Contact:
Elizabeth Blevins, Director, Office of Communications
Office: (740) 351-3810; FAX: (740) 351-3179; Cell: (740) 464-4854
940 Second Street – Portsmouth, Ohio 45662
E-mail: eblevins@shawnee.edu 
Web site: www.shawnee.edu

            In 2008, Shawnee State University became the recipient of an Ohio College Access Network (OCAN) grant to provide scholarships for students in its OhioCan! Go to College campaign. In order to receive the grant, SSU had to raise funds that exceeded the original grant of $70,000 by 10 times that amount.
            OCAN is focused on helping Ohio residents pursue postsecondary education by building and supporting local college access programs throughout the state. The goal is to help expand the number of individuals preparing to enter postsecondary education.
            “As a grant recipient, our goal was to demonstrate a capacity to attract 10 times the OCAN award or $700,000 in scholarship donations and gifts,” Development Foundation Director Eric Braun said. “We developed a marketing campaign to share with corporations, foundations and individuals the benefits of giving to scholarships at Shawnee State.”
            The SSUDF began a range of project activities during the grant period, including participation in cooperative training and educational programming to enhance fundraising skills.
            In the months between July 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008, 94 gifts and one deferred gift totaling $249,465 were raised, 151 percent of the original $165,000 goal for the period.
            During the next year from January 1, 2009, through December 1, 2009, gifts totaling $923,349 were raised. Scholarship funds raised during the whole OCAN campaign totaled $1,172,814 with 35 new scholarships awarded in the fiscal year 2008-2009.
            “Perhaps the most significant long term impact of our participation in the grant program was the growth of our restricted endowment pools,” Braun said. “As a young but emerging institution, Shawnee State is at a critical stage for developing financial aid resources that will benefit students for generations to come.”
            To find out how to give to Shawnee State University scholarships, contact the Development Foundation at (740) 351-3284 or online at www.shawnee.edu.