Women of OU Scholarship Committee event fills O'rena

The wife of former OU President Joseph Champagne and other colleagues established the scholarship more than 30 years ago, with the goal of providing funds to help students experiencing financial difficulties achieve their educational goals.

“I am a single mom who has had several interruptions in my pursuit of a Bachelor’s Degree due to life circumstances over the years,” said Karen Blair, Critical Difference Scholarship recipient. “The Women of OU Critical Difference Scholarship Committee has forever impacted my life. Their assistance has provided me the opportunity to graduate, obtain my degree and provide a better life for my son and I.”

Blair is in her final year at Oakland studying Occupational Safety and Health. She currently works as an intern on campus in the Environmental Health and Safety office.

“It truly is a labor of love,” said Rhonda Saunders, committee chair. “It is rewarding for the committee to see these students blossom and achieve success in their career endeavors through their education at Oakland.”

The following criteria must be met in order to apply for the Critical Difference Scholarship:

• Must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at OU and have completed 16 credit hours at OU or transferred 16 credit hours from any post-secondary institution.
• Must have maintained an overall GPA of at least 2.5.
• Must be a single head-of-household (male or female) as defined by the IRS tax code.
• College education must have been interrupted at some point for at least one year.

The deadline to apply for the Critical Difference Scholarship is March 30, 2013.

For more information about the Women of OU and the critical difference scholarship, visit the website at oakland.edu/womenofou.

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