Prestigious Dean’s Scholar Program selects best and brightest incoming freshmen

Being selected as a Dean’s Scholar is quite an honor and results in students earning scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, with some scholarships being renewable. These high-achieving incoming freshmen are chosen for demonstrating outstanding academics, excellent leadership skills and active participation in their high schools and communities. The selection process includes being interviewed by faculty and staff in the College of Business.

This year, 23 incoming freshmen were selected as Dean’s Scholars, many from small communities in Ohio. Three have a family member who is either a current business student or recent graduate from the College of Business.

Freshman Dean’s Scholar Hannah Mink said she is excited to attend BGSU with her older sister, Gabrielle. “I love the atmosphere of BGSU,” she said, in explaining why she chose BGSU. “Everyone was so welcoming, and every student and alum had such great pride in their college that it made me sure this was the college I wanted to go to.”

She adds, “I come from a very small town, and although BG is a big school, everybody made it feel small and personal. I expect to be met with a lot of challenges and opportunities, but I know Bowling Green will give me the skills I need to overcome the challenges and embrace the opportunities.” 

Brad Balster is another freshman Dean’s Scholar who is following in the footsteps of family member Lindsay by attending BGSU. Balster echoed Mink’s sentiment about the personalized experience. “During my visit I felt very welcome and believed that College of Business actually wanted me personally because they took the time to meet with me one-on-one and to answer all of my questions.”

Balster also liked the college’s national recognition and interactive learning approach. “It is a highly ranked business college in both the state of Ohio and in the entire country that was recommended to me by current and former students. During my first visit to the College of Business, the introductory presentation described the curriculum as a very interactive and ‘hands on’ style of learning. I believe that the ‘hands on’ aspect will be a valuable and effective way to learn because I would already have experience for when I pursue my initial job in the business field.”  

Dean’s Scholars develop strong engagement with the College of Business and are important to recruitment, as Susan Kosakowski, the college’s recruitment manager, explained. “As a Dean’s Scholar, students bring their excitement of being a first-semester college student to the recruiting arena, telling the story of their journey in selecting BGSU’s College of Business. This personalized approach puts prospective students and their parents at ease, letting them know the college is an excellent place to pursue their future!”

After being selected as Dean’s Scholars, the students’ work continues. In order to remain a Dean’s Scholar the first year, freshmen are required to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, support the college’s social media sites and volunteer up to 20 hours per semester in the college. Volunteer hours include meeting/interacting with prospective students and their parents at large events such as Preview Days, Presidents’ Day and the College of Business Day. Dean’s Scholars also participate in weekly college information sessions, providing prospective students with an overview of the many available opportunities.

The Dean’s Scholar Program is the umbrella for numerous scholarships, including:

• Academic Achievement Scholarships
• Alissa Czisny ’09 Entrepreneurship Scholarships
• Gary D. Brengartner Business Scholarships
• Kowal Family Scholarships
• Owens-Illinois Employee Scholarship
• Primrose Family Scholarships
• Raymond W. and Theresa Popp Braun Academic Excellence Scholarships

For more information about the Dean’s Scholar Program, contact Katrina L Heilmeier at katrilc@bgsu.edu.