'Pathways to Success'
Ohio Wesleyan Earns $25,000 Grant to Support Student STEM Research Opportunities
DELAWARE, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University has earned a $25,000 grant from the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation to support STEM research opportunities for OWU students participating in the university's 2026 Summer Scholarship and Research Program.
Based in Florida, the Bailey Foundation works "to foster pathways to success in globally competitive STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) careers for students in the United States." This award is Ohio Wesleyan's first grant from the philanthropic organization.
"For 10 weeks every summer, Ohio Wesleyan's Summer Scholarship and Research Program (SSRP) enables students to complete cutting-edge research under the mentorship of their professors," said Laura Tuhela-Reuning, Ph.D., SSRP director and division chair of natural sciences.
"These OWU student-scientists regularly present their findings at scientific organization meetings, as well as publish them in peer-reviewed scientific journals," Tuhela-Reuning said. "We are grateful to the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation for enabling us to expand this program. The SSRP helps students build fundamental research skills, learn to think like scientists, and more clearly identify their career or graduate-school goals."
Ohio Wesleyan's Bailey Foundation grant will fund five students in the summer of 2026, providing them with both a supply budget and a stipend to support their research. The grant application was submitted with support from Susan Zimmerman, assistant director of OWU's Office of Sponsored Research and Projects.
Since its creation, the Bailey Foundation has provided $25 million in support for STEM-related programs. Learn more about the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation at www.gwbaileyfoundation.org and more about Ohio Wesleyan's Summer Scholarship and Research Program at owu.edu/SSRP.
Founded in 1842, Ohio Wesleyan University is one of the nation's premier liberal arts universities. Located in Delaware, Ohio, the private university offers more than 70 undergraduate majors and competes in 24 NCAA Division III varsity sports. Through its signature experience, the OWU Connection, Ohio Wesleyan teaches students to understand issues from multiple academic perspectives, volunteer in service to others, build a diverse and global perspective, and translate classroom knowledge into real-world experience through internships, research, and other hands-on learning. Ohio Wesleyan is featured in the book "Colleges That Change Lives" and included on the U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review "Best Colleges" lists. Connect with OWU expert interview sources at owu.edu/experts or learn more at owu.edu.