A Lifeline and a Legacy: Scholarship Helps UToledo Senior Achieve Commencement Dream

A Lifeline and a Legacy: Scholarship Helps UToledo Senior Achieve Commencement Dream

When Josh Ford walks across the stage at John F. Savage Arena on Saturday, May 2, he will be celebrating more than just a degree from the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation.

He will be celebrating his survival.

Before he was a human resource management student at The University of Toledo, Ford was living in a physically abusive household where no one had a high school diploma and everyone had a criminal record.

Suffering from untreated epilepsy due to medical neglect, Ford made a courageous decision to take matters into his own hands at the age of 15.

"Child Protective Services would always come because someone else called, but this time I called," Ford said. "And they listened."

That call changed his life and its trajectory. He moved in with his grandmother, whom he calls his biggest supporter, and began to overcome the fears of his past.

In high school, he realized his own potential and opened his school's first Business Professionals of America chapter. Seeing his grandmother's pride when he earned his high school diploma, the Toledo native knew he wanted to become a Rocket.

But the transition to higher education was not easy.

Navigating the complexities of college and financial aid entirely on his own, Ford found himself waking up at 3:30 a.m. to work multiple jobs before attending classes to pay for school. During his college years, he faced immense external challenges, including hospital stays, ongoing health struggles and homelessness.

At his lowest point, a scholarship provided by UToledo donor Edward Kinsey provided a vital lifeline.

"Your generosity did not just help me financially," Ford wrote in a recent letter to Kinsey. "It gave me hope and reminded me that there are people who believe in me. Even now, as I face other challenges, knowing your support is behind me gives me strength and encouragement I did not think I would have again."

Kinsey, a member of the UToledo Board of Trustees, said he established the Kinsey Determination Scholarship to help students like Ford realize their efforts do not go unnoticed.

"Our experiences create opportunities to help others and fuel our ambition to teach others so they can improve their lives," Kinsey said. "For a young person who is growing into the world and dealing with undue challenges and loss, the influence of others can make all the difference. Growing up without a father in my life was a void that made me much more receptive to the positive influence of mentors. "The Kinsey Determination Scholarship was established with the simple goal of helping others understand that their burdens are noted and their efforts to overcome the obstacles are admired. Josh Ford is the perfect example of what this scholarship is all about, and I look forward to seeing Josh's accomplishments in life."

Finding stability, Ford quickly established a campus community that took him in like family. He became a fixture at UToledo, serving as a tour guide, an orientation team member, a mentor, and a student staff member for both the Office of Student Engagement and the Business Student Success Center.

Ford chose his major because he wanted to be a resource to others.

"Every decision I made that I could've benefited from, while I could've done alone, there was no point in that," Ford said. "If I am going to be rewarded in any way, why not share whatever that is. The most important thing I learned in my high school business classes is that when you find an opportunity for yourself, you can also find them for others."

"Josh's journey is a profound testament to the power of resilience and the transformative impact of higher education," said Dr. Barbara Ritter, dean of the Neff College of Business and Innovation. "He hasn't just survived his circumstances; he has used them to cultivate a deep sense of empathy and a drive to uplift those around him.

"We are incredibly proud to call him a graduate of our college, and we know he will be an exceptional leader in the business world."

Recently, Ford has been putting his education into practice as a human resources consultant intern in Toledo, an experience that has bolstered his confidence as he prepares to enter the workforce.

Following graduation, the 22-year-old plans to explore careers in public policy and ethics consulting.

Looking back on a journey fraught with obstacles that would have stopped many others, Ford said he finally feels a sense of safety and security, even if the reality of his success hasn't entirely sunk in yet.

"I still don't believe it," Ford said. "Sometimes I check the graduation email to make sure."

But that lingering disbelief has been eclipsed by a hard-earned confidence.

"My sense of self grew," he added. "Instead of wanting others to be proud of me, I am proud of how far I've come and the future I set up for myself."