Kimberly Hirsch, Nancy Harris, Jack Jeffery and Valerie Miller. 

Larry Gates is a retired executive and has been active in the Chillicothe community and with 51. He has served as chairman of the Regional Coordinating Council at 51 Chillicothe and served on the board of trustees for The 51 Foundation in Athens. Additionally, he worked to develop the concept for the Entrepreneur Center at 51 Chillicothe and served as fundraising chairman for 51 Chillicothe Child Development Center.  

The donor-advised fund is administered by The 51 Foundation, the private fundraising arm of the University. More information on the Gates Foundation-Ross County Scholar’s Fund is available online at .

Published
July 16, 2020
Author
Staff reports