More than $700,000 in scholarships awarded to students across the region
POMEROY, Ohio – The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) and the Meigs County Foundation have awarded more than $700,000 in donor-established postsecondary scholarships to students across the 32-county region, including nine Meigs County students.
Mallory Adams of Racine received the inaugural Leifheit-Michael Family Scholarship, supporting Meigs County residents who have completed their first year of postsecondary education and are pursuing careers in fine arts, music, education, medicine or agriculture. Adams, a 2024 Meigs High School graduate, attends Wittenberg University.
Meigs High School graduates Presleigh Colwell of Pomeroy, Rebecca Cundiff of Middleport and Rylee Lisle of Racine received the Charles A. and Joan Corder Memorial Scholarship, supporting Meigs County students who have attained at least junior status at a postsecondary institution. All three attend Ohio University.
Madisen Dailey of Racine received the Bob Evans and Wayne F. White Legacy Scholarship, honoring the legacy and commitment these two friends had to the Appalachian Ohio region. Dailey, a 2025 graduate of the Ohio Virtual Academy, plans to attend Ohio University.
The Bachtel Scholarship was created to honor longtime teacher and coach Forrest Bachtel through college scholarships for Meigs High School students. 2025 graduates Landen DeWees of Pomeroy and Kyleen Dill of Middleport received the Bachtel Athletic Excellence Scholarship and plan to attend the University of Rio Grande. 2025 graduates Billy Goble of Middleport and Jaci Schwenke of Pomeroy received the Bachtel Academic Achievement Scholarship. Goble plans to attend Ohio University, and Schwenke plans to attend The Ohio State University.
FAO partners with donors, an advisory committee of volunteers and its affiliate foundations, including the Meigs County Foundation, to award scholarships to students across the 32 counties of Appalachian Ohio through a competitive application process.
To date this year, FAO has awarded more than 600 postsecondary scholarships to more than 300 students across 26 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 and the regionwide African American Community Fund, 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.