DAYTON, Ohio — Planning on what college to attend on top of how to pay for it is a stressful process. But for one Centerville High School senior, the process was easier as she was rewarded for all her hard work with a full ride to the University of Dayton.
That scholarship, named after W.S McIntosh, celebrates the civil rights activist in the Dayton community.
What You Need To Know
- Gabby Davis is the 2023 McIntosh Scholarship recipient
- The scholarship provides a full ride, room and board, as well as a four-year internship with the City of Dayton
- The scholarship is named after W.S. McIntosh, who led civil rights protests in Dayton in the 1960s
- Davis said she is proud to represent McIntosh and all he did in the Dayton community
Gabby Davis has some major talent. The Centerville High School senior is a member of the school’s a cappella group, Forte.
“Those people are like my best friends, we’re such a family,” Davis said of the group.
Davis sings with her a cappella group, Forte, at Centerville High School. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
But the 17-year-old is involved in so much more, including National Honor Society, HOPE squad and student council.
“I don’t regret anything,” Davis said. “I feel like I have been pretty stretched sometimes in terms of my involvement, but it has really shaped me. Including NHS and Forte and all these other groups.”
Davis said serving others has been a big part of her high school experience.
“I’ve just always believed that I’ve been given a great life and I need to give that to other people,” she said. “So I would say definitely step out there because there’s always a need. And once we stop looking at ourselves, we see them.”
And that’s something that the University of Dayton saw in Davis. Her scholarship provides full tuition, room and board, as well as a four-year paid internship with the City of Dayton.
W.S. McIntosh at a protest. (University of Dayton)
“There’s the opportunity to give back to the greater Dayton community that says I’m taking this learning and I’m going to serve the Dayton community in hopes to develop leaders in a variety of ways,” said Kathleen Henderson, the chairperson of the McIntosh Scholarship.
“To think that I am connected and I get to speak about someone who did such good for the Black community and for Dayton period is so important to me,” Davis said. “And to think about how many people did not know who he was, I want to change that.”
Davis presented to the scholarship committee about her passions and how they related to the life and legacy of McIntosh, who rallied against segregation and led the first civil rights movement in Dayton. Henderson said Davis made quite the impression.
Davis was surprised during a presentation by UD President Eric Spina with her scholarship announcement. (University of Dayton)
“Gabby just came in and blew the socks off these incredible young people,” Henderson said.
Now, Davis is taking in UD as her new home away from home. Davis plans to major in public relations in the school of communication.
“This is where I will be for the next four years,” she said.
Davis takes a picture of the school of communication. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)
Davis is already picturing herself inside these halls, feeling grateful for what’s to come at her new home.
“To think like I got rewarded for not my music, not something like that, but for things I did in high school that I took very seriously, really makes my heart really happy,” she said.
