Catawba Historical Society President David Wonnell, and Board Member and Scholarship Chairperson Jan Gluth, finalize new scholarship funding details for 2023.

The Catawba Island Historical Society (CIHS) plans to offer an annual academic scholarship to a senior graduating from each one of Ottawa County’s six high schools. The first $1,000 award will be made in the spring of 2023.

It will go to a student intending to pursue an accredited college or university degree in the Humanities or Social Sciences specified in the scholarship application.

“One of the Historical Society’s goals is to instill in young people an understanding of the relationship between past, present, and future,” said Jan Gluth, a CIHS Trustee and Chairperson of the organization’s Scholarship Committee. Hopefully, our financial support of post high school studies will help this process along.”

Those applying must provide their high school transcript and meet the following criteria: 1) GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; 2) Involvement in community service and extra-curricular activities; 3) Ottawa County residency; and 4) Submission of a statement of intent to major in history, social studies, education, political science or a related field.

Applicants will also be asked to provide a 250- to 500-word essay on why they chose their major and what impact they expect their studies to have on their future and that of the community.

The process will be administered by the Ottawa County Community Foundation. Selection of the scholarship winner will be made by CIHS.

David Wonnell, President of CIHS, noted that “we will open an investment account with the Ottawa County Community Foundation to produce income for perpetually underwriting the scholarship. The source of the account principal is expected to be public contributions. For example, the Historical Society has received recent inquiries about making year end Individual Retirement Account (IRA) mandatory distributions.

Contributions should be sent to: CIHS, P.O. Box 396, Port Clinton, OH 43452. Include the notation ‘Education’ on checks. The Historical Society budgets for its broader mission of educating present and future generations about the value of heritage and cultural identity. Including the ‘Education’ reference will confirm donor desire that scholarship funding be included in the process.”

Additional information about applying for the 2023 Catawba Island Historical Society Scholarship can be obtained from the individual high school counselors around Ottawa County.