Abbie Spiwak is a sophomore from Crystal Lake, Illinois, studying human nutrition and dietetics. She is a James M. Rossiter Memorial Scholarship recipient.

Why did you choose SIU?
I chose SIU because of the kind and caring students and faculty, the campus, the surrounding areas, and much more. Everyone is always involved and wants to do something to help others, or to help the community. Professors are willing to give you their time and effort to help you succeed. SIU helps make well-rounded and highly-educated students.

What inspired you to choose your area of study?
I have always been interested in health and helping others. This field of study gives me a wide range of opportunities in the health field. Americans are in great need of health and food specialists, and the need is only growing. I like making a difference in others’ lives. Also, I enjoy learning about the foods we eat, our bodies, and the systems food takes to get to us.

What is your most memorable experience at SIU?
I have had many memorable experiences at SIU. I got to go on a trip with other Chancellor’s students to St. Louis to see a symphony, and visit the Blue’s museum. It was a great learning experience and a time to bond with others.

What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about SIU?
I love to brag about the Shawnee National Forest and all the amazing nature on and off campus. I love having access to water sports, hikes, bike rides, rock climbing, and more.

Could you tell us about the impact of the scholarship on your education at SIU and your life in general?
Scholarships have helped me to succeed in school without having the stress and worries involved with paying off loans or having to work full-time with studying. I know that this takes a burden off not just me, but my family as well. I have been able to devote my time to my studies, so that I can succeed in my future career. I am able to save money now that can be used towards my future and other expenses.

Why should people consider donating to SIU?
People should consider donating their money to SIU because it will always go towards good students who will benefit greatly, and whose lives will be changed for the better because of the money donated. You would be helping students to achieve their dreams and receive the best education they can. You can change someone’s future by donating to SIU.

If you had $1,000 to donate to SIU, what would you like to see that money benefit? Why?
I would like my money to help a student at SIU studying nutrition and dietetics who is doing well in his or her classes and who would greatly benefit from the extra money, whether it be paying for tuition or other school related expenses. I would want it to go to a student studying in the health field, specifically nutrition/dietetics. $1,000 would help a student in many ways. I want to know it is going to someone who will use the money to help them succeed in school and in their career.

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Simon Villegas is a sophomore from Morton Grove, Illinois, studying aviation technologies. He is a University Excellence Scholarship, David Rich Memorial Scholarship, and Jeremiah Eugene Price Aviation Technologies Scholarship recipient.

Why did you choose SIU?
I chose SIU because the aviation program is one of the best in the nation. Also, Carbondale is located in an area where there are a lot of activities.

What inspired you to choose your area of study?
My interest in planes is what inspired me to study aviation technologies. The whole aviation industry amazes me.

What is your most memorable experience at SIU?
It was my first day of class when I was arriving on the bus to the airport and seeing the airport for the first time. My most memorable experience was when I saw the planes flying and the facilities and hangar with all the aircraft. I still remember the excitement and how good I felt about studying in this place.

What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about SIU?
Since I am in aviation technologies, I brag about all the planes we have, about my classes being hands-on and about the facility and airport we have where I go to class every day.

Could you tell us about the impact of the scholarship on your education at SIU and your life in general?
Being an immigrant who has been in the United states for five years, and the first to go to college here, my family can’t afford to pay for my education. I also have another brother who just started college too, and a sister in high school, so it is a lot of money for my family. Thanks to these scholarships, I am able to stay in school and pay for my tuition and living costs without my parents having to worry about it.

Why should people consider donating to SIU?
Because there are a lot of talented students who struggle to pay the cost of education, and all these scholarships and money invested on students makes a huge impact on their education, like it did on me.

If you had $1,000 to donate to SIU, what would you like to see that money benefit? Why?
I would like to see a student benefit from it, because I see the difference it made this year on my finances.

About the scholarship:
Mrs. Debra A. Sarvela wanted to establish a fund to provide financial support to students enrolled in the Aviation Technologies Program, in memory of her father, J. Eugene Price. Mr. Price established a career as an electrical engineer, specializing in flight simulation. His career began when Mr. Price was serving in the U.S. Army and continued for 40 years until his retirement from Hughes Aircraft.

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Chelesea Lewellen is a Ph.D. student from Chicago studying education. She is a Marita A. Weaver Scholarship and Wayne S. Ramp Vocational Education Endowed Scholarship recipient.

Why did you choose SIU?
SIU has the benefit of close proximity to major metropolitan areas (Chicago and St. Louis) with a distinctive small-town feel. I appreciate the history SIU has to offer of being both an educational institution with a significant diverse student body alongside a feel-good approach to school-life balance. As a former SIU student, I enjoyed the far-reaching spirit of being a Saluki and encountered alumni both locally and nationally during my travels. SIU encourages the potential and challenges you to rethink authority, information, personal beliefs and trends. This institution inspires individual pontificate and creates thinkers. I returned to SIU to further embrace that spirit of education and atmosphere of positive change.

What inspired you to choose your area of study?
I chose to pursue a degree in education because education is the cornerstone of life. Whether one is seeking personal enhancement or professional development, education is the key component needed to realize one’s goal. Education is not terminal but a journey wherein the student acquires new knowledge, discards long-held assumptions and/or improves upon their knowledge base. Education is not terminal and continues long after a degree is earned or retirement reached. I find it thrilling to participate in such a vibrant area of study and continue my own never-ending path of knowledge and hope to inspire others to continue in an unending pursuit of knowledge.

What is your most memorable experience at SIU?
My most memorable experience at SIU occurred during my return to pursue my current degree. During graduate student orientation, Dr. Lee, then dean of the Graduate School, told us about the awesome responsibility and the exciting future graduate school held for each of us. His passion was not only evident, it was also infectious. I walked away from that orientation with an increased sense of the support that was available to me and eager to start my program of study. Each and every time I encountered Dean Lee, I felt a renewed sense of motivation. His warmth and sincerity is sorely missed.

Could you tell us about the impact of the scholarship on your education at SIU and your life in general?
Both scholarships are extremely generous and helped to offset the cost of pursuing my degree. As a graduate student, books, supplies and the cost of living is exceptional. The addition of these two scholarships reduced the out-of-pocket financial contribution and allowed me to refocus my finances and time towards other areas. I was able to relax and study without the distraction of an upcoming bursar payment. It helped both with my time and peace of mind; I am immensely grateful.

Why should people consider donating to SIU?
People should consider donating to SIU to contribute to the continued efforts to educate our society and help financially challenged students pursue their degrees. Financial burdens prevent far too many from pursuing advanced degrees. Additionally, the confidence boost a recipient feels is tangible. Donations are the gift that keeps on giving, and an investment in another person who otherwise may not be able to pursue a long-held dream of higher education.

If you had $1,000 to donate to SIU, what would you like to see that money benefit? Why?
If I had $1,000 to contribute to SIU, I would like to see the money awarded to an underserved and deserving student. Oftentimes, money is the one determining factor that prevents students from seeking advanced degrees. Investing in a student could ease the burden of fiscal concern and enable the distraction of making ends meet to be directed toward self-improvement. Small investments have the benefit of a huge return and the result is often invaluable.

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Allison Kellerman is a senior from Nashville, Illinois, studying zoology and chemistry. She is a Chancellor’s Scholarship recipient. Kellerman is currently studying abroad in Australia.

Why did you choose SIU?
I chose SIU because it is one of three schools in Illinois that offers a degree in zoology, and it is by far the best of those three. I grew up going to the St. Louis Zoo fairly often, which inspired me to become a zoologist and research animals. SIU happens to be one of the main places St. Louis Zoo looks to hire employees from.

What is your most memorable experience at SIU?
I am so grateful that I chose SIU as this semester I am currently in Melbourne, Australia! I am absolutely loving my time studying abroad. I have seen so many interesting animals and had so many amazing experiences that I couldn’t even imagine growing up in the small town cornfields of Southern Illinois. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester has in store.

What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about SIU?
I love to brag about SIU’s amazing zoology program. I love the research the professors are doing and I love that I get to be a part of it by studying poison frogs in Dr. Brown’s lab.

Could you tell us about the impact of the scholarship on your education at SIU and your life in general?
This scholarship has absolutely changed my life. There is no exaggerating when I say that I probably would not be in school without this scholarship. My family has had a pretty tough financial time, particularly right as I was looking for schools. When that letter came in the mail, it was without a doubt the happiest day of my life as of yet. I knew this opportunity would open so many doors such as, an internship last summer with my favorite place on earth, the St Louis Zoo, and this study abroad opportunity that I am currently undertaking in the wonderful country of Australia. I cannot thank you enough for allowing these experiences to be possible for me, but also allowing me to go to college in the first place.

Why should people consider donating to SIU?
Donating to SIU allows the college to continue changing the lives of students from all over the world. There is such an interesting group of students that attends SIU, and I am so happy to be able to know so many of them. I would probably not be able to get a higher education without the scholarship I received, so I will be eternally grateful to those that donate to SIU.

If you had $1,000 to donate to SIU, what would you like to see that money benefit? Why?
I would like to see the money benefit research at SIU. They are currently cutting so many research opportunities at the school, which is a real shame. Now that so many people are getting a higher education, research is what sets the driven, dedicated, and brilliant students apart from the average. Do we still have opportunities to research? Yes, but the problem is now there is little to no chance of getting an undergraduate assistantship, which allows students to get paid for working at their research position. Because I cannot get paid for research, I have such little time to dedicate to really focusing on a project. Between my studies, the groups and clubs and sports teams I am in, and my job to make money, I have maybe two hours a week to put towards my research which is not nearly enough to develop a quality research topic and follow through with collecting and interpreting the data. This is why more money should be put back into the Undergraduate Research Program so that students like me can continue to do research.

You can support Chancellor’s Scholarships by making a gift online.

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Victoria Estes is a sophomore from Tremont, Illinois, studying theater. She is the recipient of the following scholarships: University Excellence Scholarship, Christian H. Moe Playwriting Scholarship, and Theater Scholarship.

Why did you choose SIU?
The campus is absolutely gorgeous, and the people are some of the friendliest people I have ever met. It felt so welcoming!

What inspired you to choose your area of study?
I have always had a passion for theater. I love to act, write and sing! Theater is the best avenue for me to explore all of those aspects.

What is your most memorable experience at SIU?
My most memorable experience was definitely the first Dawgs Nite Out when I was a freshman. I went with my newly found friends and we had a blast!

What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about SIU?
I’m a sophomore and I’ve already added so many new experiences that will look impressive when I go into the workforce.

Could you tell us about the impact of the scholarship on your education at SIU and your life in general?
It has allowed me to branch out and try more avenues of theater that I may not have had the finances to try without the scholarships. I’ve had more opportunities to add to my résumé than I ever thought possible!

Why should people consider donating to SIU?
There are many students that are brilliant and have wonderful plans to better the world, but they may not have the finances to receive every possible opportunity to reach those goals.

If you had $1,000 to donate to SIU, what would you like to see that money benefit? Why?
I would donate to a theater student interested in playwriting or dramaturgy because students should feel free to explore career paths that they never thought were possible!

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Rachel Bolerjack is a senior from Mt. Vernon, Illinois, studying chemistry.

Why did you choose SIU?
SIU’s College of Science stood out among the other schools I was looking into because they seem to care more about individual students than the overall class size. SIU was also the only school that had not only an undergraduate research program, but a well-developed one. Finally, by being rewarded the Excellence Scholarship, I was able to go to my chosen university without putting an impossible financial burden on my parents and myself. My choice for SIU was a no-brainer.

What inspired you to choose your area of study?
For my entire life, I have always had a curiosity about the universe and how it functions; to the point where I would spend my entire summers watching the Science and Discovery channels.  I knew early on that I would want my career to be in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).  It wasn’t until my Intro to Chemistry course during sophomore year of high school that I discovered chemistry was my passion.  It was through this field that I could explore the inner workings of the universe and understand them.

What are your hobbies, interests, and/or activity groups that you are currently involved in?
Currently I’m involved in research on campus. I recently completed a semester of synthesis research on thermoelectric cooling nanomaterials in Dr. Ahmed’s engineering lab, and I am beginning to work on what eventually will be my senior research project with Dr. Wang in the chemistry department. I also work for the lab manager for the chemistry department to help prep teaching labs.

What was your reaction when you learned that you received the Bertrand scholarship?
I was extremely thankful for receiving the scholarship, as it is one of many factors that made it possible for me to achieve my goal of higher education. It is because of generous donors that I am able to attend SIU and receive the education and research experience that I’ve dreamed of. I will always be grateful to Gary and Marsha Bertrand for making this possible.

What does receiving the Bertrand scholarship mean to you? What difference did it make in your life?
All my finances are in my name since my family cannot provide any financial help, therefore I solely take care of them. When I was beginning my hunt for a higher education institution, it was difficult to find an institution with the degree and programs I wanted without having a high price. I was extremely fortunate to receive scholarships because without them I would not have been able to afford my degree at any university.  This includes this scholarship as well. Without it, my education would not have been able to be funded, which would have made it financially impossible for me to attend SIU.

How has the donor’s generosity impacted your view on your education and goals for the future?
It is because of generous donors that students are able to achieve their goals and make a difference in the world. After being able to achieve my goals through the help of donors and scholarships, I would like to one day do the same. The impact a donor has on a student’s life is monumental and after being on the receiving end I want to eventually be on the giving end.

How will the Bertrand scholarship help you make a difference in society?
My career goal is to lead research in solar technology to achieve efficient, resilient, and affordable solar cells. This goal cannot be achieved without first obtaining my education and research experience. My bachelor’s degree is just one of the many educational steps I am taking to obtain my desired career. Without this scholarship, my path to this career would have been very unstable, if not nonexistent.

Do you have a message that you would like to share with Mr. and Mrs. Bertrand?Thank you for your financial support to SIU students.  Without you, many students dreams and ambitions would remain just that. Education is a fulfilling part of a person that cannot be taken away but its obtainment can be impossible due to financial status.  It is because of you that this student can accomplish her dreams and she will always be thankful for that.

Why should donors consider establishing a scholarship fund for students?
Unfortunately, the world is not funded on grit alone. Just like research, a valuable education must be funded in some way, shape or form. There are many individuals who want to obtain a higher education but cannot afford it. They then settle for less than their dreams and the world loses out on an individual who can make a difference. Investing in students and the differences they will make is one of the greatest investments someone could ever make.

Has receiving this scholarship inspired you to give back to SIU in the future?
There will always be an individual who believes they cannot afford their dreams. With an increase in lower income families and rising college prices, investing in students is going to become more and more important. As someone who’s life was changed by a donor, I plan on one day returning the favor. I know the gut dropping feeling of seeing the average yearly price of an institution and it being more than what your house is worth. I never want to see a hardworking individual turn away from their hopes and ambitions because of a price.

How would you like to support SIU students in the future?
There are many ways to help SIU and future students, but the most probable way I would contribute is through a scholarship fund. It is because of these that I have been able to attend SIU, and I know others will be in the same position.

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Angel Galeana is a junior from Caseyville, Illinois, studying computer science and business administration.

Why did you choose SIU?
I decided to attend SIU because of the great computer science program, great atmosphere, and the university was closest to home.

What inspired you to choose your area of study?
Growing up I was always interested in technology. I enjoyed fixing and programming computers. People like Bill Gates inspired me to be a software engineer.

What are your hobbies, interests, and/or activity groups that you are currently involved in?
Here at SIU I’m involved with The National Honor Society RSO, Minorities in Computer Science RSO, Association for Computing Machinery RSO, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers RSO and Latino Culture Association RSO.

What was your reaction when you learned that you received the Bertrand scholarship?
I was very happy and thankful for this scholarship.

What does receiving the Bertrand scholarship mean to you? What difference did it make in your life?
This scholarship means so much to me because it’s a representation of how much I have accomplished in my life despite all the challenges I had to over come throughout my life. This scholarship has allowed me to focus more on my studies.

How has the donor’s generosity impacted your view on your education and goals for the future?
The donor’s generosity has motivated me to continue my education and get closer to achieving my goals.

How will the Bertrand scholarship help you make a difference in society?
The Bertrand scholarship will help me motivate others to pursue their goals because anything is possible with hard work and dedication.

Do you have a message that you would like to share with Mr. and Mrs. Bertrand?
I want to thank you for your generosity and I hope to be able to help other students in the future.

Why should donors consider establishing a scholarship fund for students?
Donors should consider establishing a scholarship fund for students because it will allow students to achieve their career goals and have the opportunity to give back as well.

Has receiving this scholarship inspired you to give back to SIU in the future?
Yes, I look forward to giving back to SIU to help future students.

How would you like to support SIU students in the future?
I would like to donate for a scholarship fund.

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Logan Jerolds is planning to take his local work ethic global.

The freshman from Jonesboro is studying foreign language and international trade. He said SIU’s international student population was an important factor in his decision to come to Carbondale.

“I’ve wanted to be involved with international students and their culture,” Jerolds said. “That’s always been my passion.”

Coming to SIU wasn’t a given for Jerolds. As is the case for many students, there were financial hurdles to overcome. He applied for loans and filled out applications for numerous scholarships.

“I wanted to come to SIU, so I started saving right off the bat,” he said. “I was just even praying about it.”

Then came the news he had received the Martha Lence Wynn Scholarship, which is worth $8,000 a year. This scholarship is specifically for graduates of Anna Jonesboro High School. The funds ensured Jerolds was able to begin his Saluki journey.

“It brought an extreme amount of joy to me, because when you know you’re not going to have debt for the rest of your life that just brings this weight off,” he said. “I have the utmost gratitude to the donors.”

Jerolds said he encourages other students to get involved with activities at SIU.

“You can jump in and become part of the university really fast,” he said.

While his time at SIU is still in its early stages, Jerolds’ ultimate goal is to travel abroad and see as much of the rest of the world as he can.

“I really do have a desire to travel the world,” he said. “I’ve been spending a lot of time and a lot of hard work for most of my life saving for that.”

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Carmen Burkett is a senior from Carterville, Illinois, studying zoology.

Why did you choose SIU?
SIU is a beautiful campus, offering unique experiences, and the degree program I desired.

What are your hobbies, interests, and/or activity groups that you are currently involved in?
I enjoy the beautiful, natural surroundings and outdoor activities close to SIU. It has been a great experience to meet International students through the conversation partner program and other activities.

What was your reaction when you learned that you received the Bertrand scholarship?
I felt extreme gratitude.

What does receiving the Bertrand scholarship mean to you? What difference did it make in your life?
I am so thankful–not only have I been given the opportunity to learn and grow academically, I have had so many wonderful experiences since starting at SIU. I have met people from all over the world, witnessed exciting research, and been part of something great.

How has the donor’s generosity impacted your view on your educations and goals for the future?
I hope to one day be able to tangibly help others achieve their educational goals,thereby building society as a whole.

How will the Bertrand scholarship help you make a difference in society?
I hope I, too, can be a source of inspiration and practical assistance to others who are working toward their goals.

Do you have a message that you would like to share with Mr. and Mrs. Bertrand?
I am so very grateful. Thank you.

Why should donors consider establishing a scholarship fund for students?
This is truly an investment in the future of society.

How would you like to support SIU students in the future?
I would like to be part of nourishing the learning environment for others.