UF receives half million in scholarship support

FINDLAY — The University of Findlay has received a $500,000 scholarship fund to benefit students majoring in science, technology, engineering or math. The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation has awarded $100,000 annually to UF for the next five years in memory of pioneer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Austin "Dutch" E. Knowlton. Scholarship funds will be distributed from September 2025 to August 2030. The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation was created to promote ideals of higher education, support student success and enable colleges across the Midwest to create rewarding and inspiring educational experiences. Scholarships are awarded to Ohio freshman majoring in a STEM or STEM related program, or students from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky or Michigan with a STEM or STEM related major. Students maintaining good academic standing are eligible to receive the scholarship for multiple years. UF President Katherine Fell said the scholarship fund will help make education more affordable to students at every socioeconomic level. "The Knowlton Foundation's kind philanthropic support will help our students to forge new paths and achieve their educational dreams," Fell said in a release from UF. "These scholarships allow Oilers to enjoy transformative academic experiences, make lifelong friends, and grow in ways they never imagined." Knowlton established the Foundation in 1981 in recognition of his business success and civic involvement. During his lifetime, he continually funded the initiative, creating a lasting impact that continues to support higher education today, the release states. He was a 1927 graduate of Bellefontaine High School in Logan County and a 1931 alumnus of Ohio State University, where he received a bachelor of science degree in architectural engineering. Ohio State's School of Architecture and its airport terminal have been named in Knowlton's honor. As an aviation pioneer, Knowlton made use of early business craft to support his far-flung construction projects from the late 1940s. He founded an aircraft sales and charter company, Ohio Aviation, which would later become an early part of NetJets.