Connor McFadden of Las Vegas, Nevada awarded a tuition and housing scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Connor McFadden of Las Vegas, Nevada, a senior at Bishop Gorman High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2021 and awarded a Capital Scholars Honors Program tuition and housing scholarship. 

The scholarship will cover tuition (up to 16 credit hours a semester) and housing. It can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

McFadden says he is choosing UIS for the “great combination of academic and athletic opportunities.” He will major in mathematical sciences and play on the men’s soccer team.

Following his bachelor’s degree, he plans to obtain a master’s degree in data analytics at UIS.

Capital Scholars Honors Program scholarships are competitive and are based on high school GPA. UIS is not requiring students to submit ACT/SAT scores for the 2021-24 academic years.

The Honors Program is a selective undergraduate program combining high standards and emphasis on excellence with a small residential college model, enrolling only about 100 first-year students each year. 

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.

Ella Ferguson of Morris receives a $38,000 scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Ella Ferguson of Morris, a senior at Morris Community High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2019 and awarded a $38,000 Capital Scholars Honors Program Dean’s Scholarship. She plans to major in mathematical sciences.

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 Morris High, she plays on the volleyball team and is a member of TROUPE, Interact Club, Mathletes, National Honor Society and Spanish Club.

“I chose UIS because I love the campus and the community feel of the university,” she said.

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to work as an accountant or actuary in the business field.

The Capital Scholars Honors Program is a selective undergraduate program combining high standards and emphasis on excellence with a small residential college model, enrolling only about 100 first-year students each year. The program brings together intellectually strong students with talented, dedicated faculty to create a unique academic environment within the greater UIS community. Capital Scholar Honors students participate in an interdisciplinary core curriculum designed to prepare students for their major and provide leadership opportunities.

In order to receive a $38,000 Capital Scholars Honors Program Dean’s Scholarship, the student must earn a 27 to a 29 on their ACT or a minimum of 1280 SAT and hold a minimum high school GPA of 4.0 or above.

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/.

Ayushi Patel of Vadodara, India receives a $32,000 scholarship from the University of Illinois Springfield

Ayushi Patel of Vadodara, India, a senior at Nalanda International School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2019 and awarded a $32,000 Capital Scholars Honors Program Deans Scholarship for tuition over 4 years. She plans to major in mathematical sciences.

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 Nalanda International School, she has been involved with state level volleyball, a cultural exchange program to France, inter school discus throw, inter school table tennis and has volunteered at an NGO for the differently-abled.

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to work in data analysis.

The CAP Honors Program is a selective undergraduate program combining high standards and emphasis on excellence with a small residential college model, enrolling only about 100 first-year students each year.

The program brings together intellectually strong students with talented, dedicated faculty to create a unique academic environment within the greater UIS community.

Capital Scholar Honors students participate in an interdisciplinary core curriculum designed to prepare students for their major and provide leadership opportunities.

In order to receive a $32,000 Capital Scholars Honors Program Scholarship, the student must earn a 27 to a 29 on their ACT or a minimum of 1280 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/.

Paula Valdivia of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield

Paula Valdivia of Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for the fall 2018 term.

Valdivia recently graduated from Centro Educativo Siglo XXI in Xalapa. While there she participated as a member of the basketball and golf teams.

She says she chose UIS because, “I liked the golf program and the academic part of the degree in math sciences.”

Valdivia plans to major in mathematical sciences and pursue a career in the automotive industry upon graduation. She will also be a member of the UIS Women’s Golf Team.

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.

Joseph Bacidore of LeMoille awarded a University of Illinois Springfield scholarship

Joseph Bacidore, a resident of LeMoille and mathematics major at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been awarded the Kellner Family Scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Bacidore said he had dreamed of pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mathematics since he was in high school. But, the location of his hometown was far away from any university campus.

“The UIS online program is allowing me to obtain the education I desired without the need for excessive driving or boarding costs,” said Bacidore, who hopes to someday teach trigonometry or calculus at a junior college.

“I hope to use my knowledge in mathematics to impart those lessons to other students in hopes that they will develop a passion for the subject,” he said.

The Kellner Family Scholarship was established by Bill and Julie Kellner to recognize the Kellner Foodservice and food-distribution company, which was started in 1916, by Bill’s grandfather, Maurice Kellner. Besides monetary support for scholarships, the Kellner family also provides generous volunteer support to the university on advisory boards and committees.

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.

Nicole Barney of Billings, Montana awarded a University of Illinois Springfield scholarship

Nicole Barney, a resident of Billings, Montana and mathematical science and secondary education major at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been awarded the John W. Holtz Memorial Scholarship for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Barney, a business owner and mother of three boys, said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher.

She plans to pursue a career as a middle school math teacher upon her graduation.

“I want to inspire passion for learning in my students that will reach across all disciplines,” she said.

“Math should not be separate from English, history or science. They are all interwoven into the fabric of life. I am not simply teaching multiplication tables, I am teaching students to solve life’s problems.”

Barney said she chose UIS’ online mathematical program because it was a leader in online math degrees.

“Although I’m taking classes online, I feel closely connected to my classmates as well as my professors,” she said.

Barney is on track to graduate in December 2018 and is looking forward to the classroom.

“Teaching is about more than imparting content know
ledge,” she said. “Teachers help students believe in themselves when no one else does.”

The John W. Holtz Memorial Scholarship was established to honor the life of Mr. Holtz, who served as a professor of library instructional services and the Chair of the Library Program Department at UIS. Qualifying students must be an undergraduate who demonstrates a financial need and has an interest in history research and writing projects.

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.