Owens Community College and the Walters Family are honoring the legacy of tornado victims Ryan, Mary and Hayden Walters and their commitment to lifelong learning by establishing a new $7,100 scholarship endowment fund in their memory.

Proceeds generated from the scholarship fund will be used to help Owens students studying early childhood education, information systems, computer programming and computer systems.

The new Ryan, Mary and Hayden Walters Scholarship will be awarded annually.

“Owens Community College is proud to honor Ryan, Mary and Hayden Walters through the creation of this scholarship program, which will assist students in pursuing their educational and career aspirations for many years to come,” said Ann Savage, Owens Executive Director of College Development and the Owens Foundation. “Ryan graduated from Owens Community College and he and his wife, Mary, and their son, Hayden, are a part of the alumni family. The creation of this endowed scholarship fund will serve as a lifetime tribute to their educational values, lives and memory.”

Owens and Walters Family representatives pose for a photo after announcing the new Ryan, Mary and Hayden Walters Endowed Scholarship.

“On behalf of my family (Walters, Arquette, Gerwin, DeFriece and Sigler families), I would like to thank the community for their sponsorship and support of the first-ever Walters Family 5K Run,” said Robin Arquette, who is the sister of Ryan Walters.

Selection criteria for the new scholarship initiative will be based upon recipients being enrolled in a minimum of six credit hours at Owens per semester and achieving a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. Additionally, preference will be given to a student who is majoring in early childhood education, information systems, computer programming and computer systems.

In June 2010, Ryan, Mary and Hayden Walters lost their lives as a result of a tornado and damaging storms that devastated the Northwest Ohio region. The initial contribution to the scholarship endowment fund came from the inaugural Walters Family 5K Run to honor the seven tornado victims. More than 300 individuals participated in the first-ever event, which took place on June 4 in Millbury.

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