Deme Family Scholarship Fund

The Deme Family Endowed Scholarship was established by Katherine D. Oana, a 1956 University of Akron alumna, in honor of her parents, William and Florence Deme, and her sister, Mary D. Goodwin. In creating The Deme Family Scholarship, Mrs. Oana expressed admiration for their values and unfailing belief in the power of education, as well as their industriousness and integrity. With her Master of Science in Education, Mrs. Oana enjoyed a career with Akron Public Schools. She was a lifelong teacher and proponent of education who passed these principles along to her family, including her daughter, Patricia Oana Edwards.

The Deme Family Scholarship was originally established in April 1988 when Mrs. Oana consolidated two separate scholarships: The Mary S. Goodwin Endowed Scholarship Fund (November 1975) and The Mr. and Mrs. William Deme Scholarship Fund (August 1975).

The Deme Family Scholarship was revised in October 2019 but its purpose remains to provide scholarship support (tuition and fees) for UA students enrolled in the LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education and expanded to include students enrolled in the College of Health Professions School of Nursing.

Strong academic performance is a priority for students selected for The Deme Family Scholarship and takes precedence over financial need. Eligible students include sophomore- through senior-level undergraduate students from Summit County, Ohio, majoring in Education or Nursing, and who have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. First preference will be given to children of Akron Public School teachers. If no candidates meet this criteria, recipients will be selected based on their major in Education or Nursing who live in Summit County. Assuming sufficient funds are in the award account, the annual scholarship will not exceed The University of Akron’s scholarship cap per student. The Deme Family Scholarship is renewable for one additional year, assuming maintenance of a 3.0 GPA. Recipient selection will be conducted by the University Scholarship Committee.