Dorothy Ward Hayes Scholarship

The scholarship awards a minimum of $2,000, and is given to a student enrolled in nursing or a related field who also meets the Student Union and Campus Recreation Achievement Award criteria. It was endowed in 1993 by Mr. Jim Hayes in memory of his mother who dedicated her life to serving her family and the community.

The Dorothy Ward Hayes Scholarship is presented in honor of a woman who set an example by her commitment to family, career, and community. Born in 1913, Dorothy Ward Hayes faced a very different world than young women face today. Career opportunities for women were very limited, but college women now have the freedom to pursue a wealth of opportunities due to the efforts of independent women like Dorothy Ward Hayes.

When Dorothy entered her twenties, times were hard and jobs were scarce as the nation faced the Great Depression. As a teenager, Dorothy faced the loss of her mother to cancer, and family finances did not allow her to pursue her dream of attending college despite an excellent high school career at Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati. Never one to let life get the best of her, Dorothy pursued one of the few careers that openly embraced women by training to become a registered nurse, a fitting profession for one who devoted much of her life to the service of others. It was as a nurse that Dorothy met Harold Hayes, who became her husband of nearly fifty-four years. Dorothy left nursing for what modern career women refer to as the "mommy track." In 1946, she and Harold moved to Dayton where they raised their two sons.

Dorothy was committed to helping others beyond her family. She left a legacy of community service and activism in Dayton. In 1954, the Hayes family moved to Kettering where Dorothy continued to devote her intellect of civic affairs. As a member of the Charter Committee, Dorothy helped shape the Kettering government as it moved from a village to an incorporated city. She also was involved with the Dayton League of Women Voters, serving two terms as president. She also served as president of Planned Parenthood of Miami Valley. She used her nursing skills by volunteering for outings with senior citizens and at the Dayton Boys Club summer camp. Active in church, Dorothy 's Unitarian religion helped nourish her zeal for social activism and charity.

Despite her many activities, Dorothy always had time for those close to her. With an infectious zest for living, she gave freely to her community, family and friends. That giving spirit lives on in the Dorothy Ward Hayes Scholarship.

Past Recipients

Ashley Cecil, 2008

Katie Kniess, 2007

Katie Kniess, 2006

Ashlee Purdy, 2005

Jennifer Brubaker, 2004
Jennifer Brubaker, 2003
Brandie Tackett, 2002
Jozlyn Miller, 2001
Theresa Culbertson, 2000
Jenica Huber, 1999
Scott Will, 1998
Tasha Haerer, 1997
Deneitra Reynolds, 1996
Maria Simone, 1995