Donors

The College of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Fund

The College of Arts and Sciences Scholarship Fund has been established by the generosity of COUNTRY Financial for students who are receiving a broad foundational education offered in the liberal arts and sciences in the following programs/departments: Actuarial Sciences, Economics, English, History, Mathematics, Philosophy, Physics, and Psychology.

The Barbara Lee Aubertine Scholarship was established by Matt Aubertine, a graduate of U-High in 1976, and ISU in 1987. He was moved to establish this scholarship to honor his mother, who was originally from California. Barbara, a UC Berkeley graduate, was a literature major. Matt's appreciation for the value of good writing was shaped by his mother. Preference will be given to students majoring in English or Journalism with financial need. 

The Roger and Joyce Eads Endowed Scholarship was established by Roger and Joyce Eads.

Roger graduated from Illinois State in 1971 with a Mathematics Major and a BS in Education. Joyce graduated from Blackburn College in 1970 with a BA in English and later completed some computer science courses at ISU. They taught school for a few years after graduation followed by long careers at State Farm Insurance Companies.

The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance to deserving students. Roger and Joyce worked and received financial aid during their college years. They want to help current sophomore, junior, or senior ISU students majoring in Mathematics, English, History, Physics, Chemistry, or Biological Sciences with a 2.7 minimum grade point average on a 4.0 scale to obtain their degrees leading to increased career opportunities and satisfying social and personal lives.

The John and Susan Freed Scholarship was established by John B. Freed, Distinguished Professor, Chair, and Dean Emeritus at Illinois State University and his wife, Susan Anderson Freed, Professor at Illinois Wesleyan University. Their only daughter Jenny was diagnosed with attention deficit syndrome after she failed the first grade, but learned how to compensate for her disability and graduated magna cum laude from Carleton College. The donors wish to recognize students in the College of Arts and Sciences who have overcome their disabilities and who can serve as role models for other students.

Founder's Statement

I grew up in Pontiac, Illinois, the only child of a furniture salesman and a legal stenographer. As an elementary student impressed by my teachers, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. Along the way, other educators inspired and encouraged me. Now, after thirty-four years as a teacher, I can unequivocally say I made the right choice. At eighty years of age, after over two decades of retirement, I still miss the challenge, excitement and considerable rewards of teaching young people.

Neither of my parents attended college, but they were both determined that I would have that opportunity. In 1958, I graduated from Illinois State Normal University with a teaching degree, and in 1963 was awarded a master's degree, also from Illinois State University, the first of my family to earn either. All five of my children have attended college; my eldest is the first in our family to earn a doctorate. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without dedicated individual effort and the financial assistance of scholarships.

While pursuing a master's degree at Illinois State University, I worked as a graduate assistant, and then faculty assistant, in the Social Studies Department. From 1961 through 1993, I thought social studies classes at Walnut High School in Walnut, Illinois. The junior and senior level courses included American History, American Government, Sociology, Illinois History, Consumer Education, Critical Thinking and Moral Reasoning.

In 1995, I became a member of the Committee of 10 that piloted the consolidation of four area high schools and six grade school districts into Bureau Valley High School in Manlius, Illinois. When the new $12 million high school opened in 1998, it boasted a curriculum more than double the size of the original four high schools combined. For me, the goal was always how best to make available the greatest range of opportunities for students. The three-year journey to, and continued success of, that consolidation is the single most important and influential accomplishment of my professional career.

I retired from teaching in 1993 and for a period of time, continued to operate a photography studio I had owned for twenty years. Recent years have been richly filled with travel, volunteer work, Rotary Activities, historical group membership and the publication of a book on local Illinois history.

Albert Einstein said it best: "A hundred times a day, I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving." This Scholarship is an attempt to acknowledge those labors.

I wish recipients of this Scholarship the very best in their endeavors and charge each of them with the responsibility to enrich the lives of others.

The Robert J. Glaser memorial Scholarship Endowed Fund will provide support toward tuition, room and board, fees and books associated with the recipient's studies.  

The Greenebaum Memorial Fund was established by Elisabeth C. Greenebaum of Chicago, Illinois to provide scholarships for the education of students at Illinois State University who are studying to become teachers, and who may not otherwise be able to afford college tuition. All scholarships shall be made in the memory of Elisabeth C. Greenebaum, her parents, Helen Greenebaum and Jacob Greenebaum, and her brother, Henry E. Greenebaum.

Eight scholarships will be awarded annually. Ms. Greenebaum did not intend that a scholarship would cover 100% of a recipient’s total cost.

The intent of the Carl D. Heldt Scholarship is to enable natural sciences students of promise, who are otherwise unable to attend college, to attend Illinois State University free from the costs of tuition and fees.

This scholarship is named for Carl Diederich Heldt (1913-1983). Carl Heldt was a member of the Illinois State University faculty for 22 years. During this time he served as a coach for linemen on the football team and weight events on the track team, while holding academic positions within the Department of Physical Education. Although highly successful as a coach, his greatest impact was upon the young men and women whose lives he touched. He was a pillar of integrity, role model, and wise mentor to students and alumni.

Because of this impact, a group of former students have established the Carl D. Heldt Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund to foster Carl's legacy for future generations of Illinois State University students in perpetuity. This scholarship may be renewable.

Carl Heldt was a native of Indiana and attended Purdue University, where he was captain of the football team and recipient of the Big Ten Medal of Honor for Academics and Athletics. After a short career in professional football, he served in the United States Navy as a Lieutenant Commander in the V-12 program. Later, after two years at the University of Oregon, he came to Illinois State (Normal) University in 1949, retiring in 1971.

Each candidate for a Carl D. Heldt Memorial Endowed Scholarship must be or have:

The Helen and Shirley Highland Scholarship was created by Jeff and Lisa Charnogorsky, to honor the legacy of Jeff's grandmother, Helen, and mother, Shirley. Jeff graduated in 1985 with a bachelor of science in political science. He and his wife created a scholarship to assist a well deserving student with the increasing costs of higher education at ISU in the College of Arts and Sciences. Neither Helen nor Shirley attended college as the financial barrier was too great for the family at the time. They were both loving and caring mothers and wives devoted to raising their families. A college degree was something few women attained during Helen and Shirley's time. Times have changed and this scholarship endeavors to assist an ISU student in attaining a degree. Education is empowerment.

The Deon Johnson Scholarship Fund was established in 2020 to provide financial support for vulnerable students from the College of Arts and Sciences who come from families with challenges to meet the cost of higher education. Student must be a member of one of the following organizations: Black Student Union, Association of Latin American Students, or Multicultural Greek Council. Preference will be given to students who are from a single parent/guardian household and/or a student majoring in social work.

The Leola Lohr Nelson Scholarship was established by her children to honor her. Mrs. Nelson encouraged her children to value education and when her grandchildren came along, she played an instrumental role in assisting them to attain their educational goals, also.

Purpose

The Promoting Equality in the Sciences Scholarship was established by Joseph and Shannon Fluder with the purpose of offering a scholarship which will support and promote an individual with a commitment to diversity and inclusion at Illinois State University. The scholarship may be awarded as either a recruitment scholarship for an incoming undergraduate student (first-year or transfer) or to a continuing undergraduate student.

Selection Process and Criteria

Applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled in a major in one of the following departments: Geography, Geology, and the Environment; Sociology and Anthropology; Social Work; Politics and Government; and Psychology.
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Prepare a personal statement (approximately 300 words) which demonstrates how their life experiences have fostered an understanding of and commitment to addressing issues of diversity and inclusion in the following communities: Black, indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), or LGBTQ+.
• Where the scholarship is to be awarded to a continuing ISU student, preference is given to those students who are a member in one of the following student organizations:
  • African Student Association
  • Asian Pacific American Coalition
  • Association of LatinX American Students
  • Bangladesh Students Association
  • Black Artists League
  • Black Girl Code
  • Black Excellence
  • Black Student Union
  • Chinese International Association
  • Colors International
  • Diversity Advocacy,
  • Feminist Led Activist Movement to Empower
  • Future Educators of Color
  • Hear My Soul
  • Indian Student Association
  • Japanese Language and Culture Club
  • Korean Student Union
  • Minorities in Agriculture
  • Natural Resources and Related Sciences
  • Minority Students for Political Change
  • Moor Pride Incorporated (Black LGBTQ)
  • Muslim Student Association
  • My Brother's Keeper
  • My Sister's Keeper
  • National Association of Colored Women's Clubs
  • PRIDE
  • Society Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
  • South Asian Student Alliance
  • Taiwanese Student Association
• Where the scholarship is to be awarded as a recruitment scholarship for an incoming student, no preference for student organization membership is required.

This scholarship was established by Mark Bruker ('85, MS '87), Jeff Charnogorsky ('85), Bob Freitag ('84), Tom Pfeiff ('83), and Larry Apfelbaum ('83). The friendship these five built as students at Illinois State University has continued long past graduation. Each credits Illinois State University with providing a basis for the success he has enjoyed. Through the Redbird 5 Scholarship they seek to give back to the University that has given them so much. More importantly, the Redbird 5 Scholarship allows these men the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a current Illinois State University student by providing financial support to a student who might otherwise be unable to obtain an Illinois State University education.

Craig Reeser graduated from Illinois State University in 1975 with degrees in Political Science and Sociology. His student years were “four of the best years of my life.” In 2005, after the death of Craig’s father, W. E. Reeser, Craig decided to “give back to the university” through his inheritance and established the Craig W. Reeser Scholarship in the Social Sciences.

The purpose of the Craig W. Reeser Scholarship in the Social Sciences is to provide financial support to student(s) pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the Social Sciences, within the College of Arts and Sciences, at Illinois State University. The Social Sciences include the Departments of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Economics, History, Politics and Government, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, and the School of Social Work. The goal is to provide opportunity for educational support to students across a wide range of study.

Each candidate for the Craig W. Reeser Scholarship in the Social Sciences must meet the following criteria:

• Be enrolled in good standing at Illinois State University
• Be a full-time student majoring in one of the undergraduate degree programs in the Social Sciences, within the College of Arts and Sciences, or a graduate student accepted to an advanced degree program in the Social Sciences, within the College of Arts and Sciences
• Have demonstrated strong academic achievement, as evidenced by a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Have demonstrated financial need, as determined by the Financial Aid office
• Use the award for educational expenses
• Have submitted an essay describing the student’s career interests and intentions

A single scholarship award will be deposited in the recipient’s Illinois State University account at the beginning of the fall semester to help cover educational expenses. The amount of the award will be based on the earned income from the principal of the fund.

Laurine Reiske was a 1932 graduate of Illinois State University. After her death, her husband, John W. Reiske, created a fund in her name to provide scholarships for high-achieving students as a part of a bequest to the University. The College of Arts and Sciences received that estate gift in 2005.

Scholarships are to be awarded to undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences at Illinois State University in accordance with the following criteria:

• The scholarships will be awarded based on academic merit to students who have a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 for all course work performed at Illinois State University.
• The recipients of the scholarships will have compiled enough credit hours to be considered of sophomore standing or above.
• The recipients of the scholarships may be eligible for renewal provided that the student submits an application by the deadline and continues to meet all the above criteria.

A single scholarship award will be deposited in the recipient’s Illinois State University account at the beginning of the fall semester to help cover educational expenses. The amount of the award will be based on the earned income from the principal of the fund.

Joan and Neil Styczynski have created this scholarship in support of the education community of Central Illinois through Illinois State University and Heartland Community College. With the scholarship, they are “paying back” for the generosity from which they benefited. It is their hope that the recipients of this scholarship will “pay it forward” in helping and affecting lives of young people in a positive way.

Each candidate for a Neil and Joan Styczynski Scholarship must meet the following criteria:

• Accepted or enrolled in good standing at Illinois State University as a transfer student from a community college. Preference will be given to transfer students from Heartland Community College.
• Declared major in a teaching discipline within the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Academic standing of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Demonstrated financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office at Illinois State University.
• Using the scholarship for educational expenses, including tuition, fees, books and/or costs associated with student teaching. Award is applied to expenses incurred the semester following selection of the recipient.

A single scholarship award will be deposited in the recipient’s Illinois State University account at the beginning of the fall semester to help cover educational expenses. The amount of the award will equal tuition for an academic year (30 hours) for each scholarship recipient.

Purpose

The Swanson Scholarship for Secondary Education Majors was established by Sharon Swanson in 2020 to provide financial support for students pursuing a secondary education major in the College of Arts and Sciences. Sharon graduated from ISU in 1969 with a B.S. in Education and in 1970 with an M.S. in School Psychology. Her now deceased husband, Harold (Bud), graduated from ISU in 1963 with a B.S. in Education and in 1966 with an M.S. in School Psychology. Recognizing the great value that teachers play as inspirational role models, the scholarship is primarily interested in promoting the value of men and people of color who pursue teaching as a noble profession. Preference will be given to students with demonstrated financial need who are an incoming freshman or a senior who is beginning student teaching. Applicants must submit a short essay (max. 300 words) describing the importance and value of diversity, including men and persons of color, in the teaching profession.

Selection Process and Criteria

Students applying for the Swanson Scholarship must meet the following criteria:

• Students pursuing a secondary teacher education degree in one of the disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences. Preference given to student with demonstrated financial need.
• Applicant must provide a short essay (max. 300 words) describing the importance and value of diversity, including men and persons of color, in the teaching profession.
• Student may be an incoming freshman or a senior who is beginning student teaching.
• A scholarship will be awarded for the following term: one-time award. Recipients are eligible to reapply provided they meet all other criteria.