More than $700,000 in scholarships awarded to students across the region
WOODSFIELD, Ohio – The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio (FAO) and the Monroe County Community Foundation have awarded more than $700,000 in donor-established postsecondary scholarships to students across the 32-county region, including eight Monroe County students.
Allison Fletcher of Stafford, Trinity Love of Woodsfield and Riley Zwick of Lewisville received the Bob Evans and Wayne F. White Legacy Scholarship, honoring the legacy and commitment these two friends had to the Appalachian Ohio region. Fletcher, a 2025 Swiss Hills Career Center graduate, plans to attend Ohio University. Love, a 2025 Monroe Central High School graduate, plans to attend the Berklee College of Music. Zwick, a 2025 Monroe Central High School graduate, plans to attend Ohio University Eastern.
Allison Fletcher also was awarded the Jennifer Garrison Public Service Scholarship, given to students from Monroe, Noble and Washington counties who have a passion for public service and have served in an elected position within their school’s student government.
The Jeff Cox and Jane Schumacher Cox Scholarship provides postsecondary education support to students at Monroe Central High School and Buckeye Trail High School. This year’s Monroe Central High School recipients are:
- Kensington Hiles of Lewisville, who plans to attend Muskingum University
- Mylee Hoover of Woodsfield, who plans to attend Ohio University Eastern
- Trinity Love
- Clint Rader of Lewisville, who plans to attend Belmont College
- Riley Zwick
Jamie Smith of Sardis received the Davey L. and Sandra Jackson Turner Memorial Scholarship, which supports graduating seniors from Monroe County’s four Switzerland of Ohio high schools. Smith, a 2025 River High School graduate, plans to attend Virginia Tech.
The Weber Family Scholarship, established to support postsecondary education for students graduating from the Switzerland of Ohio School District, was awarded to:
- Kensington Hiles
- Mylee Hoover
- Clint Rader
- Jamie Smith
- Grace Swisher of Summerfield, a 2025 Monroe Central High School graduate, who plans to attend Ohio University
- Riley Zwick
FAO partners with donors, an advisory committee of volunteers and its affiliate foundations, including the Monroe County Community 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.