Nine Local Residents Receive Life-Changing Adult Scholarship Awards

Scholarships presented to nontraditional students

Nine Macon County residents, all nontraditional students, have received adult scholarship awards to help them pursue their interrupted dreams of completing a college education to earn degrees in nursing or education, among other fields. The awards, which totaled $14,000, were offered through the competitive adult scholarship program introduced by The Community Foundation of Macon County (CFMC) last December. The students selected to receive scholarship awards for spring semester 2022:

  • Sarah Bradley, Millikin University, nursing
  • Keela Cook, Richland Community College, nursing
  • Keagan Cunningham, Richland Community College, art
  • Tyrrina Dandridge, Richland Community College, early childhood education
  • Amanda Drain, Millikin University, nursing
  • Heidi Lourash, Richland Community College, early childhood education
  • Shantel Rogers, Millikin University, organizational leadership
  • Shawndra Sorrell, Richland Community College, agribusiness
  • Michelle Wall, Millikin University, early childhood education

“The Community Foundation of Macon County is one of the few community foundations in the United States to offer adult scholarships,” says CFMC Scholarship Coordinator Kathy Carter. “Many adults in Macon County are seeking better career or work opportunities. In many cases, they also seek to fulfill their educational goals while juggling work and raising a family.”

This nontraditional scholarship opportunity is offered twice yearly, for spring and fall semester, to eligible Macon County residents age 24 or older. Applicants must have interrupted their education, at some point, for at least three years after graduating from high school or completing a GED, and financial need is considered when determining award recipients.

“Adult scholarship recipients have a drive to succeed and a passion for completing their degrees to open doors to a new position or to advance in their chosen field,” says CFMC President Natalie Beck. “The adult scholarship program for Macon County residents gives opportunities for nontraditional learners who have the drive and desire to achieve their educational goals but don’t have the funding to make it happen. Helping them attain the knowledge and skills they seek moves our entire community forward.”

Online applications for fall semester 2022 scholarship awards open Jan. 1 on The Community Foundation of Macon County website at maconcountygives.org. For more information about the adult scholarship program or the application process, visit https://www.heartofillinois.org/adult-scholarships or contact Kathy Carter at 217-220-1363 or kcarter@maconcountygives.org.