Fenn Promotes Co-ops and Internships 

For four decades, the Fenn Educational Fund (Fenn) has worked to promote cooperative education and internship programs at institutions of higher learning in Greater Cleveland. Members of the fund’s advisory board believe the region’s economic vitality depends, in part, on cooperation between educators and employers.

It is essential, then, that higher education aligns itself with business and civic agencies, especially in light of recent attempts to advance a coordinated economic development agenda in Northeast Ohio. Cooperative education and internships are an important way to strengthen ties between higher education and local employers.

As the region’s sole funding source devoted to cooperative education and internships, Fenn is uniquely positioned to support this key aspect of the emerging economic development plan.

To apply, please log in to Gifts & Grants Online, and select the Fenn Educational Fund application.

For procedural application questions, please contact Grants Management at 216-615-7254 or e-mail GrantsMgmt@CleveFdn.org.

For general questions about the Fenn Educational Fund, please contact program officer Paul Putman. 

Fenn Frequently Asked Questions

Concerning benchmarks and measuring success, does it need to be quantitative?

No. Qualitative and quantitative measures are fine. We are looking for benchmarks beyond basic numbers such as the number of internships created and will look for each applicant to create benchmarks and measures that are appropriate for their project.

Do you have a list of best practices or resources for tracking and measuring success?

At this time we do not; however, applicants are encouraged to share what they’ve found. Links will be posted here as they are found and shared.

2012-13 Grantees

• Case Western Reserve University ”Building Master of Engineering and Management Programming and Capacity to Meet the Evolving Demands of Northeast Ohio Industry”
• Cleveland State University “New Pathway Project: Building a Talent Pipeline from the Classroom to the Workforce”
• Cuyahoga Community College ”Enhancing Faculty Engagement to Strengthen Cooperative Education” 
• Lakeland Community College ”Addressing the Talent Gap through Community and College Resources” 
• Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education ”Successful Transitions: Enhancing Career Pathways through NEOintern”
• Notre Dame College “Linking Talent to Opportunity in Bioscience”

2012-13 Scholarships

The R. Earl Burrows Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1984 through a $15,000 gift to the Fenn Educational Fund from the Cleveland Automobile Dealers Educational Assistance Foundation. Income from the gift must be used to award scholarships to students attending a college or university in Cuyahoga County majoring in business administration and participating in a cooperative education program. Scholarship funds must be rotated among eligible institutions. Since 1984, scholarships have been awarded on a rotating basis at Baldwin Wallace University, John Carroll University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, Chancellor University, and Notre Dame College of Ohio. 2012-2013 grantee institution: $5,000 to John Carroll University (for two $2,500 scholarships). 

Charles J. Stilwell became a member of the board of trustees of Fenn College in 1937. In 1946, he was elected chair of the board, an office that he held until 1960, when he was elected a life trustee.The Charles J. Stilwell Scholarship in the Combined Fund of the Cleveland Foundation was established upon his death in 1972. In May 1975, this fund was increased substantially by a gift from the trust of Edna D. Stilwell. Four schools were considered eligible for grants on the basis of size and strength of their cooperative education programs: Baldwin Wallace University, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and John Carroll University. It was determined that the income of the Stilwell Fund would be used to award scholarships to students on the basis of outstanding performance in a cooperative education/internship assignment. Individual recipients would be selected in conformance with each institution’s regular procedures for awarding financial aid. 2012-2013 grantee institution: $8,000 to Case Western Reserve University (for two $4,000 scholarships). 

The Henry Ford II Scholarship Awards Program was established in 1987 through a $100,000 gift to the Fenn Educational Fund from the Cleveland Metropolitan Ford Dealers. The income of the gift is to be used to fund Henry Ford II scholarships in the amounts of $1,00 each to students attending a college or university in Cuyahoga County that offers both a baccalaureate degree in one or more fields of business administration and a cooperative education program in which business students may participate. Eligible students are defined as juniors and seniors of good academic standing who are participating in a cooperative education program and majoring in a field of business administraion. 2012-2013 grantee institution: $2,000 to Baldwin Wallace University (for two $1,000 scholarships). 

2012 Advisory Committee Members

Members of the Advisory Committee gather at the 2012 Fenn Educational Fund annual meeting.