On Thursday, April 12, sixty-nine students attended Ohio Christian University’s annual Scholarship Banquet. Vice President for Advancement Bill Pugh hosted the event. President Jon S. Kulaga presented scholarship awards.
Scholarship recipients Kiirsten Truex, Samuel Church, and Samantha Roberts gave testimonials. President Kulaga made remarks, posed for pictures with the scholarship recipients, and closed the ceremony.
Kiirsten expressed her intention to continue into ministry. Samuel noted the importance of Romans 12:1: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Samantha called for each scholarship recipient to allow God to pursue His calling in our lives. Their testimonies made clear that that these scholarship recipients exemplify the key characteristics for success Kulaga identified in his remarks: virtue, faith, and freedom.
What do these character traits mean for students at Ohio Christian University? According to Kulaga, everything. They drive “honest integrity, inspired faith, and society founded in discipleship." By being “salt and light” in the world, Kulaga explained, scholarship donors and student recipients participate together in a grand process. Donors in giving generously invest in students’ educations and share in impacts the students have on those whom they, in turn, influence for good.
Chosen for character and commitment to the community, the scholarship awardees are encouraged to help their families and communities understand their stories and His story. Students only understand others and appreciate their characters and cultures when they become acquainted with them and understand their “big pictures.”
When these student scholars graduate into the world, they will introduce themselves, share their stories, and share what the Author of all has “written” on their hearts. They can change the world, making a difference by practicing the virtue, faith, and freedom they have been given.
President Kulaga observed, “This is why we do what we do at Ohio Christian University. These student scholars will surely keep being the salt and light for His Kingdom.”
