Nontraditional students awarded scholarships from Community Foundation of Macon County
Four nontraditional Macon County students from Millikin University received scholarship awards in Nov. 2021 to help them pursue their dreams of completing a college education to earn degrees in nursing, organizational leadership and early childhood education.
The awards, which totaled more than $6,000, were offered through the competitive adult scholarship program introduced by The Community Foundation of Macon County (CFMC) in Dec. 2020.
The following students were selected to receive scholarship awards for the spring 2022 semester:
- Sarah Bradley, nursing
- Amanda Drain, nursing
- Shantel Rogers, organizational leadership
- Michelle Wall, 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."
The nontraditional scholarship opportunity is offered twice yearly, for the 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.
"We sincerely appreciate the financial support provided to Millikin students through the Community Foundation," said Millikin University Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Stacey Hubbard. "Nontraditional students are oftentimes an overlooked population for scholarship support and have great need."
CFMC Director of Strategic Grantmaking Tony Holly added, "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. 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."
Established in 2000, The Community Foundation of Macon County stewards more than 365 funds and total assets of $50 million. To date, The Community Foundation has distributed over $37 million to charitable organizations and endeavors.