The University of Cincinnati's Transition and Access Pathways (TAP) program is proud to announce the very first scholarship awardees from The Cincy Hat Foundation. Started by Cincinnati Bengal Ted Karras, the foundation funds innovative programs to support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to live their best lives possible. Karras has been a vocal advocate for inclusion and equal access to education, employment and housing for people with disabilities, and when he heard about TAP there was no stopping The Cincy Hat from supporting these students with their Scholarship Series hats.
TAP, one of four programs in the IDD Education Center, is a four-year college certificate program for students with IDD where students fully embrace college life by living, working, learning and leading on UC's campus, becoming independent and active members of the Bearcat community. This four-year scholarship will allow students to pursue higher education without financial barriers, marking a significant milestone in their academic and personal journeys.
Mariah Eaves and Jessica Neal are the first awardees and both expressed immense gratitude and excitement upon learning of their scholarships. Eaves thoughtfully shared, "Getting the scholarship means a lot. I'm thankful! I have been really stressed about how I was going to pay for college, and now my worries are gone!" Neal also stated, "I feel so grateful and so blessed that Ted Karras is willing to help me pay for college. I'm so excited to go to UC and discover new job opportunities I want in the future."
Eaves and Neal will have access to all the resources and support they need to succeed during their time at UC. This includes personalized academic advising, career counseling and opportunities to engage in the vibrant campus community.
"I'm so honored to partner with the University of Cincinnati TAP program to help these incredibly talented young adults with IDD receive academic and vocational training to thrive," says Karrass, who added, "We hope The Cincy Hat Foundation can help fund many more scholarships to bring this amazing program to more students and families that can't afford it."
Hats off to Karras and The Cincy Hat Foundation for this generous contribution and advocating for the importance of partnerships between educational institutions and organizations that share a vision for equity and inclusion.
Ted Karras created the original Cincy Hat as a gift for his new teammates after his signing with the Bengals. The hats became a viral sensation and Karras saw an opportunity to turn the hat demand into something positive. The Cincy Hat brand was started in late 2022 as a fundraiser for Village of Merici in Indianapolis, an independent living and services provider for adults with IDD. The TAP program scholarships are the first Cincinnati-based partnership of the foundation as they expand their impact to benefit to the local Ohio community.
The Cincy Hat has sold over 50,000 hats thus far and has recently expanded its product offerings to sunglasses, t-shirts and jerseys.
