The Boden Family Scholarship Fund is available to students from Wyandot County, with preference given to engineering students or those who will pursue an automotive-related career.
Marion Technical College has announced the availability of a new scholarship for students who come from Wyandot County: the Boden Family Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is in honor of the legacy of Jon and Patty Boden, who together built high performance engines, Jon’s dream, and competed against each other in the Ohio State Tractor Pulling Association. The Boden Family Scholarship Fund will be available to students who are pursuing engineering or automotive-related careers.
According to an article on Marion Technical College’s website, Mike Stuckey, who serves as the director of the Marion Tech Foundation, said of the family’s legacy and the scholarship they have chosen to offer, “A community college is a great place to start. There are so many opportunities here. These generous donors help students get that education, next job, career or dream. With the far majority of our graduates living and working in the community, their success helps our area thrive. We value and appreciate the Boden Family’s investment in our students.”
Amy (Boden) Fredritz, Jon and Patty’s daughter, attended Marion Technical College and pursued a career in accounting. She did the accounting for Boden’s Garage before becoming an independent wealth advisor. She serves on the Marion Tech Foundation Board of Directors as the Foundation’s treasurer.
Speaking of the decision to establish a scholarship in her father’s memory, Fredritz said, ‘It’s a no brainer where to invest. To give back to students and the community – I can think of no better way to honor Dad’s memory.”
In addition to Jon’s legacy as a mechanic, engine builder, and tractor pull champion, he is remembered as a kind person who worked hard to support and help anyone and everyone he could. Fredritz said, “Any time kids would come and say, ‘I don’t have the money to go to prom,’ Dad would help. Mom and Dad took in kids without supportive homes. They would just move them in and provide for them. Now we do that, too.” She added, “People still come to me and say, ‘Your dad took me under his wing and taught me.’ One of them is now a mechanic.”
Jon was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1999 and passed away in 2004.
Fredritz said, “Mom and Dad started from nothing. We want to give a little financial boost to students who are also starting from nothing but trying to build something great.”
Tim Anderson, who serves on the Marion Tech Board of Trustees, said, “Jon Boden was an innovator. Marion Tech is offering new in-demand programs from the Intel semi-conductor micro-certificate to the smart manufacturing degree. It’s giving students a chance to learn new skills in the classroom and the lab -just like Jon did with teens in his garage.”
For more information about Marion Technical College, visit the school’s website.