Over $870,000 in scholarships awarded to students across the region
GALLIPOLIS, Ohio – The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) and the Gallia County Foundation have awarded over $870,000 in donor-established postsecondary scholarships to students across the 32-county region, including three students from Gallia County.
MaKenna Chapman and Abigail Heffernan, both of Patriot, received the Bob Evans and Wayne White Legacy Scholarship, honoring the legacy and commitment Evans and White had to the Appalachian Ohio region. Chapman, a 2026 graduate of Gallia Academy High School, plans to attend The Ohio State University Newark. Heffernan, a 2026 graduate of Hill and Glen Academy, plans to attend the University of Rio Grande.
Natalie Goode of Cheshire received the Bachtel Scholarship Athletic Excellence Award. The Bachtel Scholarship was created to honor longtime teacher and coach Forrest Bachtel through college scholarships for Meigs High School students. Goode, a 2026 graduate of Meigs High School, plans to attend Ohio University.
FAO partners with donors, an advisory committee of volunteers and its affiliate foundations, including the Gallia County Foundation, to award scholarships to students across Appalachian Ohio through a competitive application process.
To date this year, FAO has awarded over 670 postsecondary scholarships to more than 330 students across 25 counties thanks to gifts from residents and friends of Appalachian Ohio who recognize the role education plays in ensuring the region’s people and communities can flourish.
A 501(c)(3) public charity, FAO is a regional community foundation serving the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio. In partnership with 14 geographic affiliate foundations, the regionwide African American Community Fund and supporters across the region and beyond, FAO works to unleash the collective potential within Appalachian Ohio by encouraging and supporting philanthropy. FAO’s geographic affiliate partners serve the Nelsonville area and Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble, Perry and Vinton counties.