Critical Difference for Women (CDW) is a unique scholarship/grant-offering program available to OSU women. Critical Difference for Women was developed in 1986 to identify and fund, within all institutional levels and disciplines, the needs of women seeking advanced education and enhanced professional lives.

A campus-wide group of women convened to gather information in order to better understand what obstacles women met with in their pursuit of higher education. Three major areas of need were identified:

Re-entry Scholarships for women seeking undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees who have interrupted their education due to financial constraints and family obligations;

Research on Women Grants to provide seed money to faculty members and doctoral students (both male and female) conducting research on all areas of women's lives including gender and gender equity.

Professional Development Grants to assist women seeking career and scholarly advancement through their participation in seminars, workshops and mentoring programs. Additionally, CDW's Women of Color grants are also available to full-time, minority faculty and staff members.

Since 1986 more than 6,000 exceptional women have applied for CDW scholarships and grants. To date, resources have enabled only 15% of the applicants to receive funding. With the university's commitment to the recruitment and retention of women, the demand for these funds will only increase. Securing private gifts to support CDW and its programs are therefore crucial to ensure we meet this growing demand.