The Bluegrass Buckeyes Alumni Club

A Member of The Ohio State Alumni Association

July 19, 2007

Dear Buckeye Alumni:

It’s the beginning of a new school year. We remember those days with rather mixed feelings. As students, we had to go back to classes after a summer enjoying friends and family. However, the OSU campus was a great place to meet new friends and do so much. I remember being involved in student government, ROTC, charity work, and playing on numerous intramural teams (some good, some well, I think our co-ed water polo team managed not to drown, but that was about it). Sporting events were a fun distraction, and I even went to class (but not as often as I should have). 

Today, The Ohio State University is an even finer institution than when I attended back in the ‘70s. However, with improvements come expenses. Attending OSU is a lot more expensive than when they allowed me in. Local Bluegrass-area students who may be dreaming of going to OSU, whether to follow in the footsteps of their parents or siblings, or just wanting to attend due to the great variety of courses, now have a tougher challenge due to higher tuition. Each OSU Alumni Club has as its mandate to assist in recruiting students to OSU. Clearly, part of that recruitment is providing some financial assistance. We, of the Bluegrass Buckeyes, would like to provide that support.

As a fully-constituted organization of The Ohio State University Alumni Association, we are authorized to assist in proving academic scholarship money to prospective students. This is not a booster activity as athletic scholarships are administered separately. 

As we are building this scholarship program, we are seeking to provide partial scholarships in single, initial payments to either first-year undergraduate or first-year graduate students to assist in helping them begin their first year at OSU. As many of you remember, the first year may have incurred the most expenses as you had to move in, establish your rent with front/back deposits, utility deposits, buying furniture, and all manner of fees. A helping hand from the OSU alums back in the student’s hometown in Kentucky would go a long way to helping assure young students that we appreciate their commitment to their studies and that they are not forgotten.

Donations to begin our scholarship program are completely tax-deductible, and we will furnish scholarship sponsors with information on the recipient as well as having meet-and-greet sessions back here during the awarding. A group photograph of all who donate will be forwarded to the Ohio State Alumni Association for potential inclusion in their magazine or Web site. Already, the magazine has published two photos from our club in the last year, and we trust this will continue! We also will furnish all sponsors’ names to the OSU alumni association as well. 

Your check to The Bluegrass Buckeye Alumni Club Scholarship Fund of $30, $50, $100 or more if you are able, will be placed in our scholarship fund for distribution by the Bluegrass Buckeye Alumni Club to a qualified student whom enrollment has been verified by Ohio State. Payments should be made payable and mailed to: Bluegrass Buckeyes;  Attn: Fred Wilson, Treasurer; 2416 Healy Lane; Lexington, KY 40509 A receipt acknowledging your generosity will be forwarded to you with our sincerest appreciation. 

Very truly yours,

Kerry Anderson Crooks, Ph.D., APR, CPRC

President, Bluegrass Buckeyes Alumni Club