EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Community Development awarded $10,500 in scholarships on Wednesday to 14 college students.
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County Recorder Amy Meyer and County Board members Clint Jones of Maryville and Bruce Malone of Alton presented the Community Service Block Grant scholarships. Five of the 14 students attended an award ceremony
Each student will receive $1,500 scholarships — $750 for their first semester and $750 the second. To receive money the second semester students must maintain a required GPA.
Scholarship recipients were required to complete an application, provide a letter of recommendation, an essay, transcripts and meet income eligibility qualifications. The scholarship can be used for tuition, books and fees.
The scholarship recipients are:
Lewis & Clark Community College
1. Houston Hardimon of Alton — majoring in web design
2. Breaunna Jackson of Alton — majoring in dental hygiene
3. Jennifer Lane of Alton — majoring in nursing
4. Jordan Jackson of Alton — majoring in process operations technology
5. Cory Howard of Cottage Hills — majoring in process operations technology
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
6. Dylan Arnold of Bethalto — majoring in computer science
7. Gabrielle DeRouen of Edwardsville — majoring in human resource management
8. Brejani Owens of Edwardsville — majoring in social work
Southwestern Illinois College
9. Timothy Aclan of Maryville — majoring in computer science
10. Tanya Gaddy of Granite City — majoring in criminal justice
11. Taylor Gordon of Granite City — majoring in art
12. Alexis Mistrurak of Granite City — majoring in paralegal studies
13. Paeton Pavia — majoring in art therapy and psychology
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
14. Aimee Pargin — majoring in workforce education and development
Those who attended the ceremony were DeRouen, Aclan, Mistrurak, Pavia and Pargin.
Meyer said Jennifer Roth with Madison County Mental Health, Maura Wuellner, United Way of Greater St. Louis and Stephanie Terry, Centerstone served as the 2017 Community Service Block Grant Scholarship Committee (CSBG) selected the 14 individuals. The committee included
The scholarship funding was provided through the CSBG, which is administered by Madison County Community Development. The department provides core funding to reduce poverty, revitalize low-income communities and to empower low-income families to become self-sufficient.
The scholarship committee members are a part of the CSBG Advisory Council, which oversees and advises the operations of the CSBG program activities. The council is made up of a tripartite board with equal representation from elected public officials, the private sector and representatives of low-income individuals and families in Madison County in accordance with the CSBG Act.
Meyer said she knows the importance of receiving an education. She said her mother never graduated high school, yet instilled her the value of education by going back to school.
“She got her GED and then went to nursing school,” she said. “I was in the fifth grade when she graduated.”
She said her dad went to college “on the G.I. Bill.” She said he was also one of the first to attend law school at SIUC.
“My parents used to tell me to get an education because it’s the one thing no one can take away,” Meyer said.
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