Meet Francie Henry - OFIC Trustee Spotlight

Would you briefly share how you first became engaged with OFIC at Fifth Third Bank?

I first became aware of OFIC through Jordan Miller, former President and CEO, Central Ohio for Fifth Third. He was aware of the good work that OFIC was doing to help students with financial need through the fundraising efforts with corporate Ohio. It seemed like a natural fit for me because I know firsthand that achieving your college degree is life changing! So, I accepted a meeting with the OFIC President and learned more about the role of a non-profit board member for OFIC. And since that introduction, I became active and involved. I completed a two-year appointment as Board Chair for OFIC which was a great experience for me personally and professionally.

What aspects do you enjoy most about serving as an OFIC board member?

The aspect that I most enjoy is getting to meet the students either in person, at events, or through their thoughtful and very touching thank you notes. For several months, I kept one note on the conference room table in my office at Fifth Third. I would show it to visitors and colleagues not to be boastful about giving, but to share with others the important work and real impact that these gifts make for students. The other thing that is a highlight for me is to get to know many of the OFIC campus presidents. Wow, they are great people, bright, compassionate, and in-tune with the business community and with their students, faculty, and staff. OFIC does important work in bringing students and businesses together and I enjoy being a part of that effort.

Briefly explain how OFIC aligns with Fifth Third’s philanthropic priorities and your passion for giving back.

My family gives to OFIC to support scholarships for non-traditional aged women who have come back to college to finish their degrees. These women are amazing! It’s from one of them that I got that note which I kept on my conference table. The scholarships we support go to people in need who, with just a bit of help will become college graduates and then serve as role models for their kids, get a better job, and be able to advance themselves. Fifth Third supports OFIC and the work that it does because they are a good fit with what our bank believes in…Helping grow strong foundations that will make a difference. In so many ways that aligns in a great way for us as corporate partners with OFIC.

From a corporate perspective, why are the liberal arts and independent higher education valuable for Ohio’s economic stability?

From my experience with OFIC, I’ve learned that the liberal arts are at the core of our campuses, the style that the professors take, that holistic approach that gives graduates not only the academic footing that they will need in their work and career endeavors, but some additional skills. Some call them “soft skills” but in my opinion, the ability to work as a teammate, to communicate and to listen, to stretch beyond the ordinary and problem solve with perspective – those are the things that OFIC grads possess. It’s one thing for a business to hire a college graduate to fill a role, but it’s another thing to hire a graduate with leadership potential that will help propel them forward and make a company, firm, or corporation stronger. I’ve seen the OFIC grads and they are an impressive group.

Share reasons why companies should consider an investment in scholarships through OFIC.

There a several reasons others should support OFIC. First, it’s got integrity and it’s well managed. The dollars go where donors want them to go. Then there’s the philanthropic mission of helping others in need and knowing that your dollars are going to have an impact – remember that thank you note! And for several years OFIC has been talking about a talent pipeline where scholarship criteria can be customized to achieve the goals of the company. There are hundreds of scholarships that are administered by OFIC that both help the students and brings them closer to the company to explore career opportunities. I’m excited to see this as a growing area for OFIC as it adds that sense of a bottom-line return on investment in the form of talent acquisition. Learn more about Fifth Third Bank.