Exchange Club, Clark St. team up for scholarship

Fred Dillon Scholarship for manufacturing to be awarded in 2021-22.

Fred Dillon Endowed Scholarship in Manufacturing named for man who created the Exchange Club Foundation of Springfield.

The Exchange Club of Springfield and its foundation have established the Fred Dillon Endowed Scholarship in Manufacturing through the Clark State College Foundation with a $15,000 donation, according to a release from the college.

“The Exchange Club and the Exchange Club Foundation of Springfield have a strong commitment to our community. Clark State is honored to present the Fred Dillon Scholarship, on their behalf,” said Toni Overholser, director of the Clark State Foundation.

Overholser said it’s fitting that the Exchange Club scholarship will support Clark State students pursuing a bachelor’s of applied science degree in manufacturing technology management.

“We appreciate all the Exchange Club does to enhance our community; especially the opportunity for our students to improve their lives through education,” she said.

The scholarship will be awarded for the 2021-22 Clark State academic year.

Fred Dillon joined the Exchange Club in 1957. He served as president in 1968, 1981 and in 2000, at age 90, the release stated. As the owner of Dillon Manufacturing, he created the Exchange Club Foundation of Springfield, which has donated nearly $500,000 since 2003 to local organizations and funded the club’s Exchange Projects of Service.

“Mr. Dillion exemplified the Exchange Club mission to inspire communities to become better places to live. He was passionate about education and the manufacturing industry,” Overholser said.

Dillon graduated from Ohio State University, was a member of the Kappa Phi Kappa Fraternity, former member of National Management Association and American Society of Tool Engineers, member of Clark County Hearing and Speech Association and charter member of the Springfield and Clark County Community Hospital Association, the release stated.