A new scholarship funded by the Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone will help keep a few Ironton students close to home at Ohio University Southern.

Ohio University Southern, Ironton Mayor Bob Cleary, Dr. Bill Dingus, president of the Empowerment Zone board and the Cathy Burns, executive director of the EZ announced Monday the creation of the Ironton Empowerment Zone Scholarship.

"The Empowerment Zone was looking at ways to provide lasting change in the community," Dingus said.

The endowed scholarship will be funded by the EZ's $75,000

donation with matching funds contributed by OUS. Students will be eligible for the first scholarship award in the 2004 fall quarter.

The deadline for application will be April 1.

By establishing this endowment, which means it is a permanent scholarship fund where the actual scholarship money comes from the interest accumulated, it is yet another way to break down the barriers to higher education, Dingus said.

Up to four students would be eligible for a $2,000 award each year. Each award is renewable for up to 12 quarters of undergraduate study so long as the student is making progress towards graduation and maintains a grade point average of 2.75.

The fact that OUS was willing to match the contribution made the scholarship that much more valuable because more students could benefit each year, he said.

Endowments and scholarships by organization and community members is a "perfect way to leave a lasting mark on changing their community," Dingus said.

Scholarship recipients must be graduating seniors or an adult student

out of high school for four or more years as well as being enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student at Ohio University Southern and must be a resident of the Ironton Empowerment Zone - an area stretches from Railroad to Spruce streets and from the floodwall to U.S. 52.

The students must also participate in an approved community service internship designed to benefit residents of the Ironton Empowerment Zone.

All service internships will be coordinated through the mayor's office.

The Ironton empowerment zone scholarship selection committee will review and make appropriate recommendations.

The committee will consist of a representative of the Ohio University's Dean's office, the Ironton Mayor's office and the empowerment zone community.

With input from the EZ scholarship selection committee, the final selection will be made by the Ohio University Southern scholarship selection committee.

The Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone is a regional economic development initiative that provides the communities with additional tools for economic growth and revitalization.

The EZ vision is to educate, employ and empower families by focusing on new job creation, creating new business and industrial sites, training the area's workforce and by improving the local infrastructure to complement economic development.