By Emily Shane

Assistant News Editor

In an effort to increase applications from Ohio residents, Denison will award 20 $30,000 per year service scholarships to members of the class of 2019.

The John W. Alford Ohio Service Scholarship scholarship, which was announced in a press release Oct. 7, will be awarded to a Ohio residents with a commitment to service.

In addition to the $30,000 per year, each recipient may participate in a Denison Community Association (DCA) organization and is guaranteed a spot in Morrow House and on the Denison Service Pre-Orientation.

“We think it has the potential to attract academically high achieving students who have demonstrated a significant engagement in community service during their high school years,” said Vice President and Director of Admissions Perry Robinson. “We therefore, are hopeful that those passions–both in and out of the classroom–will carry over to their life at the Denison and within our neighboring communities.”

The scholarship will replace the Paschal Carter Scholarship, a $44,000 scholarship awarded to National Merit Finalists. While the Paschal Carter scholarship required a separate application, the Alford Ohio Service Scholarship does not.

“I was sad to hear about the end of the Paschal Carter, as there were several really great (and unique) features of the scholarship–we received a supplemental scholarship to use for research, study abroad, or other extracurricular endeavors, and we met yearly to talk about how we had used those funds,” said Jill Weeks ‘15, a Paschal Carter recipient. “However, it’s also important to honor and support students who dedicate themselves to serving others, and if this scholarship fills a need for that, I support it!”

Alana Perez ‘16, the president of Denison Venture Philanthropy, a DCA organization said she was excited about a scholarship that recognized high school students for service. However, she questioned whether it was as rigorous as the Paschal Carter Scholarship. She added that “it would be easy to say you’re part of a DCA organization” without being committed to service.

“As someone who is dedicated to service on Denison’s campus, I would hope that the requirement for the service scholarship would be a little more intensive.”