Craig A. Steffen Paraclete Scholarship

The Craig A. Steffen Paraclete Scholarship Fund was created to help adopted or fostered children with financial need begin or continue their higher education. Craig Steffen was an adoptee, who also spent some of his early years in foster care. Growing up, it was never expected that he should go to college, and he had not considered attending, until he was encouraged to do so by others. He received his Associates Degree later than most at the age of twenty-nine. He then went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree, while working full-time. Along the way, supportive people, companies, and organizations assisted him with both good counsel and financial help. After starting at ground level and working his way up at Yellow Springs Instruments, he moved on to become the Director of Marketing at Ohio Willow Wood. Craig eventually started his own strategic marketing company called Paraclete Consulting; “paraclete” being an ancient word that means, “to come alongside to help.” During this time, he was also an adjunct professor at Indiana Wesleyan University, fulfilling a dream to teach. Given his love and respect for teaching, learning, and helping others, it seemed fitting to establish this fund in his honor. Applicants must:

• Be a graduating high school senior or current college student from the Miami Valley
• Be adopted or in the foster-care system as a child
• Be accepted to a two-year, four-year, technical school or college or university
• Demonstrate financial need