Blaine E. Grimes Grant Program

Sponsored by the Woltemade Center, the Blaine E. Grimes Grant Program is available to Ohio Wesleyan students who are studying Economics, Management Economics, Quantitative Economics, Business Administration, Finance Economics, Accounting, or International Business (must be a declared major or minor). The purpose of the program is to encourage and support internships, especially those related to international or public service programs.

Grants are available for up to $2,000 for spring and summer semester internships. Interested students who have identified an appropriate internship are encouraged to apply. 

Grant Requirements and Qualifications 

  • Students must be currently enrolled at OWU during the time of their internship. Graduating seniors cannot apply for funding for summer internships after graduation.
  • Open to OWU students who have achieved an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher.
  • Students must show financial need to receive funding. 
  • Remote internships will not receive funding.
  • To qualify for funding, the total length of the internship must be 200 hours or more. 
  • The Blaine E. Grimes Grant does not cover school tuition, on-campus room and board, or student loans.
  • Students must be in good financial standing with the university. 

The Scholarship

With funds provided by Jeff Harris '76, an investor in and board member of Prodesse, and Cynthia Harris '76, the program was initiated in the summer of 2005 and named in memory of the late Economics Professor Dr. Blaine E. Grimes, who taught at Ohio Wesleyan from 1946, until 1988. The program was enhanced by Lou Simpson '58, Chairman of SQ Advisors made a $200,000 gift pledge to help make meaningful internship experiences possible.

Application

Applications for Spring and Summer 2026 internships are now open.

Click HERE to complete the ONLINE Application. 

Applicants must include their declared major or minor, and that they are applying for internship funding. Students without a declared major or minor in the Economics and Business Department will not be considered for this grant. 

Applicants must submit their application through the Etrieve System under the OWU Connection Grant Page. When you click the "Apply for Funding" link, sign in by providing your OWU email address, then you will be asked to provide your OWU single-sign-on information.

Please note that you must also submit a letter of acceptance from the company confirming the internship in order to receive any grant money awarded. 

Timeline

For Spring Internships: 

Grant applications are DUE January 31, 2026. Students will be notified of the decision by February 14, 2026. Applications submitted after January 31, 2026, will be accepted and considered on a case-by-case basis. 

For Summer Internships: 

Grant applications are DUE Friday, April 10, 2026. Students will be notified of the decision by Friday, April 24, 2026. Applications submitted after April 10, 2026, will be accepted and considered on a case-by-case basis. 

Blaine Grimes Awards

Students who are awarded a Blaine Grimes Grant must sign a contract agreeing:

  1. To complete the internship for the period proposed
  2. To submit a 1-2 page summary report of your internship experience
  3. To submit a report summarizing how the grant funds were expended and coordinating receipts
  4. To submit a high-resolution photograph of yourself at your workplace to post on the Center's website
  5. To return the amount of the Blaine Grimes grant if you fail to comply with any of the terms of the contract

For Additional Information, Contact: Destiny Coleman at x3565, dlcoleman@owu.edu