Nine LAS freshmen who arrived on campus this fall have received scholarships under the Lincoln Scholars program, which has been gathering steam since the early days of the building’s renovation. The scholarship program was created to open the door to college for students with strong academic records who also have financial need.
Through support tied to the Lincoln Hall renovation, including donations, purchases of courtyard pavers and benches, theater seats, and classroom spaces, and pledges and deferred gifts, the Lincoln Scholars program has raised $3.5 million of a goal of $10 million for undergraduate scholarships. The funds are being placed into an endowment that will continue to provide scholarships without end.
The effort is ongoing. Ruth Watkins, dean of the College of LAS, expressed gratitude to donors for assisting what has become one of the primary concerns of the institution.
“Access to an Illinois education for talented students—independent of financial background—is fundamental to our mission as a land-grant university,” Watkins says. “Scholarships are vital to maintaining our mission of access, given the escalating cost of higher education.”
This year’s Lincoln Scholars are:
- Maxwell Colon, Psychology
- Lolita Golemi, Biology
- Manfred Kubler, German
- Lucy Li, English
- Shannon Miller, Biology
- Palak Patel, Political Science
- Natalia Recko, Biology
- Finey Ruan, Biology
- Adam Smith, English
