{"id":2180,"date":"2021-05-19T13:49:31","date_gmt":"2021-05-19T13:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=2180"},"modified":"2021-06-15T15:06:43","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T15:06:43","slug":"chancellors-scholarship-program-nurtures-special-connections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/?p=2180","title":{"rendered":"Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program nurtures special connections"},"content":{"rendered":"

Donors encouraged to get involved<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Jeff Wilson<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program offers a special opportunity to select SIU undergraduates.<\/p>\n

The full scholarship, valued at over $102,000, covers in-state tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board charges for four years. Beyond the monetary benefit, the scholarship has great value to students and the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program allows students to pursue their passion,\u201d said Dr. LaShonda Stewart, director of the program. \u201cThey work with esteemed professors, have the chance to study abroad, and complete 20 hours of community service. They are constantly engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program creates a community of support and engagement. The graduation rate for recipients of the scholarship is nearly 100 percent, and most stay connected to the university and one another for years.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re truly teaching the leaders of tomorrow,\u201d Stewart said. \u201cThey make the best ambassadors for the university, both as students and later as alumni.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even the process of selecting recipients creates a buzz around SIU among prospective students.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, we\u2019ve hosted about 260 students and their parents for our CSP events,\u201d said Amber Rivers, program coordinator for academic scholarships. \u201cThis year, the chancellor went to some local schools and personally informed students about their scholarship. That really built great excitement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Currently, the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program works as a tuition voucher program, which means the university simply allows those students to come to SIU and live on campus for free.<\/p>\n

Now, the university is offering alumni the opportunity to support and potentially expand the program through donations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an incredible opportunity,\u201d said SIU Foundation CEO Matt Kupec. \u201cBy financially backing the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program, our alumni can put their stamp on one of the university\u2019s most prestigious programs.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plan, which is in its early stages, wouldn\u2019t change much about the program, but it would give the university a financial boost and add to the impact of these scholarships.<\/p>\n

Dozens of students are offered Chancellor\u2019s Scholarships each year, and there are hundreds of alumni around the country. Here are few of their stories:<\/p>\n

\"\"Mason Higgins, 2018 graduate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nearing the end of his high school years in Oregon, Wisconsin, Mason Higgins said he was \u201cthrowing darts\u201d when it came to choosing a college.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll I knew is, at that time, I wanted to get away from home, and then I received a letter from SIU,\u201d he said. \u201cI decided to stop by on my way to some other places.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having never been to Southern Illinois before, Higgins didn\u2019t know what to expect. At the time, he was interested in theater, so he stopped by the RSO fair.<\/p>\n

\u201cI asked a student at the booth whether I could join the program even if I wasn\u2019t a theater student, and he didn\u2019t know,\u201d he said. \u201cI walked from the Rec Center to Starbucks at the Student Center and found that Tom Kidd had followed me all the way there. I walk fast, and he caught me and told me to join.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kidd, who recently passed away, was the director of SIU\u2019s theater department, and his persistence impressed Higgins.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that, I really fell in love with campus, the greenery, the beauty,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody at SIU loved SIU. There was a lot of positivity in the air. It really is a small school with big opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

Receiving the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship allowed Higgins to pursue many goals and flex his academic muscle. He earned three bachelor\u2019s degrees \u2013 music, Spanish, and criminology \u2013 and even took 30 credit hours his last semester.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was able to learn about who I am,\u201d he said. \u201cThe program offers so much mentorship, and you\u2019re being constantly challenged. SIU decided to invest in me, and it paid dividends.\u201d<\/p>\n

After graduating, Higgins worked for about a year and half as a police officer in Madison, Wisconsin, until he decided to pursue a law degree from the University of Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike SIU, the Madison police officers all love their jobs and their community,\u201d he said. \u201cI just thought I\u2019d be happier as an attorney. I know I want to be a litigator, work as an advocate, and focus on civil rights.\u201d<\/p>\n

He gives the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program credit for shaping him and said he believes the program is a perfect choice for those with a philanthropic spirit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had a family in that program. It helps you to be your best person,\u201d Higgins said. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to the day I have money to give back.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Britt Peyton, 2021 graduate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Britt Peyton, who is graduating from SIU this spring, clearly remembers the moment she found out she had received the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad brought it to softball practice, and he said, \u2018You got the letter,\u2019\u201d said the Norris City, Illinois, native. \u201cIt\u2019s not an opportunity a lot of students get. It was amazing because I didn\u2019t have to do it by myself.\u201d<\/p>\n

A third-generation Saluki, Peyton made the most of her experience in Carbondale. She earned her bachelor\u2019s in biological science, worked as a Saluki ambassador, and was a member of the Marching Salukis. Next, she\u2019ll start the BSN program at Barnes-Jewish in St. Louis.<\/p>\n

The financial relief provided by the scholarship allowed her focus on furthering her education and gain experience in her field by working as a CNA at a local nursing home and compiling patient contact hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to convey how amazing the opportunities are at SIU,\u201d she said. \u201cThe Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship helped me make many important connections. The more scholarships the better, and coming from alumni, it would mean that much more.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Luis Prado, 2019 graduate<\/strong><\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for Luis Prado to see that SIU was the right place for him and receiving the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship made it that much more special.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy heart was split about where to go,\u201d he said. \u201cI was invited for a visit and when I got here, I immediately thought, \u2018What is this place?\u2019 I was taken by how beautiful campus is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prado had already decided on SIU and was ready to join the Marching Salukis before he first learned about the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started college with 200 friends because of the Marching Salukis,\u201d he said. \u201cI was prepared to work while going to school, and then I learned about the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the Westmont, Illinois, native was notified that he\u2019d been selected for the scholarship, he was overjoyed.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll that extra time I was going to spend doing other things, I was now able to put into organizations and research,\u201d Prado said. \u201cI was able to change my major three times. I feel blessed.\u201d<\/p>\n

He decided to focus on geology and is now working on his master\u2019s in environmental sustainability at SIU while working as a teaching assistant. Prado chalks much of his success to the opportunities afforded to him by the scholarship.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents can explore their passion outside and inside the classroom,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019re part of a community of excellence. There are resources that allow you to flourish.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Elijah Henson, 2021 graduate<\/strong><\/p>\n

An Albion, Illinois, native Elijah Henson was considering moving away for college until his little sister was born.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that, I didn\u2019t want to move too far away,\u201d he said about deciding to come to SIU. \u201cI\u2019ve been really happy with my decision.\u201d<\/p>\n

After being accepted, Henson received a Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship. Coming from a family of five the financial support was important.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gave me the opportunity to explore,\u201d he said. \u201cMy scholarship made college what it was for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Henson was an active member of Alpha Sigma Phi and part of the Saluki Student Investment Fund, which allows business students hands-on experience in portfolio management and investment research.<\/p>\n

\u201c(The SSIF) really opened up my eyes,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ve learned a lot more and gotten ahead in my classes.\u201d<\/p>\n

After graduating this spring with a bachelor\u2019s in accounting, Henson will begin working as an audit associate at Grant Thornton Public Accounting in St. Louis.<\/p>\n

Grace Vargas, 2019 graduate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Growing up in Logan Square in Chicago, Grace Vargas went to a competitive high school. While many of her classmates were exploring Ivy League options, she found everything she was looking for at SIU.<\/p>\n

After finding out about the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship and attending a Scholarship Weekend event on campus, she was convinced.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was excited to find a state school with so many options,\u201d she said. \u201cI knew I wanted to grow here and be changed by this place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Receiving a full scholarship offered the ability to explore options, and eventually she settled on anthropology as her major. She also studied marketing, Spanish language, political science, and Latino studies.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe scholarship gave me freedom to pursue things I cared about,\u201d Vargas said. \u201cI found people who were so warm and curious. I am so blessed to have gotten this scholarship.\u201d<\/p>\n

While at SIU, she interned for state Rep. Will Guzzardi and helped bring him to the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. Vargas went on to work as his chief of staff for about a year.<\/p>\n

During the pandemic, she\u2019s been working in communications and marketing for state Rep. Delia Ramirez and finding success with remote work options.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a go-getter and being at SIU was about being that person,\u201d Vargas said. \u201cMy experience at SIU was about holistic development.\u201d<\/p>\n

By supporting the Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program, Vargas said alumni and donors have the chance to make a major difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can be who you needed when you were younger,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you\u2019re blessed enough to help, do whatever you can. It\u2019s not just an education. It\u2019s not about getting the degree and leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Engage with us on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>,\u00a0Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Instagram<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Donors encouraged to get involved By Jeff Wilson The Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program offers a special opportunity to select SIU undergraduates. The full scholarship, valued at over $102,000, covers in-state tuition, mandatory fees, and room and board charges for four years. Beyond the monetary benefit, the scholarship has great value to students and the university. \u201cThe … Continue reading Chancellor\u2019s Scholarship Program nurtures special connections<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4,9,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-higher-education","category-illinois-higher-education","category-scholarship-recipient","category-siu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2180"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2180\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2201,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2180\/revisions\/2201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.siuf.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}