The following students are Ohio Contractors Association Hall of Fame Scholarship recipients for the 2023-2024 academic year:
| Nicholas Davis University of Cincinnati |
Tyler McFarren Case Western Reserve University |
Colby Sipos University of Cincinnati |
| *Brad Dieterich University of Akron |
Tyler Mann Youngstown State University |
Matthew Weaver University of Mount Union |
| Bryce Havenar Ohio Northern University |
Zachary Morgan University of Cincinnati |
Aaron Williams Columbus State Community College |
| *Ethan Lauder University of Cincinnati |
Alison Ritvo Kent State University |
* Also a 2022-2023 recipient
The Ohio Contractors Association’s (OCA) Hall of Fame Scholarship Program turns 27 years old. Including the $30,500 in scholarships being awarded for the 2023-2024 academic year, the program has granted more than $370,000 in financial assistance to college students working toward degrees in the areas of civil engineering, construction management or construction technology.
For the 2023-2024 academic year, the OCA Hall of Fame Scholarship Program is awarding 11 one-year scholarships to students attending eight in-state universities. Among this year’s scholarship winners are two repeat recipients – Brad Dieterich (University of Akron) and Ethan Lauder (University of Cincinnati) – who also were honored with scholarships for 2022-2023. Traditionally, the OCA Hall of Fame Scholarship Program awards scholarships to students obtaining two-year associate and four-year bachelor’s degrees.
Since it began in 1996, OCA’s Hall of Fame Scholarship Program has awarded scholarships to college students pursuing careers in the heavy highway construction industry. To be eligible for an OCA Hall of Fame Scholarship, students must be a U.S. citizen and enrolled in at least their second year of study in either an associate’s or master’s degree program or in at least their third year of a bachelor’s degree program. Preference is given to Ohio residents and those students showing an interest in the Ohio heavy/highway or utility construction fields.
OCA Hall of Fame Scholarship recipients are selected through an application process that includes recommendations from academic professors/ instructors and industry representatives, scholastic ability and financial assistance need. Awards are made based upon recommendations from the Hall of Fame Scholarship Task Force comprised of volunteer OCA members. In 2022, Task Force members include: Parr Peterson (The Paul Peterson Company, retired), Mike Dinneen (Agg Rok Materials), Jackie Guttman (The Ruhlin Co.) and Chris Szabo (The Ruhlin Co.). Additional thanks go to the member firm representatives who took time to send in letters of recommendation for applicants.
Financing of the 2023-2024 OCA Hall of Fame Scholarship Program is through the OCA Advancement Foundation and its endowment, plus additional funding through the Heffner Fund.
Recipients for the 2024-2025 OCA Hall of Fame Scholarships will be announced in spring 2024. For more information about the program, contact OCA Director, Membership/Advancement Foundation Lynda Pomeroy by email at lpomeroy@ohiocontractors.org, or by calling (614) 488-0724.