About BBB® Center for Ethics Students of Integrity Scholarships

The BBB Thomas J. Klinedinst, Jr. Memorial Students of Integrity (SOI) Scholarship is a program of the BBB Center for Ethics that showcases high school students in BBB Cincinnati’s 22-county service area who demonstrate a superior understanding of ethics. BBB awards scholarships to the high school students with the highest-scoring essays.

Rather than focusing on grades or extracurricular activities, the BBB scholarship is based on an essay which must convey the student's strong understanding of ethics.The 2026 essay prompt focuses on the ethical pressures of hustle culture.

As the scholarship recipients pursue their careers, BBB Cincinnati hopes to develop future business leaders who will promote ethics in our region's marketplace.

Scholarship amount

In 2026, there will be a total of 6 scholarships, each in the amount of $5,000. The scholarship money may be used for post-secondary education expenses at any accredited university, college (including community colleges), or career technical schools (including any two-year institution).

Eligibility
To be eligible for this award, students must:

• Be a high school senior
• Be at least 13 years old
• Live in BBB Cincinnati's 22-county service area*
• Plan to continue their post-secondary education through an accredited university, college, or vocational school
• Not live with or be an immediate family member (child or sibling) of a BBB employee, BBB Center for Ethics Board Member, or BBB Board Member

*The 22-county service area includes:

• Indiana: Dearborn, Franklin, Ohio, Ripley, Switzerland, Union
• Kentucky: Boone, Campbell, Kenton
• Ohio: Adams, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Gallia, Hamilton, Highland, Jackson, Pike, Lawrence, Scioto, and Warren (except the following zip codes: 45005, 45066, and 45068)

• The student addresses and engages meaningfully with the prompt. (20% of total score)
• The student articulates a clear opinion and supports their stance with sound reasoning/rationale. (20% of total score)
• The student demonstrates a solid understanding of ethics. (20% of total score)
• The student thoroughly assesses the personal and social ethical implications—provide examples in response. (15%)
• The student demonstrates critical thinking about the scenario’s impact on those involved and/or society. (15% of total score)
• The student’s use of spelling, grammar, and punctuation is strong. (5% of total score)
• The structure of the essay has a title, introduction, body, and conclusion that is clear and easy to follow. (5% of total score) 

Winners

Scholarship recipients are expected to attend an in-person winners celebration on April 30, 2026, at the United Way of Greater Cincinnati to receive their awards.

Funding for the BBB Students of Integrity Scholarship Program is provided by the generous support of donors to the BBB Center for Ethics.

Donate now.