The Helen and Howard W. Smith Nursing Scholarship through the Dayton Foundation

The Helen and Howard W. Smith Nursing Scholarship was established in 2002 to provide scholarship assistance to students wishing to earn their ADN, LPN or BSN degree.

The scholarship opens via the Dayton Foundation’s ScholarshipCONNECT online application from December to March each year. Make sure to complete a 2025-26 FAFSA for the upcoming school year (which starts Fall 2025) at www.studentaid.gov since a FAFSA Submission Summary is required as part of the application process.

Preference will be given to women re-entering the work force. Applicants must:

• Attend a two or four-year accredited nursing program in Montgomery or Greene County Ohio.
• Be currently enrolled in a ADN, LPN or BSN program
• Demonstrate financial need by completing the FAFSA and uploading a Student Aid Report (SAR) to their scholarship application. The FAFSA Submission Summary can be found by visiting www.studentaid.gov. To download the Student Aid Report, students must use their FSA ID username and password.

Scholarship Essay Requirement: To apply for this scholarship, you must submit a typed, double-spaced essay with 12 point font on the following prompt: “Please write an essay explaining what has motivated you to enter the nursing profession.”

Starting in December, you can file the FAFSA and apply for the Helen and Howard W. Smith Nursing Scholarship and other local scholarships through the Dayton Foundation by clicking the “Visit” button below.