The John R. Oishei Foundation Announces Opportunity for High School Scholarships

The John R. Oishei Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of high school scholarships for students of color interested in attending one of the area’s 14 private high schools beginning in the fall of 2021. The highly competitive, sought-after Oishei High School Scholarships are awarded to talented, dedicated students of color with a financial need to each of the area’s 14 participating high schools.

The scholarships are administered through the Education Collaborative of WNY (EdCo), a consortium of Western New York private high schools, and provide one scholarship annually to each of the participating EdCo schools. More information and the application can be found on the EdCo website.

The scholarships cover the full cost of tuition for four years and offer an educational opportunity to students of color that is intended to make a positive difference in the lives of the students and their families. The scholarships are also intended to help encourage more diversity within the schools and to bring new perspectives and life experiences among their students. 

Oishei’s high school tuition support has benefited more than 300 students to date and now adds up to more than $10 million since the program’s inception in 1998.

Any student interested in being considered for an Oishei Scholarship must first complete the application process required by their school of choice. They are then required to complete the Oishei scholarship application available at www.edcowny.org no later than January 8. Each school will forward its scholarship nominations to an independent scholarship selection committee which will announce its decisions in the spring of 2021.

Member schools include Bishop Timon-St. Jude High School, Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart, Buffalo Seminary, Canisius High School, Cardinal O’Hara High School, Mt. Mercy Academy, Mount St. Mary Academy, Nardin Academy, Nichols School, St. Francis High School, St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, and St. Mary’s High School, The Gow School, and Park School of Buffalo.

Total funding for the scholarships is provided by The John R. Oishei School for 13 schools and the Scholarship to The Gow School is funded by both the Oishei Foundation and by The Gow School. Scholarship amounts vary by school and should be confirmed with the admissions director of each student’s first-choice high school.

The John R. Oishei Foundation is the area’s most comprehensive private foundation focusing on a broad range of interrelated issues and offering philanthropic support that goes far beyond funding. Our mission is to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life for the Buffalo Niagara region through grantmaking, leadership and network building. The Foundation was established in 1940 by John R. Oishei, founder of Trico Products Corporation.