UCAA scholarships support future Bearcat alumni

It’s no surprise the University of Cincinnati Alumni Association offers a variety of services to those who have already received their education, including career placement assistance, guidance and networking, as well as engagement opportunities with other alums and students. Yet some may be surprised to learn that the Alumni Association also helps future and current Bearcats through a variety of scholarships that help defray the costs of a top-notch education.Think you know a current student who might be eligible for a scholarship? The UCAA is already accepting applications for the 2012-13 academic year, so read on to learn more about these special awards and the students who are building their futures at UC because of them.

Demakes Legacy Scholars

UCAA’s largest offering of scholarships has been awarded this year to 34 incoming students who are children or grandchildren of alumni who are part of UCAA’s members in the Loyal Bearcat Society and William Howard Taft Society. The scholarship carries the name of a true UC legend, Chris Demakes, A&S ’62, JD ’65, who led the Alumni Association for more than 20 years and brought the organization to new levels of prominence through fundraising and engagement efforts.

Demakes frequently traveled to Washington, D.C., to seek matching funds for building projects at UC and was a major force behind the construction of the Myers Alumni Center. Many members who were touched by his service made contributions upon his retirement — and years later, at his passing. Their gifts initially funded scholarships to help build generational traditions by rewarding legacy students and attracting the best and brightest minds to the university.

Jeffery Burgin Jr., A&S ’97

The interim vice president for student affairs at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala., Burgin had previously held leadership positions in student affairs at Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Burgin is involved with the 100 Black Men of Greater Huntsville and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and he volunteers with the American Heart Association. He is part of the UC Alumni Association’s William Howard Taft Society, which recognizes cumulative lifetime giving to the UCAA.

“I’m proud of the opportunity UC provided me and what it offers today’s students,” he says. “It’s important to me to work with them and do a better job of creating ‘alumni-in-training,’ and the UCAA board is another way I can serve. ‘Thy loyal children we will be!’”

Carolyn Karageorges, Bus ’96

Assistant vice president of internal audit for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Karageorges previously held audit management positions with Arthur Anderson and Deloitte & Touche. She and her husband, Terry (Bus ’95), are part of the Loyal Bearcat Society, which recognizes annual UCAA giving.

“I’m very proud of how UC has embraced a culture of continuous improvement and is investing in faculty, programs and resources that provide our students with the opportunity for a world-class education at a more affordable price than many peer institutions,” she says. “The UC Alumni Association plays an extremely important part in maintaining that excellence and value.”

Daniel Long, Bus ’75

Co-managing partner of VR Business Brokers in Cincinnati, Long helps small-business owners market and sell their firms. Previously, he had been president of Accuprint & Laminating of Cincinnati. He is a volunteer leader with various Cincinnati and UC organizations. In his senior year at UC, Long was named Mr. Bearcat. He and his wife, Lisa (Ed ’78), a former UCAA Board of Governors member, are part of the William Howard Taft Society.

“I sincerely believe that alumni need to pay back the institution from which they garnered so much,” he says. “I met my wife at UC. My best friends to this day are friends I met through my fraternity involvement at UC. Through my UC business college co-op experience, I learned so much about my strengths and weaknesses. I have owned two businesses of which UC was a client. Our alumni need to reflect and appreciate the role that UC has played in their lives.

Justin Shafer, Bus ’05

A senior manager with Ernst & Young, Shafer serves Fortune 500 corporations as a business adviser. He also serves as treasurer for the Cincinnati Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, a committee chair of the UC Honors-PLUS Business Advisory Council and program leader for the United Way/Ernst & Young Earned Income Tax Credit Collaborative. Shafer was student body president and Mr. Bearcat during his senior year and also received the UC Presidential Leadership Medal of Excellence. He and his wife, Lisa (Eng ’05), are part of the UCAA’s Loyal Bearcat Society.

“It’s an honor to serve the UC Alumni Association during such a dynamic period in the university’s history,” he says. “With the physical transformation, the intense focus on elevating our academic standing and our aggressive Proudly Cincinnati Campaign, I can’t think of a better time to be part of this world-class organization.”

Scott Stiles, DAAP ’83

An assistant city manager for Cincinnati, Stiles has overseen many significant projects to revitalize the urban core. He has served on the local boards of the Urban Land Institute, the Cincinnati-Kharkiv Sister City Association, the American Society for Public Administration and on the national Government Affairs and Policy Committee of the International City Managers Association. Stiles is part of the UCAA’s William Howard Taft Society.

“I am proud of the vibrancy and creativity that the university brings to the city,” he says. “As one of the largest employers in the Greater Cincinnati region, UC attracts young, talented professionals, which is absolutely critical to the continued growth of our area.”

Brad Wenstrup, A&S ’80

A podiatric physician/surgeon, Wenstrup is a partner with Wellington Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine in Greater Cincinnati. He is also a major in the U.S. Army Reserve and was decorated for his service in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005-06. Wenstrup currently serves on the Cincinnati Board of Health and the board of directors for Boys Hope Girls Hope. He is part of the UCAA’s William Howard Taft Society and is a former member of the UCATS board.

“Serving on the UCAA board is an honor,” he says. “With the broad range of quality academic choices here, as well as the quality of our athletics teams, Greek life and other social organizations, I’ve always been proud to be a UC grad.”

Yu Yin, MBA ’10

A tax consultant with Deloitte Tax, Yin is a native of China, where she had received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Northeast Agricultural University before earning another master’s from UC. Previously she was an assistant professor at Harbin University, China. Yin has been a volunteer with the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce and International Friendships.

“At a UCAA international student reception prior to graduation, I met many fellow international students, as well as some very helpful alumni who expressed interest in my life and job hunt,” she says. “They gave me great advice and introduced me to other alumni who shared information and professional contacts, which helped lead to my current job. As a UCAA board member, I hope to return the favor to other alumni.”

UCAA board president Russell “Rusty” Myers, Bus ’82

“The university’s incredibly positive transformation is bolstered by increased alumni support, pride and participation, which simply ignites more of the same,” Rusty Myers says. “A great part of the UC Alumni Association’s value to our alumni family is providing opportunities for connections back to the university and with each other. And there’s plenty more to come — locally, regionally, nationally and globally throughout our vast alumni network.”