McClain High School senior Madison Foltz is one of 15 seniors selected for Ohio University’s Cutler Scholars Program for service-minded academic leaders beginning school at OU in the fall of 2016. Students in this consort hail from Ohio, New York and New Jersey.

The 15 Cutler Scholars in the class of 2020 tie the class of 2019 as the largest incoming group ever, thanks to the university administration’s help in making untapped endowment income available, as well as a brand-new award – the Willfred R. Konneker Cutler Scholar for the College of Fine arts,” said Dr. Herman W. Hill, director of the Cutler Scholars Program. “These first-year scholars come from three states and have 11 different planned majors.”

Foltz is the captain of Tigerettes Dance Team, senior class vice president, and vice president of Future Business Leaders of America. She also volunteers at the Greenfield Area Christian Center. Foltz plans to major in chemistry at OU. She is the daughter of Gretchen and Deron Foltz.

The Cutler Scholars Program is Ohio University’s premier scholarship program. The program recruits high school seniors and selects its students based on their intellectual curiosity, leadership, service and character. The program elements are designed to reinforce a leadership philosophy emphasizing civic responsibility.

During the four-year scholarship program, Cutler Scholars live together, participate in a weekly colloquium, and take part in four enrichment experiences. The enrichment experiences are comprised of outdoor leadership, public service, international travel, and internships. In addition, students receive a significant scholarship and a stipend for enrichment experiences.

The Cutler Scholars Program began in the mid 1990s as a discussion between alumnus the late Dr. Wilfred R. Konneker and Jack G. Ellis, the university’s then vice-president for development, about awarding scholarships and encouraging students to attend Ohio University. Soon after, then-Ohio University President Charles J. Ping joined their discussions, which progressed into the creation of the Cutler Scholars Program, named for the Rev. Manasseh Cutler, co-founder of Ohio University. Students received the first Cutler Scholar awards in the 1996-97 academic year.

Submitted by Kristine Daugherty, associate director, Cutler Scholars.