The scholarships below are only applied for with the Fall semester application.
They will not be listed on the Spring semester application.
All scholarship essays should be sent to foundation@ecok.edu
BAA - OW LEE SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate students with at least 12 completed hours at ECU. Preference will be given to African American students. All majors are encouraged to apply; however preference will be given to Education and English majors. Recipients must be full-time ECU students and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50. Applicants are required to submit the ECU Foundation Scholarship Application, including a brief narrative essay emailed to foundation@ecok.edu, that describes the applicant's future goals, commitment to equality & equity, their financial need, and how this scholarship will benefit their level of commitment to African American causes. Recipients will be recommended each year by the Black Alumni Association Scholarship Committee, with final decision made by the ECU Foundation Scholarship Committee. This scholarship was created in 2022 by the Black Alumni Association in honor and memory of OW Lee, a native of Idabel, Oklahoma, and the first African American professor at ECU. Students must complete the General ECU Foundation Scholarship Application to be eligible for this award.
BAA - DR. DONNIE NERO SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate students with at least 12 completed hours at ECU. Preference will be given to African American students. Recipients must be full-time ECU students and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50. Applicants are required to submit the ECU Foundation Scholarship Application, including a brief narrative essay emailed to foundation@ecok.edu, that describes the applicant's future goals, commitment to equality & equity, their financial need, and how this scholarship will benefit their level of commitment to African American causes. Recipients will be recommended each year by the Black Alumni Association Scholarship Committee, with final decision made by the ECU Foundation Scholarship Committee. This scholarship was created in 2019 by the founding members of the Black Alumni Association whom all share a passion for ECU and the quality of education they received while students here. Students must complete the General ECU Foundation Scholarship Application to be eligible for this award.
BARNES KERNS PUBLIC SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to full-time, undergraduate students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. Ideal candidates will demonstrate a strong commitment to public service, including, but not limited to health, government, or education at the local, state, tribal, or federal level as to be explained in a succinct, two-paragraph essay describing their motivations for public service. Preference will be given to students of color with financial need who are working/have been working a minimum of 20 hours per week to help finance their education. Jennifer Barnes Kerns (Legal Studies Class of 2002) and Jason Kerns (Nursing Class of 2006) established this scholarship to commemorate the wonderful experiences they had during their times as students at East Central University.
GLBT DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to a full-time ECU student classified as a sophomore or above with a minimum 3.25 GPA. To apply students must complete the Foundation Scholarship Application in its entirety including an essay describing how they currently foster, or would foster, an understanding and acceptance of GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Transgender) and other diversity issues on the ECU campus. This scholarship was established by ECU alumnus, Jim Gray, in order to promote diversity at the collegiate level. Students must complete the General ECU Foundation Scholarship Application to be eligible for this award.
CONNOR HICKS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to students attending ECU the fall semester immediately following their high school graduation. The recipient must have a minimum high school graduation GPA of 2.5 and at least a cumulative 19 on the ACT. Applicants must submit a two-page, type written, double spaced essay discussing their personal history in music, what music means to them, and what the vision is for their music going forward. The essay should include honors, awards, and other recognitions they have received in regard to their music. The student must also submit a video, not to exceed 90 seconds, of themselves playing/singing. This does not have to be a professional video and can be done from a cell phone or other like device. Essays and videos will be submitted to the ECU Foundation via email - foundation@ecok.edu with the subject heading "Connor Hicks Memorial Scholarship". Connor Hicks was among two Ada-based musicians who died in a tragic traffic accident early Monday, December 18, 2017 in Seminole County. Hicks, a former student at the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma, was a well-respected sideman and songwriter. This scholarship was established by Something In The Water, LLC. Students must complete the General ECU Foundation Scholarship Application to be eligible for this award.
MURPHY BONDURANT SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to ECU students attending full-time that have and maintain a minimum 3.2 GPA. Applicants must provide a 1-3 page essay regarding - "how their education will impact mental health awareness and drug abuse prevention". This scholarship was established by alumna Sara Murphy Bondurant and her husband Michael to bring greater awareness to the need for mental health services and drug abuse prevention. Students must complete the General ECU Foundation Scholarship Application to be eligible for this award.
SUTTON LEADERS FOR CHRIST SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship will be awarded to students who are: a current serving member of a recognized ECU campus ministry or served as a Missional intern during one of the last two summer periods. Students must maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA, be classified as a junior or senior and be a full-time student at ECU. Preference will be given to students with a declared major of Business Administration or Accounting, but all majors are encouraged to apply. Applicants must also provide a typed statement of approximately 50 words stating why they should be chosen for this scholarship. This scholarship is generously funded by Trevor & Emmy Sutton. Trevor is an ECU Alum of the Stonecipher School of Business and knows that everything he is and everything he has is because of God and wants to honor God with what he has been given. “I give because I can and, most of all, because Christ first gave - everything”. Students must complete the General ECU Foundation Scholarship Application to be eligible for this award.