Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program

The Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program (formerly known as the Minority Scholars Program) was established in 1976 to honor Darwin T. Turner, an African American student who, at the age of 16, was the youngest person ever to graduate from the University of Cincinnati.

The Office of Ethnic Programs & Services offers this scholarship program to promote academic excellence, foster diversity, and provide leadership and service opportunities to incoming students. In addition to providing full-tuition funding, Darwin T. Turner Scholars are expected to participate in programs and activities designed to improve their intellectual, personal, and professional development.

The program's goal is to enrich the educational environment for undergraduate students by supporting the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups with high potential for academic success at the University of Cincinnati.

To qualify for consideration, incoming freshmen must:

• Be a graduating high school senior or have not been previously enrolled post-high school as a student at a college/university
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (based on an unweighted 4.0 scale) or 3.2 (based on a weighted 4.0 scale)
• Seek admission to a baccalaureate degree program
  

For maximum scholarship consideration, students must have a complete UC Admission Common Application by Dec. 1 of their senior year.

The Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program does not involve a separate application process. Instead, eligible students who complete the UC admission process by December 1 are invited to compete for awards. Students will receive the invitation via the email they used to submit their application for admission to the university.

Students invited to apply for the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program are asked to provide a statement/respond to essay questions on their diversity and/or leadership experiences. These responses are carefully reviewed by a committee of faculty, staff, and alumni representatives from across the university. Final decisions regarding scholarship recipients are made by Mid-February. Only applicants who have been accepted into the program will be notified of their application status via email.

The Darwin T. Turner Scholarship covers the following:

• 8 semesters of in-state tuition
• Student fees

Note: Students not eligible for in-state tuition rates are responsible for their non-resident surcharges that are not covered by the Turner award, and all scholars must meet the undergraduate scholarship policy.

If accepted into the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Program, individuals must meet the following requirements:

• Students must complete at least 12 credit hours per semester (full time student)
• Students are expected to maintain a minimum of 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA)
• Students must participate in all program seminars and activities (meetings, events, community service, etc.) held throughout the year. 
• Students must complete a minimum of thirty (30) community service hours. 
• Student must sign in weekly to the Office of Ethnic Programs and Services (555 Steger)
• Students must complete a diversity project. 
• Students must meet with an EPS staff member upon request. 

Failure to meet any of these requirements can lead to termination from the program.