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2026 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP GUIDELINES

Deadline to submit applications and supporting materials is 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026. Selected finalists will be contacted to participate in an interview at the cooperative on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS:

  • First place: $1,800
  • Second place: $1,600
  • Third place: $1,400
  • Fourth place: $1,200
  • Four Judges’ Choice awards: $1,000 each

The first-place winner will advance to the statewide level for a chance to win additional college scholarships worth up to $4,600 from Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives (OEC). This individual must be available to interview in Columbus on April 7, 2026.

APPLICANT QUALIFICATION GUIDELINES:

  • Must live in a permanent residential home receiving electric service from Firelands Electric Cooperative. (Those with only commercial accounts or other non-residential service are not eligible to apply.)
  • Must be a graduating senior who has all basic credits for college or proper vocational/technical school entrance. (i.e., a post-secondary institution where credits can be transferred to a state accredited four-year college.)
  • Must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above on a 4.0 scale or an equivalent standing on a non-traditional scale.
  • CANNOT reside in the household of a Firelands Electric trustee or employee, other co-op employee, OEC, or affiliated organization employee (Buckeye Power, Inc.; RESCO; etc.).
  • Grade transcripts, one 500-word (approx. one page) recommendation letter, a resume/list of activities and achievements, and a recent photo must be submitted with the application.
  • Applicants who receive “full ride” scholarships (i.e., scholarships that cover the cost of tuition, room, board, and books) to the school/program of their choice are not eligible to receive awards from the co-op.

JUDGING:

Finalists will be scored up to a maximum of 40 points for scholastic record; 30 points for personal achievement and school and community activities; 20 points for personal interview with the judges; and 10 points for cooperative knowledge. The top four awards will be selected based on these criteria. The four Judges’ Choice awards are at the sole discretion of the interview judges.

Evaluation of cooperative knowledge will be conducted through a 2-3 question assessment conducted during the interview process. These questions will be based on information from the Seven Cooperative Principles Training located at www.ohioec.org/orientation.

 

QUESTIONS?

Contact Firelands Electric Cooperative’s Scholarship Coordinator at  members@firelandsec.com or by calling 1-800-533-8658.