15 scholarships up for grabs

Attention high school seniors: It’s time to begin applying for college scholarships. Illinois electric cooperatives will award 15 $2,000 scholarships in 2023 to financially assist deserving students in the electric co-op family. Scholarships are awarded through the Thomas H. Moore Illinois Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Memorial Scholarship Program.

Nine scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors whose parent(s) are Illinois electric co-op members. A 10th scholarship, the Earl W. Struck Memorial Scholarship, will be awarded to a student who is the child of an Illinois electric cooperative employee or director. Four additional scholarships are reserved for high school seniors enrolling full-time at a two-year Illinois community college whose parent(s) are Illinois electric cooperative members or an employee.

The 15th scholarship, the LaVern and Nola McEntire Lineworker’s Scholarship, helps pay for costs to attend lineworker school conducted by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in conjunction with Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield. Children of co-op members, relatives of co-op employees or directors, and individuals who have served or are serving in the armed forces or National Guard are eligible.

The deadline to apply for the first 14 is Dec. 31, 2022. The lineworker scholarship deadline is April 30, 2023. For more information regarding the scholarships, contact your local electric cooperative or go to aiec.coop/iec-scholarship.