ONU student receives Presser Scholar Award

Ohio Northern University student Mark W. Blowers, a junior music education major from Toledo, Ohio, was awarded the Presser Scholar Award at ONU Honors Day on May 7. The award includes a $4,800 grant.

The award is given to a student who shows excellence in academics and passion for music. In order to present the scholarship each year, the University must have at least 40 undergraduate music majors enrolled in the program. The recipient must have at least one-third of their credit hours in an area other than music.

In addition to the terms above, students must be at or near the end of their junior year. They are chosen by the music faculty with the choice of the recipient guided solely on excellence and merit.

The award is made possible through the generosity of Theodore Presser’s will. Presser was well known as the man who founded and published the “Etude” music magazine and as an influential teacher at ONU and other institutions of higher learning.

In 1916, Presser created the Presser Foundation through several deeds of trust and through his will. The Foundation officially incorporated in 1939 following his death in 1925.

While participating in the choral and band programs at ONU, Blowers has been the assistant conductor of University Singers, “choralographer” of men’s chorus, and the social chair of the Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association. In addition, he is a trumpet player in the Wind Orchestra.

Throughout his time at Ohio Northern University, Blowers has been a member of Phi Eta Sigma (freshman honorary), Phi Kappa Phi (University honorary), Theta Alpha Phi (theatre honorary), Kappa Delta Pi (education honorary), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia fraternity (music fraternity).

Published: Fri, 05/13/2011 - 9:48am