8 Ohio Students Win $10,000 Each for College Dreams

Eight students in Zanesville, Ohio just got life-changing news: they each won $10,000 to pursue their college dreams.

The Muskingum County Community Foundation celebrated the recipients of the John and Susan (Rose) Dorr Scholarship on Thursday. The award honors a couple who built their success in Zanesville and wanted to pay it forward to the next generation.

Trent Pines chairs the scholarship committee and is a nephew of the Dorrs. He says the moment when students see that check never gets old.

"The real exciting part is when you get to hand them that check, and they get to see that they won $10,000," Pines said. "I mean, it's over the top from an emotional standpoint for me."

One winner, Chloe Buchanan, is studying marketing at the University of Cincinnati. Like the Dorrs, she loves her hometown and wants to return after graduation.

"College is also a big financial burden and it's getting more expensive," Buchanan said. "I feel very touched and honored to be a recipient of this."

The Ripple Effect

This scholarship does more than ease tuition bills. It creates a cycle of generosity that keeps giving.

John and Susan Dorr created this fund specifically to help students from the community that supported their own dreams. Now those students are promising to do the same for future generations.

Pines says that commitment to returning home matters just as much as academic achievement. These aren't just smart students receiving money. They're future community leaders who will likely create their own scholarships someday.

The other seven recipients are Abigail Balsley, Braxton Brownrigg, Chesney Carter, Cassidy Hines, Owen Larimer, Madison McConnell, and Hannah Slack. Together, they represent $80,000 invested in Zanesville's future.

Anyone can contribute to the scholarship fund or apply for other awards through the Muskingum County Community Foundation's website.

Eight students just got their college dreams funded, and a whole community just got eight more reasons to believe in hometown pride.