Kalen Marion, of Northwood, and Andy Ward, of Findlay, each will attend Owens Community College

Owens Toledo-area Campus "Tuition is Right" winner Kalen Marion of Northwood (center) with with Pyke (left) and Rick.

 tuition-free in 2010-11 after winning the “Tuition is Right” free tuition contest hosted by Owens and Clear Channel Radio’s 92.5 Kiss FM, 104.7 WIOT, 101.5 The River and 103.7 CKY.

Olivia Welch of Perrysburg and Tiffany Snowden of Fostoria finished as runners-up in the contest and won a semester of free tuition each.

At the Toledo-area Campus finals, Marion, 20, won the reverse raffle from among 136 qualifiers in attendance. The 2008 Lake High School graduate plans to enroll in the physical therapist assistant program after attending Barry University in Miami, Fla., last year.

“I decided to come back home and attend Owens,” she said. “I worked at Cedar Point full time this summer to save money to go to school. I saved about $2,000 and had financial aid too.

“I’ve never won anything before. I’m speechless,” Marion said.

Welch, 19, just completed her first year in the early childhood education program at Owens. She is a 2009 Eastwood graduate.

“I’m excited. A free semester is better than having to pay for it,” said Welch, who started her week by getting engaged.

Marion and Welch were presented their checks from Pyke from 104.7 WIOT and Rick from 101.5 The River. At the Findlay-area Campus finals, Ward won the reverse raffle from 97 qualifiers in attendance. The 24-year-old previously attended Owens, but stopped attending college to take care of his grandparents after spring semester 2008.

“It’s a relief to win. I can go back to school again and finish my major,” said Ward, who studies networking and information systems. He works full time as a state tested nurse assistant at St. Francis of Tiffin.

“Now I’m going to be able to go to school full time. I’m still going to work full time and I’ll finish my degree,” he said.

Snowden, 25, is a single mom who decided to enroll at Owens before winning the tuition prize. The lifelong Fostoria resident plans to major in business management.

The Findlay winners received their oversized checks from emcee Johny D from 103.7 CKY.

Overall, 735 qualifiers were eligible to attend the finals. Since 2003, Owens Community College has partnered with Northwest Ohio media nine times, including eight with Clear Channel Radio, and offered a free tuition contest.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed