Ten 2017 IEC Memorial Scholarships Available
McDonough Power Cooperative president and CEO Mike Smith has announced that the Illinois electric cooperatives in 2017 will award nine academic scholarships to high school seniors through a memorial scholarship fund designed to financially assist deserving students in the “electric cooperative family.” In addition, a tenth scholarship – to assist with costs in attending an electric lineworker school – will also be offered.
The total of ten scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded in 2017 through the Thomas H. Moore Illinois Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Memorial Scholarship Program.
Five scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who are the sons or daughters of an Illinois electric cooperative member receiving service from the cooperative. A sixth 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. Three additional scholarships are reserved for 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.
The tenth annual scholarship, the “LaVern and Nola McEntire Lineworker’s Scholarship,” was awarded for the first time in 2011. This $2,000 scholarship will help pay for costs to attend the lineworker’s school conducted by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in conjunction with Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield, Ill. LaVern McEntire served as a lineman for McDonough Power Electric Cooperative from 1949 until 1991. He and his wife, Nola, endowed the scholarship to financially assist deserving individuals in becoming trained lineworkers. Sons and daughters of co-op members; relatives of co-op employees or directors; and individuals who have served or are serving in the armed forces or National Guard are all eligible for the lineworker’s scholarship.
“We hope to assist electric cooperative youth while honoring past rural electric leaders with these scholarships,” says Smith. “McDonough Power and the other Illinois electric cooperatives are always seeking ways to make a difference in our communities. One of the best ways we can do that is by helping our youth through programs like this one. In addition, we are very pleased to offer the electric lineworker’s scholarship. It will benefit not only electric cooperative youth but also those fine men and women who have served their country through their military service and may now be wanting to become a trained lineworker.”
For more information regarding the scholarships, contact Kelly Hamm at (309) 833-2101. Information has also been shared with area high school guidance counselors and is also available for download here.