Lykins scholarship established to benefit Ohio students
The Morehead State University Foundation proudly announces the creation and inaugural awarding of the Ron (Class of 1964) & Ruth Wilson Lykins Tuition Scholarship, a transformative gift that will open doors for students from Adams County, Ohio.
The first award was given in Fall 2025 to Drake Walker, a first-year student from West Union, Ohio, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in music education.
“The Ron and Ruth Wilson Lykins Tuition Scholarship has opened doors for me in my life and my career and has encouraged me in many ways,” Walker said.
Growing up in a home with no running water or electricity, Dr. Ron Lykins believed pursuing higher education was a goal that appeared unreachable. However, with the encouragement and guidance of his Bluecreek High School teachers, Ron was undaunted and determined to attain as much education as possible. Along with this brother, Ron would be the first of their family to graduate from high school.
Ron enrolled at MSU, where he roomed with a fellow Ohio native, the late Robert “Mickey” Wells (Class of 1964, 1967), who would go on to become the winningest women’s basketball coach in MSU’s history to date. He graduated from MSU in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
After graduating from MSU, Ron returned to Ohio and earned a Master of Business Administration from Ohio University in 1967, followed by a Ph.D. in 1971 and later earned his CPA certification. While at OU for his studies, he met his wife, Ruth, a fellow Ohio University student. The couple started a family, and Ron held a successful career as an adjunct professor in the MBA programs at Capital University and Ohio University. He also owned and managed a CPA practice that remains strong to this day.
After Ruth passed away in 2013, Ron chose to honor their passion and commitment to education, first by establishing a scholarship endowment at Ohio University, and now with Ron’s first college alma mater at Morehead State.
The Ron and Ruth Wilson Lykins Tuition Scholarship will generously provide a full-tuition scholarship to a first-year student attending MSU from Adams County, Ohio. The scholarship is renewable for up to three additional academic years, provided the student maintains a 3.0 GPA. Thanks to further commitment through his estate plans, the endowment will continue to grow and deliver multiple awards.
To learn how you can create opportunities for future Eagles through a scholarship fund, contact the Office of Alumni Relations & Development at alumni@moreheadstate.edu or call 606-783-2033.
