Riley Jenkins of Galesburg awarded a $16,000 scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Riley Jenkins of Galesburg, a senior at Galesburg High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2021 and awarded a $16,000 Lincoln Merit Scholarship for tuition over four years. At UIS, she will major in elementary education and play on the women’s basketball team.

The scholarship is awarded based on high school GPA and can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

At Galesburg High School, she played basketball all four years and volleyball her freshman year.

“I chose UIS because when I visited, the campus was nice and it felt like the right size,” she said. “I am going to be playing basketball and the coaches and my teammates were great. It felt like a good fit and a second home.”

All undergraduate first year students are automatically eligible for Lincoln Merit Scholarships. These scholarships are automatically applied upon admission and are based solely on high school GPA. In order to receive $16,000 over four years, the student must have an unweighted GPA of 3.40-3.59. UIS is not requiring students to submit ACT/SAT scores for the 2021-24 academic years.

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 uis.edu/financialaid/scholarships/. 

Students may apply for admission to UIS at uis.edu/apply. Contact the UIS Office of Admission at admissions@uis.edu or 217-206-4847 with questions.

Emma Wells of Mt. Auburn awarded a $28,000 scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Emma Wells of Mt. Auburn, a senior at Taylorville High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2021 and awarded a $28,000 Lincoln Merit Scholarship for tuition over four years. She plans to major in elementary education at UIS.

The scholarship is awarded based on high school GPA and can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

At Taylorville High School, she is a member of the National Honor Society and Key Club. She also played on the golf team.

Wells said she chose UIS because “it offers everything I want. The program is great for the career I want to go into.”

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to look for a permanent job in education and possibly earn her master’s degree.

All undergraduate first year students are automatically eligible for Lincoln Merit Scholarships. These scholarships are automatically applied upon admission and are based solely on high school GPA. In order to receive $28,000 over four years, the student must have an unweighted GPA of 3.80-3.99. UIS is not requiring students to submit ACT/SAT scores for the 2021-24 academic years.

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 uis.edu/financialaid/scholarships/. 

Students may apply for admission to UIS at uis.edu/apply. Contact the UIS Office of Admission at admissions@uis.edu or 217-206-4847 with questions.

Savannah Lashbrook of Marshall awarded an $18,000 scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Savannah Lashbrook of Marshall, a senior at Marshall Community High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2020 and awarded an $18,000 Lincoln Merit Scholarship for tuition over four years. At UIS, she plans to major in elementary education.

The scholarship is awarded based on GPA and ACT/SAT scores and can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

At Marshall Community High School, she is a member of the volleyball and track teams. She is also part of the Marshall Leadership Team, Interact Service Club, Peers Actively Leading and Serving and International Club.

“I chose UIS because I love the campus and how welcoming everyone is,” she said. “I am excited for the art program at UIS. It is a big campus experience with less students, making for a great student-teacher ratio.”

Following graduation, she hopes to become an elementary school teacher, possibly teaching art.

All incoming UIS freshmen are eligible to apply for Lincoln Merit Scholarships. The amount awarded is based upon the incoming student’s ACT or SAT score. To receive $18,000 over four years, students must earn a 24-26 on their ACT or a minimum 1160 SAT score and hold a minimum high school GPA of 3.76 or above.

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 uis.edu/financialaid/scholarships/.

Students may apply for admission to UIS free of charge for the summer and fall 2020 terms. Apply online at uis.edu/admissions/applytoday/.

Laney Gowin of Casey receives a $14,000 scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Laney Gowin of Casey, a senior at Casey-Westfield High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2019 and awarded a $14,000 Lincoln Scholarship for tuition over four years. She plans to major in elementary education at UIS and play on the Prairie Stars softball team.

The scholarship is awarded based on GPA and ACT/SAT scores and can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

At Casey-Westfield she is a member of the varsity softball and volleyball teams. She is also an active member of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) and is a class officer. Gowin volunteers two hours a day at the elementary school working with first and second graders.

“I chose UIS because it has a beautiful campus that feels safe,” she said. “I like that it has a small-town feel and the class sizes will be good for me as a student-athlete.”

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to earn her special education endorsement in order to work with students with behavioral disordered. She hopes to make a difference in their lives.

All incoming UIS freshmen are eligible to apply for Lincoln Merit Scholarships. The amount awarded is based upon the incoming student’s ACT or SAT score. To receive $14,000 over four years, students must earn a 21 to a 23 on their ACT or a minimum of 1060 SAT and hold a minimum high school GPA of 3.76.

For more information on scholarships, contact the UIS Office of Financial Assistance at 217/206-6724 or email finaid@uis.edu. For a full list of scholarship opportunities, visit www.uis.edu/financialaid/scholarships/.

Britney Law of Litchfield admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield

Britney Law of Litchfield, a senior at Litchfield Senior High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2019 classes. She plans to major in elementary education at UIS.

At Litchfield High, she has been involved in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) for three years and was vice president for two years. She also was a member of FFA for two years and Pop Culture Club for one year. She played on the softball team for a year.

“I decided to go to UIS because it was close to my family and gave me all the classes and opportunities I would need to become a Kindergarten teacher,” she said.

Following graduation, she plans to travel and explore the country before starting her teaching career.

The University of Illinois Springfield is proud to be one of three universities in the world-class University of Illinois System. Nearly 5,000 students enroll each year at UIS seeking a U of I degree in the friendly learning environment of a smaller university. Located in the state capital, UIS has a special mission in public affairs and has produced thousands of leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

For more information on the University of Illinois Springfield, contact the Office of Admissions at 888/977-4847 or go online at www.uis.edu/admissions.

Meghan Hawkshaw of Rochester admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield

Meghan Hawkshaw of Rochester, a senior at Rochester High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for the fall 2019 term. She plans to major in elementary education at UIS.

At Rochester High, she is involved in marching band, pep band and concert band. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society and participates in Club U, a volunteer organization.

“I’m choosing UIS to be a part of a great and small community,” she said. “I will be in a more one-on-one learning environment allowing me to receive more help in areas that I may need it in. I plan on staying involved in music by joining one of the many musical groups at UIS. I’m also able to stay close to home while attending college. I get to have a small college experience at my pace.”

Following graduation, she plans to become a special education teacher and play in orchestras and bands on the side.

The University of Illinois Springfield is proud to be one of three universities in the world-class University of Illinois System. Nearly 5,000 students enroll each year at UIS seeking a U of I degree in the friendly learning environment of a smaller university. Located in the state capital, UIS has a special mission in public affairs and has produced thousands of leaders in the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

For more information on the University of Illinois Springfield, contact the Office of Admissions at 888/977-4847 or go online at www.uis.edu/admissions.

Alison Haesele of Minier awarded a University of Illinois Springfield scholarship

Alison Haesele, a resident of Minier and elementary education & psychology major at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been awarded the Dennis D. and Susan J. Koch Scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Haesele, a UIS softball player, is pursuing a double major in elementary education and psychology with a certificate in the CAST program for Child Advocacy Studies. Her goal is to become an elementary school teacher.

“I love children and their creative and imaginative minds, so teaching seems like the perfect career for me,” she said.

Haesele transferred to UIS from Illinois Central College, where she also played softball.

“Some of the best memories I have made at UIS were through softball,” she said.

Haesele also credits her UIS professors for unique learning opportunities.

“The amount of knowledge I have already received here and continue to receive from my classes just reassures me more that this was the best school for me.”

The Dennis D. and Susan J. Koch Scholarship was established by the current UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch and her husband Dennis to honor their parents and grandparents, whose lives were changed by the opportunity to attend a public Illinois university.

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/.

The deadline to apply for institutional scholarships is February 15, 2018.

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