Newly Established Endowments

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees recently approved several endowments for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences:
The Darwin P. Geringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund
Established with gifts from the Benjamin P. Forbes Company of Broadview Heights, Ohio, to support one or more annual scholarships for undergraduate or graduate students majoring in Food Science and Nutrition. (Note: See feature story about this scholarship fund below.)
The William E. Goos Memorial 4-H Scholarship Fund
"Bill Goos loved The Ohio State University. He was an advocate of education, 4-H, and FFA. From his Talawanda High School days in FFA and Butler County 4-H times, he was passionate about pursuing excellence and held leadership positions. It is befitting in his memory that we honor his past with assisting students for the future." -- Kathryn Veder, wife of the late Bill Goos
Established with gifts given in memory of William E. Goos (BS Animal Sciences 1982) from Kathryn Isler (Goos) Veder, family, and friends to provide scholarships to students attending the main campus, a regional campus, or ATI who are from the following Ohio counties in this order of preference: Butler, Preble, Hamilton, Darke, other and who are members of 4-H.
The Robert J. and Yvonne E. Gustafson Scholarship Fund
Established with gifts from Yvonne E. (PhD Education 1993) and Robert J. Gustafson of Worthington, Ohio, to support one or more scholarships for undergraduate engineering students in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
The Karen A. Holbrook 4-H Teen Leadership Endowment Fund
Established with gifts from 4-H friends of Dr. Karen A. Holbrook in recognition of her service to Ohio 4-H Youth Development, to support teen leadership development programs and activities within the Ohio 4-H Youth Development program.
The Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Endowment Fund
"In a time of financial stress in the United States and around the world, children need caring adults in their lives more than ever before. In addition to single parent and dual wage families, more and more families have dispersed in search of jobs, leaving less adult family members available for mentoring and nurturing children. Ohio 4-H Shooting Education Programs is actively recruiting, training, and supporting caring adults to be important role models in children's lives. It's more than shooting safety and skill development. It's important life skills in self control, goal setting, planning to meet goals, work ethic, practice, contributing to their community, and on and on." -- Dennis Elliott, Executive, American Camp Association
Established with gifts from friends of the Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Program to support Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports.
The Ohio Expositions Commission Chair's Scholarship Endowment Fund
The Ohio Expositions Commissioner's Scholarship Endowment Fund
Each endowment provides at least one scholarship to a Junior Fair exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Recipients must be entering The Ohio State University main campus, ATI, or any of its regional campuses and majoring in Animal Sciences. Candidates are nominated by the Ohio State Fair Scholarship Committee.
The Pursch Family Memorial Fund
Established with gifts from William C. Pursch (PhD Education 1982) and Lenore Wilson Pursch of Springfield, Ohio, in loving memory of their daughters, Wendy L. Pursch Stolfo and Heidi A. Pursch Yarberry (BS Horticulture 1999) to support undergraduate students who are majoring in horticulture and who are participating in study abroad programs, with preference to students studying in England.
--By Kelly Votino

Darwin P. Geringer Memorial Scholarship Supports Students in Food Science

Darwin P. Geringer was a man well-known by his kindness and generosity, as well as his Depression-era work ethic. He left a lasting impression on many as a husband, father, Korean War Veteran and Purple Heart recipient, and as the president of the Benjamin P. Forbes Company. For all these reasons and many more, the Benjamin P. Forbes Company, under the leadership of Dar's son Keith, recently established the Darwin P. Geringer Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, which supports students in food science.
Dar was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1928 and lived on the same street in Broadview Heights for 73 years. After high school, he worked for Mr. Benjamin P. Forbes, who founded the company in 1901. Dar was drafted into the army in 1951 and served in the Third Armored Division in Korea. He stepped on a land mine in September 1951 and was hospitalized for 18 months. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Purple Heart, and United Nations Service Medal. Upon receiving an Honorable Disability Discharge, he returned home to work for Forbes Chocolate and never let his disability stand in his way.
Dar was the only employee in the plant where he blended cocoa then packaged and shipped it. He attended many short courses on dairy science and learned the industry hands-on. He purchased the company in 1986 and served as president until his death in 2004, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Education was always very important to Dar. He supported the Northeast Ohio Dairy Tech Scholarship for many years and saw to it that Forbes Chocolate contributed money annually for scholarships at universities with a food science program. "It is because of Dar's dedication and love for The Ohio State University that this scholarship in his memory is given to a deserving student," Dar's wife, Elaine, said. "He would be happy to know that he is helping someone to succeed in the food science program. This is a challenging industry and capable people are needed to keep up with changing technology."
Dar was married to Elaine for 44 years. Together they had two children, Lynn and Keith, and eight grandchildren. "Dar was very proud of his family and he adored his eight grandchildren," Elaine said.
Scarlet and gray run deep within the family and the company. Not only did Lynn and Keith both attend Ohio State, but Dar's father also played in the Ohio State marching band in the 1920s. Additionally, nearly a third of the employees at Forbes Chocolate are graduates of Ohio State. The company has been a donor to Ohio State since 1950 and established its first endowed scholarship in 1978, the Forbes Leadership Award and Scholarship Fund, which provides a scholarship for a senior in the Department of Food Science and Technology.
Keith Geringer is now president of the company, which remains an industry leader after 110 years of business. Forbes Chocolate is one of the preeminent blenders of cocoa and flavor powders for dairies, not only for chocolate milk but also for a whole line of flavors. Forbes Chocolate also blends chocolate ice cream flavor powders and a wide range of cocoa powders, in addition to a new organic product line. All this comes with the Forbes reputation for quality-focused customer service and technical support in today's ever-changing processing environment.
--By Jenny Wensink