2010-2011 Scholarship Recipients : The University of Akron, Ohio


	Carrie Andrews Carrie made the decision to obtain a degree in sociology/criminology/ law enforcement in order to provide a better life for her family. Due to the financial obligation of an education, Carrie, a single mother of four, has had to work three jobs while still attending classes full-time. By receiving this scholarship, it has helped to make her dream of getting a degree more attainable and the ability to spend more time with her children. UPDATE: Graduated in Spring 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology - Criminology and Law Enforcement.
	Anne Boswell Anne decided to enter college in 2007 after taking the Paraprofessional Praxis. Given her exceptional scoring results, her love of teaching children, and the support of her family, she enrolled in college courses required to reach toward her goal of becoming an educator of children. Anne is currently a junior pursuing her degree in middle level education. She has received this scholarship twice and considers it to be both an honor and a blessing to her academic career, and is extremely grateful for the opportunity. UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education.
	Jennifer Court Jennifer is a senior pursuing a degree in geology. She decided to return to college after much contemplation, as she was initially intimidated by the financial investment that is necessary. She attributes her confidence to the experience of being a transfer student, as this allowed her to enter with a new perspective. She has received this scholarship for a second year and feels energized and affirmed by the recognition. UPDATE: Graduated in Summer 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Geology.
	Patricia Fenn She is completing her bachelor's degree in early childhood education. UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.
No Picture	Kimmaree Horvath Kimmaree is pursuing a bachelor's in geology with a certificate in environmental science. She intends to seek a job following graduation involving environmental research and remediation. Having lived in Central and South America as a child, she has a deep respect for the environment and those that depend upon it for their livelihoods. As the mother of two children, she worries about the fate of the planet we leave for them and future generations. She is thankful for this scholarship. UPDATE: Graduated in Summer 2011 with a Bachelor of Science. She is a Ph.D. candidate at UNC Chapel Hill in the department of Marine Sciences.
	Joshua Jackson He is currently attending the University of Akron to obtain a bachelor's degree in dietetics and has been on the Dean's list for the last four consecutive semesters. Upon graduation, he plans to pursue his dream job of being a dietitian at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. Receiving the Osher Scholarship has meant a lot to him. It has allowed him to work less and focus on his academics more. He has also been able to take on more coursework and speed up his path to graduation.
No Picture	Jill Larrivee
	Heather McAmis She is a wife and mother of four teenagers. She works part-time and has spent the last 20 years raising her children with her husband. After her first child graduated from high school, Heather and her husband decided that she should go back to school. Heather is a K-12 Spanish education major, minoring in Chinese and hoping to certify in teaching English to students of other languages. Her future dream is to become a teacher in a needy school and pour love into the lives of teenagers who need someone to believe in them. Gracias Osher Scholarship Foundation!
	John McNerney John is moving towards the completion of his bachelor's degree in interior design. He is also working towards a minor in cartography. John will be able to embellish the skills he is learning to refine as an interior designer, by utilizing the same 3D computer programs for his minor in cartography. He hopes this strategy will improve his chances of employment. The Osher Scholarship has allowed him to focus on school more than on the financial woes that can be a burden.
	Joseph Meister Joe did not feel that going onto college was the right thing for him right from high school. He decided to enter the workforce where after years of hard work in hot kitchens he decided to take his life to the next level. He took the adult Student Success Seminar class which helped him transition from an adult worker to an adult student. He plans to graduate with a degree in exercise science and continue to graduate school for a degree in physical therapy. The Osher Scholarship has helped him to continue with his goal.
	Kevin Messick Kevin started college years ago but never finished. After working full-time in the construction industry and starting a family, he realized he did not want his son to pursue his goals and dreams without a college education. Being someone that firmly believes in leading by example, he chose to return to college. Kevin is pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration and is very grateful for this scholarship. UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2011 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.
No Picture	Eric Nichols UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting.
	Garth Plyler Garth is working towards his bachelor's degree in business and has found the difficulties of a college student numerous. The Osher Foundation has helped to alleviate some of these financial burdens for him. This scholarship has made it possible for him to focus less on working and more on studying. He is very grateful for the assistance that the Osher Foundation has given him. UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2011 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.
No Picture	Lynne Pultea Lynne is a senior in construction engineering technology. She decided to return to school once her youngest daughter turned 18. She always had the desire to return to college but was raising three daughters and could never afford it because she was always working. This has given her the opportunity to go back to school and finally obtain her degree she has always wanted. With her only income being unemployment, the scholarship has helped her obtain this goal. UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Engineering Technology.
	Elizabeth Sadzewicz She is currently a junior pursuing a degree in middle level education with a concentration in math and science. Her career goal is to get a job teaching in a fourth, fifth or sixth grade classroom. The Osher Scholarship has meant the world to Elizabeth. They are a family of six trying to survive solely on her husband's income. Receiving this scholarship meant they didn't have to put any more stress on their already tight budget. UPDATE: Graduated in Fall 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Middle Level Education.
	Jason Short He spent most of his childhood as a member of the Amish community, where seeking higher education was considered taboo. After getting married and having children, he decided he wanted to give his family as many opportunities as possible and left the Amish lifestyle. Jason is pursuing a degree in secondary mathematics education. This scholarship shows him that others believe in him and his capabilities of meeting his educational and career goals.
	Linda Siegel Linda is pursuing a bachelor's degree in social work with a minor in addiction. Her goal is become a licensed chemical dependency counselor. The Osher Scholarship has been beneficial in bridging the financial gap that has occurred since she left the workforce to begin school. The monetary assistance has allowed her to be more focused on her education rather than bills. Receiving this scholarship has made her feel like she is one step closer to reaching her objective.
	Melanie Spence Melanie recently returned to college in order to work toward a more fulfilling career. She will be the first in her family to obtain a college education. Melanie is currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in social work, and intends to complete a master's degree in the future. Given that the financial assistance has allowed her to strive toward excellence, she is happy that her career goals are now within reach. UPDATE: Graduated in Spring 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and a Master of Social Work in Spring 2013.
	Richard Teeple After 12 years of being away from school, Richard decided to further his education and pursue another degree. He has worked in the automotive field for approximately 14 years as a certified automotive technician at a local dealership. His goal is to be a field service engineer for one of the major auto manufacturers. This scholarship has helped make returning to school a reality, and has lessened the financial burden for his family. UPDATE: Graduated in Spring 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering Technology.
	Marie Westmeyer Marie is a full-time adult student and the single parent of a teenager with special needs. She is a sophomore in the College of Nursing. She expects to graduate in May 2013 with a BSN and a minor in bioethics. Receiving the financial support of the Osher Scholarship has allowed her to concentrate on her family and studies. She currently has a 3.9 GPA and would not be able to maintain that level of academic excellence if she had to work in addition to school and parenting. UPDATE: Graduated in Spring 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.