Scholarships

     Robert A. Brown, President of Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative has announced that for the sixteenth consecutive year the Illinois electric cooperatives will award academic scholarships to high school seniors. Eight scholarships of $1,250 each will be awarded in 2012 to eligible high school seniors through the Thomas H. Moore Illinois Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Memorial Scholarship Program.

     Four scholarships will be awarded to students who are the sons or daughters of an Illinois electric cooperative member. A fifth scholarship, the Earl W. Struck Memorial Scholarship, will be awarded to a student who is the son or daughter of an Illinois electric cooperative employee or director.  These five scholarships can be used at any two-year or four-year accredited college or university in the United States including vocational and technical schools.  The sixth and seventh scholarships are awarded to students enrolling full-time at a two-year Illinois community college who are the sons or daughters of Illinois electric cooperative members, employees or directors.  Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative will be matching the Illinois Electric Cooperative Memorial Scholarship won by the child of one of its members.

     All of the above eight scholarships are for $1250 each and are not renewable.  Applicants must be high school seniors and apply through their local electric cooperative.  The deadline for submitting completed applications to the local electric cooperative is December 31, 2012.

     A new eighth annual scholarship the “LaVern and Nola McEntire Lineworker’s Scholarship,” will be awarded for the first time in 2012.  This $1250 scholarship will help pay for costs to attend the lineworker’s school conducted by the AIEC in conjunction with Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield, IL.  Relatives of co-op employees or directors are eligible for the lineworker’s scholarship, as are individuals who have served or are serving in the armed forces or National Guard.

     “We hope to assist electric cooperative youth while honoring past rural electric leaders with these scholarships,” says Robert Brown, President of the board, “Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative” and the other Illinois electric co-operatives are always seeking ways to make a difference in the communities.  One of the best ways we can do that is by helping our youth through programs like this one.

     Candidates are judged on the basis of grade point average, college entrance exam scores, work, and volunteer experience, school and civic activities, and a short essay that demonstrates their knowledge of electric cooperatives.  All applications are due December 31, 2012.

     For more information contact Dana Grafford at Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative at 217-243-8705 or ask your high school guidance counselor.

To submit your application online, visit http://aiec.coop/iec/ and choose scholarship application at the top of the page.