A Legacy of Service
Judie Zimomra, MPA ’82, has a family that is passionate about helping others. Her father was on the Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools board, and after he passed away while in office, her mother was appointed to serve the remainder of his term. Zimomra has also dedicated her career to helping others and considers her parents to be her inspiration.
Since 2015, she has also been making sure future leaders at Ohio State have the same opportunities she did. Through the Charles Jr. and Anna Harmon Zimomra Scholarship at the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, Zimomra has provided critical support for students at Ohio State—and recently, she decided to fully endow the fund by naming the college in her will.
“Neither of my parents had the opportunity to pursue a college education, but they made sure all four of their children did,” she said. “Both of my parents possessed classic American values of putting family first, and commitment to improving community through volunteerism in many areas from veterans’ affairs to youth- and faith-based activities. How they lived their lives every day was an education in hard work, commitment and sacrifice for others. My father utilized a wheelchair as a disabled veteran, but his condition did not limit his ability to contribute as a public servant. It’s an honor to continue their values and vision for education with this gift.”
Zimomra’s support of educational opportunity and the well-being of her community was cultivated by her parents and endowing the scholarship fund is a meaningful way to celebrate their legacy of service and ensure it lives on forever.