Burton E. Stevenson Endowment Scholarship Grant

Burton E. Stevenson Endowment Scholarship Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: The Columbus Foundation
Amount: US $500 - US $6,500
Last Updated: February 04, 2026

Summary

The Burton E. Stevenson Endowment Scholarship, established by The Columbus Foundation, supports underprivileged children in Ross County, Ohio. Named after the influential librarian and author Burton E. Stevenson, this scholarship aims to alleviate the challenges faced by these children, promoting access to education regardless of race, sex, or religion. Applicants must be graduating seniors from Ross County high schools and plan to attend a public or nonprofit college in the U.S. Awards range from $500 to $6,500.

Overview

The Columbus Foundation In 1943, during the darkness of World War II, a group of passionate citizens, led by Columbus businessman Harrison M. Sayre, envisioned a way to improve the well-being of the community and the quality of life in central Ohio. With little more than this sound idea and faith, The Columbus Foundation was established. Burton E. Stevenson Endowment Scholarship Burton Egbert Stevenson was born in Chillicothe, Ohio in 1872. He attended Princeton University from 1890-1893; during this time, he was a correspondent for United Press and the New York Tribune. He married Elizabeth Shepard Butler in 1895, their marriage lasting 65 years, and returned to Chillicothe, where he was the librarian for more than 60 years. During World War I, Mr. Stevenson was instrumental in efforts to connect soldiers to periodicals from their hometowns, and in establishing a library at Camp Sherman. He was also with the American Library in Paris, where he was the director from 1918-1920, and from 1925-1930. As an author and anthologist, Mr. Stevenson is credited with four young adult novels and 12 anthologies, along with more than 20 other books. As part of his legacy, Burton E. Stevenson created this endowment to “be devoted solely and entirely to the service of the under-privileged children of Ross County, Ohio…without discrimination as to race, sex, or religion, with the purpose of removing, or at least lessening, such handicaps as they may have started in life with, and to fit them, as far as it is possible to do so, to lead successful and happy lives.” Award Amount: Minimum $500 | Maximum $6,500

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Candidates must be a graduating high school senior or graduate of a Ross County, Ohio high school. Candidates must attend a public or nonprofit independent college or university in the U.S. An interview may be required.