OLLU) has received a $1 million gift from the C.B. and Anita Branch Trust for scholarships for first year OLLU students majoring in STEM fields.

Students who excel in the classroom as well as extracurriculars and plan to pursue a STEM field can apply for the Branch Scholarship that will provide up $15,800 towards tuition and fees. The scholarship is renewable for up to four years for incoming freshmen and two years for incoming transfer students.

The scholarship is made possible by a $1 million gift from the C.B. and Anita Branch Trust. A chemist by training, Charles B. Branch spent 39 years with the Dow Chemical Company and retired as its chief executive in 1976. Anita Branch worked for Dow for a decade in the company’s Equal Opportunity Program for Women. The Branch Scholarship at OLLU honors the lives of the late Mr. and Mrs. Branch and their dedication to the field of science. 

“We are grateful to the C.B. and Anita Branch Trust for making this exciting opportunity available to OLLU students,” said OLLU President Abel A. Chávez. “It will ensure future generations of professionals dedicated to the STEM fields and honor the legacy of Mr. and Mrs. Branch.”

Students interested in applying for a Branch Scholarship must meet the following criteria:

• Be a first-time freshman or transfer student for the fall 2023 term
• Possess an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
• Be active in extracurricular activities
• Apply for admission to OLLU by Feb. 27, 2023 with a declared major in a STEM field. Upon receiving admission and meeting the criteria, OLLU will provide the student with instructions on how to complete the Branch Scholarship application which must be submitted by March 1, 2023
• Enroll full time at OLLU beginning in fall 2023 and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours each semester
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 at OLLU to renew the scholarship for up to four years of undergraduate study for freshmen and two years for transfer students

OLLU will award up to five students the Branch Scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year.

For more information, visit the Branch Scholarship for STEM Majors web page.