Photo Provided Unified Retail Banking Executive and Area Sales Manager Stacy Carpino, left, congratulates 2023 James Everson Scholarship winner Marli Krol.

MARTINS FERRY — Martins Ferry High School graduate Marli Krol is the winning recipient of the 2023 James Everson Scholarship.

The $1,000 scholarship is awarded each year to a Martins Ferry High School student who has maintained a high grade point average, is planning to attend college, and is interested in a business career.

Unified Bank Chairman, President and CEO Scott Everson said, “The James Everson Scholarship is awarded yearly by Unified Bank. My father, James Everson, former president of Unified Bank, whom the scholarship is named after, always had the desire to help create better lives and futures for promising youth in the Martins Ferry Area.

“Creating better lives and futures for the people and communities we proudly serve is an essential part of Unified’s mission,” Everson added.

Krol graduated from Martins Ferry High School with a GPA of 3.8 while also attending Ohio University Eastern. Through dual enrollment, Krol completed all her high school requirements and obtained over 40 college credit hours. In high school, she was active in cross country, Staying Clean Club, Chy-Phy Club, Ohio Valley Varsity Conference Board, Youth Led Prevention Club, Little Sisters and Queen of Queens. Krol credits these activities, saying that they helped prepare her for college and future endeavors.

Krol will attend Florida Atlantic University in the fall, majoring in healthcare administration and business administration. Having been enrolled in the College Credit Plus Program with Martins Ferry High School and Ohio University Eastern, Krol will enter Florida Atlantic University as a sophomore.

Krol said, “I am proud and grateful to be honored as the James W. Everson Business Leadership Scholarship recipient. I promise to represent the James W. Everson Business Leadership Scholarship to the fullest of my ability at Florida Atlantic University. Thank you to Unified Bank and the legacy of Mr. James Everson.”

Unified Bank is a full-service Member FDIC-insured, state-chartered commercial bank headquartered in Martins Ferry and has 18 locations that serve the Ohio counties of Athens, Belmont, Carroll, Fairfield, Harrison, Hocking, Jefferson and Tuscarawas and Marshall County in West Virginia. Unified Bank is the sole operating subsidiary of United Bancorp, Inc., a publicly traded bank holding company, and has been serving the financial needs of the Ohio Valley since 1902 from its headquarters in Martins Ferry.