Business and ROTC graduate finds ‘win-win’ in scholarship gift

Walter Johnson, BSCOM ’56, refers to his time in Athens as a “formulating experience,” one enriched by his proud involvement with the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and ROTC program.

“There are things that form at Ohio University that affect the rest of your life,” Johnson says.

After graduating, Johnson courageously served three years in the U.S. Air Force before starting a 35-year career with Sears. Now “part-time retired,” he stays busy working at a golf course and funeral home in his home of Huron, Ohio.

Johnson never forgot his transformative OHIO experience. Nearly 30 years ago, he was inspired to give back by setting up a charitable gift annuity.

The scholarship that Johnson established supports students from the Huron area who share a similar story — those who are either studying business or involved in ROTC.

“My wife and I get an income for the rest of our lives and the remainder of the annuity will add to the scholarship we have already established," he explains.

“It’s a win-win for everybody: for the people who established it, for the university, and for the students who get the scholarship,” he says.