Cheryl Shultz Memorial Scholarship Established at SIC to Support First-Generation Students

Southeastern Illinois College has announced the creation of a new scholarship honoring the memory of former SIC graduate, staff member, and adjunct instructor Cheryl Shultz.

The Cheryl Shultz Memorial Scholarship was established by Cheryl’s husband, John Shultz, who retired from SIC in 2018. The scholarship will provide a $1,000 annual award for the next ten years to students who are first-generation college students, beginning with the 2025–26 academic year.

“This scholarship is a beautiful way to honor Cheryl’s life and the many contributions she made to education,” said Dr. Karen Weiss, SIC President. “We are so grateful to John for his generosity and continued dedication to SIC and our students.”

Cheryl Shultz was born in Northlake, Illinois, and graduated from Barrington High School in 1974. She was the first in her family to earn a college degree, receiving her associate degree from Southeastern Illinois College in 1991. From 2001 to 2003, she worked full time at SIC as an assistant in the visual and performing arts department. Inspired by a university transfer event on campus, she went on to complete a bachelor’s degree in education from Southern Illinois University Carbondale in 2003, graduating magna cum laude. After earning her degree, she taught special education in the Harrisburg school system for many years and also returned to SIC as an adjunct math instructor for a few years.

Following her retirement from Harrisburg schools, Cheryl taught for two years at New Hope Christian Academy and continued working as a substitute teacher and private tutor until her health declined. She passed away in December 2024.

The first recipient of the Cheryl Shultz Memorial Scholarship is Triston Thomas of Cave-in-Rock. Thomas is pursuing a degree in education at SIC and hopes to become a special education teacher. In high school, she spent her free time assisting in the elementary school library and has a strong passion for helping those with learning disabilities.

John Shultz shared that supporting first-generation students was especially important to Cheryl, as she understood firsthand the challenges and impact of pursuing higher education.

Scholarship applications at SIC open in October and are due by Feb. 28 each year. Students can learn more and apply at sic.edu/scholarships.

The Southeastern Illinois College Foundation was formed by the College’s Board of Trustees in November 1983 to provide a means of raising and administering private funds to support activities and programs at the college which are not adequately funded by local, state, and federal tax resources and student tuition.

For more information about establishing a scholarship at SIC, joining the Falcon Society to fund the endowment, or considering other forms of giving, visit sic.edu/give or contact Adriana Lane with the SIC Foundation at 618-252-5400 ext. 2104 or giving@sic.edu.

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