Encouraging excellence: an award that renews if grades stay high

Mary Merullo Eppert, ’87 BS, and Mark Eppert, who graduated from the College of Business in 1988, know how tough it is to be working students. They both paid for their Ohio State degrees by putting in 30-40 hours a week at a local grocery and living at home.

Today, with the cost of college so high, the couple wants to ease the burden for future students from Upper Arlington High School, their alma mater. So they’ve funded the Mark and Mary Eppert “It’s All Good” Scholarship, named after their favorite phrase, which reflects their positive outlook on life.

“We know families that have lived in UA for generations,” Mark said. Many have multiple children, like Mary’s and Mark’s families did. Mary was the youngest of nine; Mark, the oldest of three.

“We would go to work, go to class, study, repeat,” said Mary, who later taught preschool for 11 years. “So with our two daughters, we didn’t want them to have to work during college. We said, ‘Going to school is your job.’ That’s what motivated us to give a scholarship.”

Plus, the scholarship will be endowed, thanks to The Coca-Cola Company, where Mark is vice president of global business transformation. Coke is a generous company and strong supporter of education, giving two dollars (maximum of $20,000/year) for each dollar donated by an associate to a qualifying organization.

“Coke’s philanthropic commitment has clearly enabled us to be able to give more,” Mark said.

The Epperts encourage folks to talk to employers about philanthropy. “You may be surprised to learn they, too, have a matching program you can take advantage of. If not, it may be something you can encourage them to consider,” he said.