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Dedicated role will strengthen support for students throughout their post-secondary education
BARBERTON, Ohio — Barberton Community Foundation has named Carrie Herman its Director of Scholarships, a dedicated role focused on managing the Foundation’s scholarship program and helping Barberton students make the most of their post-secondary educational opportunities.
Herman has managed the Foundation’s grants and scholarship programs since joining the organization in July 2019. As both areas have grown in scale and complexity, responsibilities previously housed within one position will now be divided between two roles: one dedicated to scholarships and student support and another focused on strategic grantmaking and community partnerships.
“Scholarships are one of the most personal and direct ways we invest in Barberton’s future,” said Josh Gordon, Executive Director of Barberton Community Foundation. “Each award represents a student’s goals, a family’s hopes and a donor’s belief in what education can make possible. Carrie understands the responsibility that comes with bringing those pieces together, and she has demonstrated tremendous care for the students, families and donors who make this program so meaningful.”
As Director of Scholarships, Herman will manage the Foundation’s full scholarship program, including application development, student outreach, eligibility review, scholarship committees, award administration, donor-designated scholarships and presenting awards at the annual Scholarship Awards event. She will continue to work closely with Barberton High School administrative staff and the counseling department to connect students with opportunities and support them throughout the application process and beyond as they navigate their post-secondary learning experiences.
Since the Foundation’s scholarship program supports students pursuing college, trade or technical school, and other accredited post-secondary education programs, Herman will also coordinate with a variety of schools and other accredited training providers to help ensure scholarship awards are processed accurately and on time. That work includes managing enrollment verification, transcripts, financial aid information, payment schedules, renewal requirements and the forms, policies and deadlines involved in applying scholarship support to a student’s education.
By serving as a consistent point of contact among students, families, Barberton High School, post-secondary institutions and the Foundation, Herman will help make a complex process more coordinated and understandable.
She will also help students and families navigate the financial and practical realities of post-secondary education. This includes helping students combine Foundation scholarships with financial aid and other non-Foundation scholarship awards, external scholarships and other resources to build a more complete financial plan for college, technical education, certification programs or accredited career-focused training.
The role reflects the growing scale and complexity of the Foundation’s scholarship program. In 2026, Barberton Community Foundation awarded $466,600 to 53 Barberton High School students with 95 total scholarship awards. Of that total, $349,800 represents renewable support that may continue alongside students for up to four years of their post-secondary education.
“Our support does not end when a scholarship is awarded,” Gordon said. “We want to celebrate that moment, but our greater goal is to see students persist, cross the stage with a degree, earn a credential or complete the training that opens the door to a meaningful career. A role dedicated to scholarships allows us to provide more focused guidance, encouragement and connection throughout that journey.”
Herman will serve as a knowledgeable and approachable resource for students and families, helping them identify additional
The position also carries an important responsibility to the individuals, families and organizations whose charitable gifts created the Foundation’s scholarships. Herman will communicate with scholarship fund representatives, help ensure each award honors its established purpose and eligibility criteria, and share how their generosity continues to create opportunities for Barberton students.
“My greatest privilege at the Foundation has been getting to know our students and seeing what these scholarships make possible for them and their families,” Herman said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to focus more deeply on their experience, from the moment they hear about our robust scholarship program and begin an application through the completion of a degree, credential, or training they set out to pursue. I also look forward to helping steward the Foundation’s endowment, which funds many of these opportunities, while continuing to honor the donors whose generosity and vision established individual scholarship funds.”
Herman brings more than 40 years of experience in the social services sector and has served as a leader and convener with organizations throughout the Akron area. Before joining the Foundation, she served as Business Development Group Manager for United Disability Services in Akron.
The Foundation will announce additional
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About Barberton Community Foundation
Established in 1996, Barberton Community Foundation has awarded over 8,500 grants and scholarships totaling more than $109 million since its inception. The Foundation strives to improve, now and forever, the quality of life for Barberton residents by providing leadership on vital issues, fostering collaboration and creating a legacy of giving to do good. The Foundation strengthens the community for current and future generations by proactively directing its grant dollars to the community’s greatest needs. To read more about Barberton Community Foundation, visit www.barbertoncf.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/barbertoncommunityfoundation.
