Coca-Cola Foundation Gift Supports Critical Difference for Women Scholarships & Research Grants

The Ohio State University has announced a recent gift of $500,000 from The Coca-Cola Foundation of Atlanta, Ga., to support Critical Difference for Women re-entry scholarships ($400,000) and research grants ($100,000). Coca-Cola has provided a total of $2.5 million in support for the program since 1994.

Critical Difference for Women (CDW) was developed in 1986 to identify and fund, at an institutional level, the needs of women seeking advanced education and enhanced professional lives. A campus-wide group of women identified three critical areas of need: re-entry scholarships for non-traditional women students seeking undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees, who have interrupted their education due to financial limitations and family obligations; grants supporting research on women, to provide seed money to doctoral students, faculty, and staff members (both male and female) who are conducting research on gender and gender equity; and professional development grants, to assist women seeking career and scholarly advancement through their participation in seminars, workshops, and mentoring programs. In addition, CDW's Women of Color Grants are also available to full-time minority faculty and staff members.

“Our partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation has been invaluable,” said Judith B. Fountain, assistant vice provost for women's policy initiatives and director of The Women's Place at Ohio State. “Their belief in the program has enabled Critical Difference for Women to increase both the percentage of scholarships to eligible women and the award level of the scholarships and grants that are available. In addition, Coca-Cola has served as a role model for other corporations in supporting the advancement of women at Ohio State.”

Designed to connect women, gather data about them, and serve as a clearinghouse for services and information they need, The Women's Place at Ohio State serves as an advocate for issues of importance to women and as an advisory resource for development of university policies affecting them.

Providing a campus home for CDW, the Women's Place administers the selection process for CDW scholarships and other awards, oversees its programs, and provides a direct link to the Office of the Provost.

“Education strengthens individuals who, in turn, strengthen communities. That's the guiding philosophy behind The Coca-Cola Foundation. That's also what we see happening in our partnership with Critical Difference for Women,” said Ingrid Saunders Jones, senior vice-president of The Coca-Cola Company, chair of The Coca-Cola Foundation, and member of Ohio State's President's Council on Women's Issues. “Since its inception, the Critical Difference for Women Program has empowered and inspired more than 200 women to realize their educational and professional dreams in spite of incredible odds. This unique program provides both academic and personal development opportunities. The Coca-Cola Foundation is delighted to be a partner with the Critical Difference for Women Program.”

The mission of The Coca-Cola Foundation is to improve the quality of life in the community and enhance individual opportunity through education. The foundation supports educational programs primarily within three main areas: higher education, classroom teaching and learning, and international education. Its programs support scholarships for aspiring students; encourage and motivate young people to stay in school; and foster cultural understanding. Since 1990, the foundation has contributed more than $100 million to education.

Since 1986, thousands of exceptional women have applied for CDW grants and scholarships. Since the Coca-Cola Critical Difference for Women Re-entry Scholarship Fund was established in 1994, 212 female undergraduate, graduate, and professional students have received nearly $564,000 in CDW re-entry scholarships and 54 applicants have received CDW research grants totaling more than $221,000.

While The Coca-Cola Foundation has focused its support for Ohio State on CDW, its long and generous history of giving to the university also includes support for 4-H and the Buckeye Kids Club, providing positive student-athlete role models for children. In addition, The Coca-Cola Company has been Ohio State's official beverage provider since 1999-a partnership that established a long-term source of support for student and university programs. The Coca-Cola Foundation's most recent gift to support CDW is part of Ohio State's ongoing fund-raising efforts in support of the Academic Plan .

Contacts for additional information:

* Gail Feinstein, director of development, Critical Difference for Women, The Ohio State University, (614) 247-6602 or feinstein.13@osu.edu.
* Karyn Dest, Media Relations, The Coca-Cola Company, (404) 676-2683 or pressinquiries@na.ko.com.