Los Angeles Alumni Club - Scholarship
Scholarship
The Ohio State Alumni Club of Los Angeles (OSULA) Scholarship fund has been established through the hard work of our club members, the generosity of our donors and the many Buckeye fans and alumni.
Our club is proud to provide scholarships to students in Los Angeles who are accepted at Ohio State and are committed to attend.
Students from Los Angeles may be awarded scholarship money based on the following criteria:
- Admittance to the university
- Record of participation in school, community, extracurricular activities and academic merit
- Quality of answers to several essay questions
- Potential interview with one or more of our Scholarship Committee members
2026-27 Scholarship Recipient
LOS ANGELES — Katya Clark of Woodland Hills, Calif., has been selected as the 2026-27 scholarship recipient of The Ohio State University Alumni Club of Los Angeles (OSULA), OSULA President Micah Pycraft, chair of the club's scholarship committee, announced today. A graduate of Oak Park High School with an impressive 4.33 GPA, Clark receives a $5,000 scholarship from OSULA toward her first year on Ohio State's main campus in Columbus, Ohio.
“I am so surprised and grateful to receive this OSULA scholarship,” says Clark, who plans to pursue a dual degree in finance and PPE (philosophy, politics and economics). “There is no other place as right for me as Ohio State and I am so appreciative that my application and the effect it would have on both me and my family was seriously considered.”
The OSULA scholarship is open to all Southern California high school graduates, and past recipients have typically chosen to attend Ohio State because of an immediate or distant family connection to the university. Not so with Katya Clark.
“Ohio State was actually a very, very random choice for me,” Clark explains. “It all started when I was sitting with my college career counselor and attempting to explain that I wanted to go to a big rah-rah school but also walk into classes where I would truly be able to talk and hold a conversation with my professor. My counselor proceeded to recommend Ohio State.
“I started researching the school and I accidentally fell in love,” she adds. “I knew there was no other place I could go.”
Not only an outstanding student at Oak Park High, Clark developed an affinity for leadership and mentoring during 13 years with the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles. She served as president and treasurer during that time and says she learned the value of giving back to her community and collaborating with other driven young women. Among her accomplishments, Clark earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award, Silver Award and Gold Award, the latter for creating “Debate and Democracy,” a debate program targeting underprivileged youth. She also worked with the office of California Assembly member Jacqui Irwin, planning and attending numerous events that helped her foster deeper connections with local officials and community organizations. Additionally, Clark participated in leadership roles with organizations and programs such as Youth and Government, Free Clinic of Simi Valley, Insight to Teen Culture and the Future Foundation Institute of Conejo Valley. She also took part in a Junior Venture Capitalists program through the Women's Founders Network to learn business evaluation and participate in numerous campaigns involving its youth groups. With that track record outside the classroom, it is not surprising that Clark's objective all along was to find a college where she could continue to explore and expand on her diverse passions and interests.
“My life has always prioritized outside experience over ‘by the book’ lessons,” she confides. “By throwing myself headfirst into every opportunity available to me, I believe I am able to ensure a stable and powerful, yet well-rounded, life for myself in the future.”
Although Ohio State's diverse curriculum matched her primary list of must-haves as she was making her college decision, two of Clark's personal passions also played a major role in her choice to become a Buckeye — working with glass and riding horses.
“I've been working with glass for a little over three years now, beginning with stained glass windows then more recently transitioning to fusing projects,” she reveals. “I hold so much love in my heart for glasswork and knew that if a school I ended up going to didn't have a place for me to continue my passion, it would never feel right.
“Ohio State actually has a three-class glass pathway, usually taken by art students, but fully available to anyone on campus,” she continues, regarding the beginner through advanced glass art and design sequence. “The second I saw the class it was like a lock sliding into place, and now I can proudly say I'm officially enrolled!”
While Clark developed her passion for glass in California, her love of horses grew from experiences on the opposite side of the country, where relatives shared their enthusiasm for riding with her. “My dad grew up in Maryland before moving out to California and, as it stands, both my aunt and uncle still have farms with horses back East,” she reports. “I grew up riding their horses, but it was a passion I could never bring back to this desert landscape; the feed and water prices are just too high.
“When I had just finished middle school I fantasized that maybe all my problems would be solved in college if I could just ride horses there,” she remembers. “Fortunately, I was able to find an official Ohio State class for horseback riding, and I plan to learn the more formal English-style riding, while also joining the Ohio Western Equestrian beginners' team. I've loved exploring different techniques and communities, always believing that each one had something interesting to offer, yet nothing is as important as your connection to your horse.”
Despite being a native Southern Californian, Clark is confident in her decision to make the four seasons of Columbus, Ohio, her new home away from home for the immediate future. In fact, Clark says she has designs on “utilizing Ohio State and all of its resources to the fullest extent,” which could keep her in Ohio's capital city well beyond her years on campus.
“I plan to dual degree with finance and PPE and graduate with three years of honors and four years of the Mount Leadership Scholar Society,” Clark explains. “Ohio State provides me with miles of connections, both in the state capital and the hundreds of successful businesses littering Columbus. Mentorship here won't be limited to the bland walls of a classroom but take shape through officials, businesswomen, program leaders, and so many more.”
Apply for a scholarship
ScholarshipUniverse simplifies the process of finding and applying for internal and external scholarships at Ohio State. This platform hosts all alumni club scholarships. Apply and/or update your profile each year by The Ohio State University priority date for maximum aid consideration.
Log in to ScholarshipUniverse using your Ohio State username (lastname.#) and password. Need instructions for activating your username? Contact Buckeye Link, 614-292-OHIO, for assistance.
Additional information on scholarships and financial aid at Ohio State can be found online at sfa.osu.edu.
For questions, contact Leslie Smith, Smith.6863@osu.edu, 614-292-6576 at the Alumni Association.
To donate to The Ohio State Alumni Club of Los Angeles (OSULA) Scholarship fund visit our online giving page to make a gift.
Past OSULA (*) and Ohio State (#) Scholarship Recipients
2025-26
- Ruby Tennison, Thousand Oaks, California (Thousand Oaks H.S.)
- View her story here.
2024-25
- Lexi Stallkamp, Rancho Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Peninsula H.S.)*
2023-24
- Bella Fisco, Saugus (Sagus High School)*
2022-23
- Alexander Rosenberg, Woodland Hills (Westlake High School)*
2021-22
- Madelyn Campana, Woodland Hills (Westlake High School)*
2020-21
- Samuel Dominguez, Downey (Loyola High School of Los Angeles)*
2019-20
- Justin Howard, Pacific Palisades (Palisades Charter High School)*
2018-19
- Audrey Trell, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. (Palos Verdes High School)*
2017-18
- Jenna Henry, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. (Palos Verdes Peninsula High School)*
2015-16
- Christopher Owen, Pasadena, Calif. (John Marshall Fundamental High School)*
2014-2015
- Emmett Keith-Jones, Temecula, Calif. (Chaparral High School)*
- McLane Martin, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Newbury Park High School)*
- Lara Tolks, Ventura, Calif. (Buena High School)*
2013-2014
- Morgan A. Thaler, Manhattan Beach, Calif. (Mira Costa High School)*
2012-2013
- Andrei Morosky, Valencia, Calif. (Valencia High School)*
2011-2012
- Mark Lampert, Santa Clarita, Calif. (Valencia High School)*
2010-2011
(none)
2009-2010
- Heather Mazorow
2008-2009
- Melissa Barcena, Glendale, Calif. (Notre Dame High School)#*
- Bryan Esser*#
- Heather Mazorow*#
2007-2008
- Melissa Barcena, Glendale, Calif. (Notre Dame High School)*
2006-2007
- Bronson Oliveira*#
- Maranda Henderson*#
- Sarah Spencer*#
2005-2006
- Megan She*#
- Maranda Henderson*#
- Nineeva Prentiss*#
- Laura Dubowski*
2004-2005
- Laura Dubowski*#
- Maranda Henderson*#
- Nineeve Prentiss*#
2003-2004
(none)
2002-2003
- Michelle Jenkin*#
- Steven Miller*#
- Joel Goins*#
2001-2002
- Andrea Adelman#
- Holly Gram#
- Michelle Jenkin#
2000-2001
- Michelle Irvin*
- Joel Goins*
- Derek Yip*
1999-2000
- Michelle Irvin*#
- Joel Goins*#
1998-1999
- Michelle Irvin*#
- Andrew Tsoi*#
- Terry Lo*#
- Derek Yip*
1997-1998
- Camille Curl#
- Michelle Irvin#
- Jennifer Curl#
1996-1997
- Derek Thatcher#
1995-1996
(none)
1994-1995
- Sarah Yoder#
1993-1994
(none)
1992-1993
(recipient did not enroll)
1991-1992
(none)
1990-1991
(none)
1989-1990
(none)
1988-1989
(none)
1987-1988
(none)
1986-1987
(none)
1985-1986
(none)
1984-1985
(none)
1983-1984
(none)
1982-1983
(none)
1981-1982
- Holly Richardson#