Macomb, Illinois, August 27, 2021 – Western Illinois Regional Council-Community Action Agency (WIRC-CAA) is pleased to announce that 10 income-eligible students across multiple western Illinois counties have been awarded $2,000 scholarships. Six awards went to students in McDonough County; two awards were given to Warren County students; and two awards were presented to Knox County students. Scholarship funds are applied directly towards tuition, fees, books, supplies, and/or room and board.   

Applicants had to meet three core requirements in order to be considered for the scholarship: they are enrolled at an Illinois community college, vocational school, college, or university on at least a half-time basis; their primary residence is in Hancock, Henderson, McDonough, Knox, or Warren County in Illinois; and their household’s total income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. In addition, applicants were evaluated on a short essay about how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their academic progress, and letters of recommendation. Due to the income component of the scholarship, the names of the award recipients are not being publicized to protect their privacy. 

Thanks to developments in the scholarship program, award recipients who maintain a 2.5 GPA or better for the Fall 2021 semester may be awarded an additional $2,000 for the Spring 2022 semester, making their overall scholarship award worth $4,000. The award recipients must provide documentation of their GPA to WIRC-CAA to qualify for the additional award. 

WIRC-CAA Public Relations Manager Jamie Roth says that financial barriers to attending college are very difficult to overcome for students of lower-income families. “People are often told that they need to go to trade school or get a college degree if they want to have a secure financial future,” said Roth. “For students of lower-income households, that can be a challenge because they are living paycheck-to-paycheck, sometimes despite working multiple jobs. It is difficult to justify paying for college to improve your circumstances when you are worried about having enough money to pay rent or get groceries for the week. That is why the agency started a scholarship program.” 

The WIRC-CAA Scholarship Program is funded by the federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), which is administered statewide by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). 

For more information about the agency and its social service programs, visit wirpc.org, find Western Illinois Regional Council & Community Action Agency on social media, or call (309) 837-2997.