Daniel Kelly of Peoria receives a scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Daniel Kelly, a resident of Peoria and student at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been awarded the Leona Stanford Vollintine Scholarship for the 2016-2017 academic year.

Kelly is pursuing a double major in accountancy and business administration. He takes classes through the UIS Peoria Center, where he said the students work as a “team.”

“If we have a tough teacher or subject, everyone pitches in to help study and get through the class,” said Kelly. “Most are non-traditional students and are more willing to help others because of the hardships they’ve encountered.”

Kelly has had his fair share of hardships. His retail career was cut short through a company downsizing, which forced him to focus on finishing his degree. “I wanted to finish college with a degree that guaranteed a sustainable income for our future,” he said.

While taking classes, Kelly also works at a local bank as a mortgage reporting specialist.

He said he can picture himself using his degree at the bank, but that he’s also considering a career with a major accounting firm upon graduation.

“The best advice I got from my Intermediate Accounting II professor was to stop trying to figure it out,” said Kelly. “He told me, you can’t possibly know what the next 40 years hold, so instead of trying to figure that out, plan the next four months and go from there.”

Kelly also serves on the UIS Student Government Association as a senator representing the Peoria Center, and was recently elected as Speaker of the Senate in the SGA.

“I have noticed that the students here have a bond that cannot be broken,” said Kelly.

The Leona Sandford Vollintine Scholarship is awarded to students who meet GPA requirements and are enrolled in the College of Business. Candidates must demonstrate academic and personal achievement.

For more information on scholarships, contact the UIS Office of Financial Assistance at 217/206-6724 or finaid@uis.edu.

For a full list of scholarship opportunities visit www.uis.edu/financialaid/scholarships/.

 If you are interested in creating a scholarship, please contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or giftinfo@uis.edu.