Women’s Leadership in Agriculture Scholarship

In early 2006, representatives of the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund, Fifth Third Bank, Trustee awarded the Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation a special $30,000 grant to establish an endowment for the new Women’s Leadership in Agriculture Scholarship Program. Moreover, the Fund gave an additional $6,000 grant to the Foundation to jump-start scholarship awards during the initial two years of the endowment project.

Founded in 1908 by Jacob G. Schmidlapp, the Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund is the country's oldest fund solely dedicated to “ennoble, to uplift and to strengthen the lives of young women.” After losing his daughter in an automobile accident, Mr. Schmidlapp channeled his grief into the creation of the Fund to allow other young women to, unlike his daughter, realize their lives' dreams. The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Fund Provides grants for female education, recreation and service. Over the years the Fund has supported academic institutions, social service and charitable organizations operating in a variety of metropolitan areas in several Midwest states. The Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation award is the first given specifically to an organization dedicated to the field of agriculture.

Scholarship Amount

Award amounts will vary, the program provides a minimum $1500 award per year.

Applicant Qualifications

1) Applicant must be a resident of Ohio.

2) Applicant must be enrolled in one of the following courses of study:

a) An accredited high school program, with personal plans to pursue a degree as a full time student in an accredited two-year technical school or four–year college or university program.

b) A course of study leading to completion in an accredited GED program, with personal plans to pursue a degree as a full time student in an accredited two-year technical school or four–year college or university program.

c) An accredited two-year technical school.

d) An accredited four-year college or university program.

e) An accredited graduate program.

3) Scholarship monies will be paid directly to the applicant after submission of their respective transcript detailing their grades for the first quarter or semester for the 2015-16 academic year. Transcript must show that the Applicant/Scholarship Recipient maintains a 2.5 GPA in their chosen course of study.

4) Applicant /Scholarship Recipient may reapply annually.

5) Other Considerations:

a) The Applicant does not need to be a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau, their respective county Farm Bureau and/or member of any club or organization directly related to vocational agriculture.