Charles Bowlus Memorial Scholarship
Charles Bowlus was a beloved father, husband, brother and grandfather who passed away in August 2011 after a 6-month battle with lung and GI cancer.
He dedicated a large part of his life to ECRM a company he founded in 1994 that connects brands and buyers around the world.
His career began after graduating from The Ohio State University. He worked in the retail industry before starting a distributing company and then years later ECRM. He put everything he had into ECRM not knowing if an idea he which had was a huge gamble would be successful. It was and is still in existence today. They have made lasting connections for buyers and brands for over 30 years and have conducted over 3 million curated 1-on-1 meetings.
Charlie made a lasting impression on anyone's life he crossed paths with.
This scholarship aims to honor the life of Charles Bowlus by supporting students who share his passion for business and entrepreneurship.
Any high school senior who has at least a 3.0 GPA and plans to major in business may apply for this scholarship opportunity if they’re from a low-income or single-parent household or if they’ve been impacted by cancer, either personally or through a family member.
To apply, tell us how your experience as someone from a single-parent or low-income background or as someone touched by cancer has impacted your career goals.
How has your experience living a life impacted by cancer (personally or through a family member), living in a single-parent household, or coming from a low-income background influenced your career aspirations?
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FAQ
The application deadline is Dec 18, 2025. Winners will be announced on Jan 19, 2026.
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Award amounts per winner are designated by the donor. Check the award amount for a detailed breakdown.
The winner will be publicly announced on Jan 19, 2026. Prior to the announcement date, we may contact finalists with additional questions about their application. We will work with donors to review all applications according to the scholarship criteria. Winners will be chosen based on the merit of their application.
Award checks will be sent to the financial aid office of the winner's academic institution or future academic institution in their name to be applied to their tuition, and in the name of their institution (depending on the school's requirements). If the award is for a qualified educational non-tuition expense, we will work with the winner directly to distribute the award and make sure it goes towards qualified expenses.
Before we award the scholarship, the winner will be required to confirm their academic enrollment status. Depending on the circumstances, verification of Student ID and/or their most recent transcript will be required.
If you have any questions about this scholarship or the Bold.org platform, just email contact@bold.org and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.
Yes. The terms and conditions for this scholarship can be found here.