Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative President/CEO, Bob Hunzinger, has announced that the Illinois electric cooperatives in 2019 will award eleven academic scholarships to high school seniors through a memorial scholarship fund designed to financially assist deserving students in the “electric cooperative family.”   In addition, a twelfth scholarship – to assist with costs in attending an electric lineworker school – will also be offered.

The total of twelve scholarships of $2,000 each will be awarded in 2019 through the Thomas H. Moore Illinois Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Memorial Scholarship Program.

Six scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who are the sons or daughters of an Illinois electric cooperative member receiving service from the cooperative. A seventh scholarship, the Earl W. Struck Memorial Scholarship, will be awarded to a student who is the son or daughter of an Illinois electric cooperative employee or director. Four additional scholarships are reserved for students enrolling full-time at a two-year Illinois community college who are the sons or daughters of Illinois electric cooperative members, employees or directors.

The twelfth annual scholarship, the “LaVern and Nola McEntire Lineworker’s Scholarship,” is a $2,000 scholarship that will help pay for costs to attend the lineworker’s school conducted by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in conjunction with Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield, Ill. Sons and daughters of co-op members; relatives of co-op employees or directors; is enrolled in the Lincoln Land Lineworker’s school; or individuals who have served or are serving in the armed forces or National Guard are all eligible to apply for the lineworker’s scholarship.

“We hope to assist electric cooperative youth while honoring past rural electric leaders with these scholarships,” says Hunzinger. “Eastern Illini and the other Illinois electric cooperatives are always seeking ways to make a difference in our communities. One of the best ways we can do that is by helping our youth through programs like this one.  In addition, we are very pleased to offer the electric lineworker’s scholarship.  It will benefit not only electric cooperative youth but also those fine men and women who have served their country through their military service and may now be wanting to become a trained lineworker.”

For more information regarding the scholarships, contact Debbie Laird at 217-379-0447. Information has also been shared with area high school guidance counselors.