07
September
2016
|
07:43 AM
America/New_York

$5 million gift from Local 423 boosts Ohio State scholarships

Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio State University has received $5 million from Local 423 -- the largest gift received as part of the Ohio Scholarship Challenge -- which doubles the impact of the union’s generosity and ensures it will benefit students for generations to come.

Local 423, an affiliate of LIUNA the Laborers’ International Union of North America, represents hundreds of the men and women in Columbus who help to build America as part of the construction industry. The union’s generosity has endowed one of the largest scholarships in Ohio State’s history.

“There is nothing more important to our university than providing our students with access to an affordable, excellent education,” said Ohio State President Michael V. Drake. “We are grateful to the members of Local 423 for their generous gift, which will help countless young Buckeyes realize their educational and professional dreams.”

Local 423’s members are excited about their gift’s impact on Ohio State students: “It is with great pleasure that we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of future generations. We hope that many students’ dreams will be realized with our donation.”

The Ohio Scholarship Challenge, which concluded earlier this year, saw the university match the annual endowment distribution for gifts of at least $100,000, effectively doubling the impact of those contributions in perpetuity.

Local 423 also gave one of the largest gifts ever to the Buckeye Club, which provides scholarships to Ohio State’s student-athletes.

“Our student-athletes are the best in the world, both on their fields of play and in classrooms across our campus,” said Gene Smith,senior vice president and Wolfe Foundation Endowed Athletics Director. “This incredibly generous gift from Local 423 will ensure that our Buckeyes have all the tools they need to be successful here at Ohio State and wherever they choose to go after graduation.”