J. Robert Bashore Scholarship

The Bashore Scholarships were started in 1983 and are given in honor of a former University professor and Director of the Honors College, J. Robert Bashore.

The Bashore Scholarships seek to reward students with outstanding academic records who have demonstrated curiosity about ideas beyond the narrow limits of one discipline. In accordance with the goals of the Honors College, the scholarships recognize students who actively pursue a liberal education by enrolling in a variety of courses and participating in a variety of extracurricular activities.

Any student who is a member of the Honors College, has a minimum GPA of 3.5, and has completed at least 24 credits of BGSU coursework is eligible to apply for a scholarship. Last year's scholarship winners cannot win this year. Applications are reviewed by a selection committee composed of two Honors faculty, two Honors students, and the Dean of the Honors College.

The scholarships are awarded based on GPA, Honors GPA, diversity of coursework, amount and diversity of Honors coursework, number and variety of extracurricular activities, and the quality of a 500-word essay addressing the following: The American Association of College and Universities describes liberal education as “An approach to college learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. This approach emphasizes broad knowledge of the wider world (e.g., science, culture, and society) as well as in-depth achievement in a specific field of interest. It helps students develop a sense of social responsibility; strong intellectual and practical skills that span all major fields of study, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills; and the demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.” How has your education at BGSU embodied these principles? Here are some additional points to consider: 1. How have you structured your coursework to reach that purpose? 2. How have you used extracurricular activities to complement your academic work and become liberally educated? 3. What are the characteristics of a liberally-educated person? Applicants should be aware that the quality and content of the essay is a significant determinant of whether or not an applicant becomes a finalist.

A minimum of four scholarships are awarded, one for at least $2,000. The amounts awarded to other scholarship winners and the total number of awards are at the discretion of the selection committee. Scholarship funds come from donations. The total amount awarded in past years has been $10,000.

The scholarship application will be available on AcademicWorks in fall and is due on October 30th.