The Columbus Board of REALTORS® Foundation Fund seeks to provide general scholarship assistance to applicants pursuing a degree within the field of real estate or other related fields.

The fund was established by engineering firms involved in the Clean Water Columbus Project to honor John E. Foster, one of the first prominent African-American engineers in Columbus who owned the largest minority-owned engineering firm in Columbus. The scholarship supports students who are female or a member of a minority.

The scholarship was established by the family of Nelson E. Jones to benefit students that are graduating seniors or graduates of the Logan Elm School District.

The Katherine H. Hill Memorial Scholarship fund was created to benefit members of the Christ Memorial Baptist Church in Columbus, Ohio.

Legendary multi-instrumentalist Rahsaan Roland Kirk was known for his complete freedom of expression and innovative approaches to music from 1955 until his untimely passing in 1977. Rahsaan Roland Kirk was born in 1935 in Columbus, Ohio. He became blind at two years old, and studied at the Ohio School for the Blind on the city’s north side. Roland Kirk began playing music as a young man, and became well-known, even then, for his ability to play multiple instruments at once and his circular breathing technique. While he was well-acquainted with many kinds of music, his biggest impact was in the jazz and blues genres. Prior to his death in 1977, Rahsaan suffered a stroke that impacted his mobility, but did not prevent him from continuing to play with one arm. As a composer and improviser, his music maintained an authentic connection to Black American traditions while advancing an artistic aesthetic that often challenged the status quo, both musically and politically.

Jeffrey Koscik attended Dublin Scioto High School, graduating in 2002. He passed away unexpectedly in June, 2016. Even as a little boy, Jeffrey loved cars. From his huge collection of Hot Wheels, to car magazines, to racing video games, Jeff surrounded himself with cars. This inevitably led him to a career in automotive mechanics. To honor him, this memorial scholarship will be awarded to a Dublin Scioto High School graduating senior planning to pursue a career in automotive mechanics through a two- or four-year automotive program.

Ohio has a long history of inventing and building things. The purpose of the Volstead Holdings Scholarship is to allow residents of central and northeast Ohio to continue this tradition through technical post-secondary education in fields related to design, construction, manufacturing, and logistics. An emphasis is placed on skilled trades and technical academic fields.

The scholarship honors George “Robert” Beattey, who was born and raised on a Mt. Ephraim dairy farm. He graduated from Mt. Ephraim high School in 1934 at the age of 16. After graduation, he worked with local road construction crews and on the family farm before being drafted into the Army in 1941. He served honorably as a lieutenant with the Seventh Armored Division in Europe during WWII, including participation in a critical stand at St. Vith, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he lived for a short time in Sarahsville, attended The Ohio State University on the GI Bill, and worked for the then-Soil Conservation Service of the United State Department of Agriculture in Meigs, Noble, Licking, Clark, and Franklin counties. In the classroom, on the farm, on the battlefield, and in the workplace, he was known for his determination to do his best. To honor that, this scholarship is to go to a student who displays an outstanding work ethic.

Much of Sam’s life was shaped by the game of golf. At the age of nine, he started as a caddy at the Ohio State University golf course, later becoming a greens keeper and then working in the pro shop. Sam’s passion for golf blossomed into a promising amateur career. He was part of three Ohio High School State Championships at Columbus Aquinas. Sam went on to play golf at The Ohio State University, lettering his senior year, 1960.It was his tireless work ethic and the money he earned as a caddy that helped him finance his college education. After college and law school, Sam went on to launch a successful law practice, representing trucking companies before the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. Sam joined Brookside Golf & Country Club in 1976 and was a golf member for 40 plus years, including serving on the Board of Trustees and as President of the Club in 1983. He was a strong and generous supporter of the Brookside caddy program throughout, never forgot his upbringing and was quick to serve as a mentor for new caddies. Sam was notorious for saying “the best thing you could do for the game of golf was to support the caddy program.” He was so grateful for all of the good fortune that came his way by being exposed to the game of golf, and truly wanted others to enjoy the virtues of the game he loved.

The Ohio Green Beret Support Group is a charitable 501(c)(3) subsidiary to the Ohio Chapter of the Special Forces Association. Its members are Green Berets who reside or serve in Ohio. The organization’s purpose is to assist Green Berets and their families when these elite soldiers are unable to do so on their own. Green Berets have the highest casualty rate among all members of the U.S. military, and there is a 70-member unit based near Columbus, Ohio that deploys frequently and have multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other regions. Many of these soldiers have been wounded in combat; nine have been inducted into Ohio’s Military Hall of Fame for Valor. The scholarship program supports these members and their families. It provides grants for associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, Ph.D. programs, and trade certification training for members, spouses, their children, and other legal dependents. This is our best way of providing support for some of Ohio’s greatest American heroes, who have volunteered for and completed the most rigorous training in the military and have chosen to serve in assignments of highest danger.