The Brett E. Lahman Scholarship Fund for Engineers was established on December 6, 2002, by family and close friends. It provides need-based scholarships to third-year engineering students with a grade point average (GPA) between 2.5 and 3.5. Preference is given to students who work part-time (including work-study) and demonstrate leadership skills through active participation in intramural sports, professional organizations, or other extracurricular activities.
About Brett E. Lahman
Brett E. Lahman (1977-2000) grew up in rural Northwest Ohio. He developed a love for sports early on, enjoying soccer, baseball, and watching Ohio State University (OSU) football. He also had a knack for memorizing player statistics. In 1995, Brett began his studies at OSU, majoring in Industrial and Systems Engineering. He lived in the Stadium Scholarship, which was a unique co-operative housing option for students who demonstrated academic potential and had financial need. He was actively involved in extracurricular activities, sports, and was a member of Texnikoi, OSU’s Engineering Honorary Organization, recognizing academic achievement and campus involvement. To help fund his education, Brett participated in work-study programs with the Engineering School and completed summer internships at Honda, Ford, and Techniglass. Tragically, Brett passed away in the spring of 2000 while playing soccer. The cause of death was determined to be scar tissue on his heart; however, in 2019, it was discovered that Brett’s nephew had Myotonic Muscular dystrophy (DM1), a genetic disease now believed to have caused the scar tissue on Brett’s heart.
Purpose of the Scholarship
After Brett’s passing, family and friends raised funds to create this scholarship to honor Brett’s legacy, strong work ethic, and contributions to the community that he built at Ohio State amongst his friends, classmates, and co-workers. The aim is to provide financial aid to hardworking, active members of the community who may not qualify for traditional academic scholarships due to competing priorities or for those who do not earn a 4.0 GPA while managing other responsibilities.