News Announcement
For further information please contact
Cheryl L. Kight - Associate Vice President, Marketing

Columbus, April 22, 2005

OFIC RECEIVES GRANT FROM SBC TO SUPPORT DIVERSITY INITIATIVES

Continuing its partnership with The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges (OFIC) and a shared commitment to diversity, SBC has awarded a $100,000 grant to OFIC over a period of two years in support of its diversity initiatives in the areas of minority student recruitment and retention.

Grants from these funds will be awarded to member institutions through a formal proposal submission process. Member colleges and universities have been asked to work with other OFIC institutions or with college access programs or a specific high school to significantly enhance recruitment efforts targeting minority students. In addition, funds will be awarded to members for proposed research, development and implementation of programs that improve minority retention and graduation rates by encouraging, monitoring and improving the academic success of minority students.

A Spring Forum will be held to provide college and corporate representatives an opportunity to discuss preliminary results of 2004-2005 minority retention projects, hear a keynote address, and review application requirements for the following year’s minority recruitment and minority retention program grants.

The Ohio Foundation of Independent Colleges was founded in 1950 to conduct annual solicitations of companies and foundations to benefit private colleges in Ohio. OFIC today has 35 member institutions and more than 94,000 students. OFIC raises both unrestricted and restricted gifts including scholarships and endowments.

The member colleges are: Antioch College, Ashland University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Bluffton University, Capital University, Cedarville University, University of Dayton, Defiance College, Denison University, The University of Findlay, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Franklin University, Heidelberg College, Hiram College, John Carroll University, Kenyon College, Lake Erie College, Lourdes College, Malone College, Marietta College, Mount Union College, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Muskingum College, Notre Dame College, Oberlin College, Ohio Dominican University, Ohio Northern University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Otterbein College, Urbana University, Ursuline College, Walsh University, Wilmington College, Wittenberg University and The College of Wooster.