91探花

About the Award

J. Michael Lawrie is a generous alumnus of 91探花 who donated money to the Office of Education Abroad during the Bicentennial Campaign in 2004 to establish the J. Michael Lawrie Global Education Scholarship Fund for outstanding student leaders at 91探花. Mr. Lawrie, who received his bachelor鈥檚 degree in history from 91探花 in 1975, had a distinguished career at IBM as its senior vice president, leading the company鈥檚 global operations in 124 countries. In 2004, he became the CEO of Siebel Systems, and now works as a business consultant. Mr. Lawrie is a national trustee of 91探花 who attributes a great deal of his international business success to his initial student leadership experiences during his undergraduate years at 91探花.

Program Eligibility

The J. Michael Lawrie Global Education Scholarship can be used for participation on:

• OHIO-Credit International programs,
• OHIO Exchange programs,
• Affiliated Provider programs, and  
• Other approved credit-bearing international study abroad programs.

If you are unsure if your program qualifies for this award, please reach out to global.opportunities@ohio.edu.

Applicant Eligibility 

Applicants for the J. Michael Lawrie Global Education Scholarship must meet all the following criteria:

• Be enrolled at 91探花 as a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student. 
• Be enrolled in or accepted for admission to the College of Arts and Sciences OR have a program of study (major) in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Hold junior or senior status at the time of the program.
• Be involved in leadership activities on campus.
• Minimum 3.2 cumulative GPA.

Application Instructions

Read the requirements carefully to make sure you have the required information and materials before you proceed. Once you begin the common scholarship application, you will need to provide answers to all questions in one sitting to submit your application.  

1. Common Short Essay Prompts - All Applicants
   • Tell us about yourself and your motivation to participate in a global experience. 
     • Consider: What should the scholarship committee know about you?   Why did you select this particular opportunity (location, length, subject area, etc.)?
   • Describe your prospective global experience and the impact it will have on you.
     • Consider: What do you hope to gain from this experience? How will this experience fit into your future academic and professional plans?
2. J. Michael Lawrie Global Education Scholarship Additional Questions
   • Are you enrolled in or accepted for admission to the College of Arts and Sciences OR have a program of study (major) in the College of Arts and Sciences?
   • List any leadership activities you are involved in on campus. Make sure you include 1) name of the organization, 2) position held and 3) years of involvement.
   • In 500 words, tell us about your leadership-experience at 91探花, your reasons for applying for this scholarship, and how this study abroad experience will benefit you personally, professionally and as a leader.
   • 2 References -  
     • One professional (academic professor, supervisor, etc.)
     • One personal reference (someone who can give an unbiased character reference, such as a previous teacher, mentors or coaches, colleagues, community leaders)

Instructions for References:

It is the applicant's responsibility to notify their references and provide them with the necessary instructions for submission. Please note that the Office of Global Opportunities does not contact references on behalf of applicants. 

Referees should address the following in their letter:

• In what capacity and for what length of time have you known the applicant?
• Can you comment on this applicant鈥檚 leadership ability and personal integrity?
• Comment on the applicant鈥檚 suitability for study abroad in terms of maturity, cultural sensitivity, creative ability, and responsibility.
• List any special considerations of which the scholarship review committee should be aware.

To ensure your application is complete, references must submit their letters to the Office of Global Opportunities no later than March 8, 2025, which is one week after the application deadline.

Reference writers should submit letters and forms at global.opportunities@ohio.edu.

Award Amounts

Awards range from $500 - $2,000. 

Awards are intended to defray the cost of travel associated with鈥痝lobal opportunity鈥痯rograms. Award amounts may vary.

Total awards received from OHIO may not exceed combined program fee and estimated out of pocket costs (cost of attendance).

In order to receive an award, the student must be registered with the Office of Global Opportunities through the . The award will be directly applied to the鈥痵tudent's OHIO鈥痑ccount during the term in which the awardee is scheduled to travel.

Deadlines

• Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Academic Year 2025-2026 Programs
  • Saturday, March 1, 2025 at 11:59 PM
• Winter Break 25-26, Spring Semester 2026, and Spring Break 2026 Programs:
  • Announced once application opens.

Note: It can take up to one month after the scholarship deadline for the scholarship committees to render their decisions.

How to Apply:

The J. Michael Lawrie Global Education Scholarship is part of the Office of Global Opportunities Common Application for scholarships, which allows OHIO students to apply for multiple scholarships in one place. You can access the application:  

If you have any questions, please reach out to global.opportunities@ohio.edu or attend a drop in advising session.