Charles George Funds $50K YSU Scholarship

A Youngstown State University trustee chair is funding a scholarship for Brookfield High School graduates with a 2.5 minimum GPA.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Scholarships

Charles George Funds $50K YSU Scholarship

Charles George, chair of the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees, has made a $50,000 gift to the YSU Foundation to establish a scholarship. The award is open to Brookfield High School graduates and gives preference to full-time incoming freshmen.

Why it matters

The scholarship targets students from middle-income working-class families, a group that can struggle to fund a college education. Gifts like this add support for local students attending a regional public university.

The $50,000 gift is the establishing endowment for the scholarship, which requires recipients to hold at least a 2.5 GPA. The source does not state how many students will receive the award each year or its per-student amount.

The players

Charles George

George is chair of the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees and owner of Hapco Inc., a Youngstown-area industrial supplier.

Youngstown State University

YSU is a public university in Youngstown, Ohio, serving the Mahoning Valley region.

The details

George, a 1976 Brookfield High School graduate who earned a business administration degree from YSU, made the gift in appreciation of his admission to the Brookfield High School Achievement Hall of Fame on Sept. 26. He is owner of Hapco Inc., and was the youngest person ever elected president of Packer Thomas & Co.

1976: George graduates from Brookfield High School.
Sept. 26: George is admitted to the Brookfield High School Achievement Hall of Fame.
Nov. 12, 2026: The gift to the YSU Foundation is reported.

Regional Pipeline

Trustee-led endowments at regional public universities such as YSU routinely channel private money toward scholarships for graduates of nearby high schools. This gift fits that pattern by tying eligibility to one local high school rather than to the university at large.

Students from Brookfield High School who plan to enroll full-time as freshmen at YSU should check eligibility, since the award requires a 2.5 minimum GPA. Preference goes to full-time incoming freshmen, so part-time or transfer applicants may have less chance of selection.

The takeaway

Private gifts from alumni and trustees can meaningfully reduce college costs for students from working families. Students should ask their high school counselors about local scholarships tied to their school.