"One single act of kindness can impact a generation." “My desire to give back really blossomed thanks to the Thompsons.” "This program changed my life - it's the reason I'm here at BGSU" "The Thompsons helped me recognize the value of uplifting your peers and bettering your community." "I will leave BGSU with a heart for service and a continuous desire to offer my time and talents to help others.” "One single act of kindness can impact a generation." “My desire to give back really blossomed thanks to the Thompsons.” "This program changed my life - it's the reason I'm here at BGSU" "The Thompsons helped me recognize the value of uplifting your peers and bettering your community." "I will leave BGSU with a heart for service and a continuous desire to offer my time and talents to help others.” "One single act of kindness can impact a generation." “My desire to give back really blossomed thanks to the Thompsons.” "This program changed my life - it's the reason I'm here at BGSU" "The Thompsons helped me recognize the value of uplifting your peers and bettering your community." "I will leave BGSU with a heart for service and a continuous desire to offer my time and talents to help others.” "One single act of kindness can impact a generation." “My desire to give back really blossomed thanks to the Thompsons.” "This program changed my life - it's the reason I'm here at BGSU" "The Thompsons helped me recognize the value of uplifting your peers and bettering your community." "I will leave BGSU with a heart for service and a continuous desire to offer my time and talents to help others.” "One single act of kindness can impact a generation." “My desire to give back really blossomed thanks to the Thompsons.” "This program changed my life - it's the reason I'm here at BGSU" "The Thompsons helped me recognize the value of uplifting your peers and bettering your community." "I will leave BGSU with a heart for service and a continuous desire to offer my time and talents to help others.”

A historic partnership
for student success

"I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future." "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future." "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future." "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future." "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future." "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future." "I wouldn't be where I am today without the Thompsons." "I was able to stay enrolled and get my degree." "This scholarship allowed me to dream bigger dreams." "I am thankful for the doors that this scholarship has opened for me." "I hope to pay it forward and give back to my community in the future."

Antonio Collins

I want to thank the Thompsons for providing me with the opportunity to further my education and allowing me to impact people’s lives in the future with my degree.

Deanna Allen

This scholarship means a lot to me because I won't have to worry about financial aid for the rest of my college career.

Vincent Lanzerotti

This scholarship means a lot because it takes a lot of financial weight off my chest and eases things for my family.

Kayla Wincer

This scholarship means that I have the freedom to keep studying at BGSU with no financial stress.

Brock Hastings

It means a lot to me to receive this scholarship because my family has been through a hard time the last few years. This scholarship really helps me out and gets me back on track with my education.

Lily Sterba

Getting this scholarship means everything to me. It’s going to make my college experience so much better, and I’ll be able to be more involved.

Rachel Henry

It takes a lot of financial burden off of me and my family to receive this scholarship, and I'm really looking forward to giving back to the community.

Dylan Alwood

This scholarship means that I have more opportunities to do things that I never thought I was going to be able to do before. It also gives me an opportunity to give back to the community.

Aniya Lavender

I just want to thank Robert and Ellen Thompson for being so generous and giving me the opportunity to study something I’m so passionate about and keep going with my education.

Gino Fiorino

My reaction when I got this scholarship, when all my hard work paid off, was, “YES!”

Avery Clewlis

When I got the Thompson scholarship, I cried with joy and called my parents immediately.

Savona Olvera

When I got this scholarship, I was really excited and I told everybody I knew. I couldn’t believe I got it.

Benedict Njai

I would like to thank the Thompsons for how happy they made my mom when I got this scholarship.

Joline Greaves

This scholarship gives me the chance to pursue my dream job of becoming a special education teacher.

Bowling Green State University, Thompson Foundation announce nearly $250M for student scholarships

In 2014, Bowling Green State University alumni Robert Thompson ’55, ’06 (Hon.) and Ellen (Bowen) Thompson ’54, ’06 (Hon.) created the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program to support students from working families overcome financial barriers to higher education.

The Thompsons spent the next decade expanding and pressure-testing this innovative public-private philanthropic partnership with BGSU that ensures all parties are invested in student success.

When combined with their past scholarship support, Bob and Ellen Thompson have shared their intent to increase their contribution to scholarships at BGSU to total $121 million, with the possibility of an additional $30 million to extend the program past 2035. If realized, the Thompsons will have contributed $150 million to student scholarships at BGSU. From the program’s inception to expected completion in 2035, it will be responsible for creating nearly a quarter of a billion dollars in scholarships, when combined with the University's dollar-for-dollar match.

This contribution will be the largest in the University’s history, the largest single gift designated to student scholarships in the state of Ohio’s history and one of the largest non-endowed scholarship programs of its kind in the nation.

Scholars at a Glance

2,242

Thompson Scholars to date

6,200

Thompson Scholars will be supported

89,331

Thompson Scholars cumulative service hours

Create good with us

BGSU is committed to raising matching funds for this program to make higher education accessible to as many students as possible. We are seeking individuals and foundations who wish to join the Thompsons in this bold, innovative philanthropic approach to change lives for the future.

We invite you to be part of this extraordinary partnership by making a gift to the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program. With your help, we can create endless public good through the thousands of additional students who will graduate from BGSU thanks to this scholarship and go on to lead meaningful and productive lives. We can’t wait to see what they do with their BGSU degree. Will you help them take their first step?

Make A Gift

A historic partnership for student success