Scholars Honored at SIC

Southeastern Illinois College held its annual Scholarships Night April 24 with an Italian-style dinner catered by the Falcon Bistro in the Harry L. Crisp Student Center. Students, family, friends, and benefactors, along with SIC faculty and staff converged to celebrate academic achievements of current and future SIC students.

Dr. Karen Weiss, Vice President of Academic Affairs, opened the ceremony with an expression of thanks to the generous donors who support SIC students through the establishment of scholarships to help students obtain their education. Following is a complete listing of awards and recognitions.

(Please find numbered photos above match full captions below.)

1. Jenny Billman (left), SIC English instructor and Forensic Falcons Director announced three scholarship award winners for the Forensic Falcons (l-r): Bradlee Thomas, Neva Wasson, and Ethan Bordoy, all of Harrisburg.

Thomas was awarded the Dennis Allen Speech Scholarship in honor of the SIC speech team’s founding fathers, George Dennis and Gary Allen. The award is given to a transferring team sophomore who excels academically, personally, and competitively. Thomas plans to transfer to Illinois State University and continue competing in forensics at the university level.

Wasson was presented with the George T. Dennis Memorial Scholarship, which was created to honor those qualities that made Dennis a true renaissance man, as he embraced all aspects of the humanities. Besides being a valued member of the speech team, Wasson is an active thespian and singer.

Bordoy was presented the Catherine Oldham Memorial Scholarship. Catherine Oldham was a member of SIC’s first national championship speech team in 1986. She represented genuine determination and leadership, and her attitude remains the benchmark for competitors. The award is given to a speech team member who shows the best qualities of leadership and team spirit.

2. The Warren and Noveta King-Priest Scholarship was awarded to two recipients this year: Kaylee Klope of Stonefort (left) and Tessa Harrison of Harrisburg (right). Both students are pursuing a career in elementary education. The awards were presented by Joann Hensley, daughter of Warren and Noveta King-Priest, who established this award in their honor to support students from Saline County pursuing a degree in education. They served as educators in Saline County for many years, had great appreciation for the value of education, and believed that education was key to independence and productivity.

3. The Kathy King Memorial Scholarship was presented to two students this year: Jennifer Johnson of Carmi (left) and Tanya Peterson of Norris City (right). Jerry King presented these awards in honor of his late wife, a 1971 SIC graduate. The scholarships are awarded to nontraditional students who demonstrate the ability and drive to handle rigorous coursework, despite familial obligations. Both Johnson and Peterson are mothers planning to work toward bachelor’s degrees in nursing.

4. Several Mathematics and Science Awards were presented by Instructor Kim Martin. The June Rice Malan Memorial Mathematics Award was given to Joey Payne of Eldorado (left). This award is granted to students with the highest performance in the Calculus sequence, in honor of a member of SIC’s faculty from 1961-63. Payne was valedictorian of Eldorado High School and is an aerospace engineering major. He balances his studies with working on the family farm and enjoys golfing and hiking.

The Sam Porter Outstanding Chemistry Awards are named for a beloved member of the chemistry faculty at SIC from 1965 to 1990 who was also chair of the math and science division. The awards were presented by math instructor Kim Martin to Austin Robinson of Omaha (center) and sophomore Morgan Snell of Geneseo (right).

Robinson was valedictorian of Eldorado High School, is a pre-pharmacy major, and plans to transfer to SIU Edwardsville. He is particularly interested in pharmaceutical research. He was also awarded the Eva. O. Gersbacher Memorial Biology Award in honor of a member of SIC’s biology faculty from 1964 to 1973. The award is given to the highest academic performing student in the general or majors biology course, who also possesses the attributes of a responsible citizen and gives evidence of leadership.

Snell is a biology major, softball player, and science peer tutor who will transfer to the University of Iowa after SIC. She plans to major in Human Physiology and become a physical therapist. This is Snell’s second outstanding chemistry award.

5. Charles King of Ozark was awarded the Matthew J. Fry Memorial Scholarship in honor of the late Matt Fry, a 1984 graduate of SIC. This award has been given each year since 1988 and was presented by math instructor Kim Martin. King graduated from Vienna High School at the top of his class, played basketball for SIC, works in the SIC Bookstore and Coffee Shoppe, and is a member of SIC Student Government. He is majoring in business finance with an interest in becoming a certified financial planner.

6. Patty Ferrell (in pink) presented the Jaylynn Ferrell Memorial Scholarship to three recipients this year: (l-r) Andrea Bowen of Omaha, Karis Carlson of Carmi, and Braxton Raben of Ridgway. Patty and D.J. Ferrell created this scholarship to help future nurses in honor of her daughter, a 2011 SIC graduate of the nursing program, whose life was taken in the Leap Day Tornado of 2012.

7. Sonny Dotson (center) presented the John B. Dotson Memorial Scholarship to two outstanding candidates in honor of his father who was a biology teacher and coach at Harrisburg High School for many years and helped over 200 student athletes earn scholarships for college. The family wanted to continue that scholarship tradition starting in 2003 with this award. The 2024 award was presented to Alli Parks (left) of Carrier Mills who plans to become a nurse and Tessa Harrison (right) of Harrisburg who is majoring in elementary education.

8. Avery Henderson of Harrisburg is the recipient of the Michael Hillegas Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarship presented by Rhonda Oglesby. Henderson is also the recipient of the Suzanne Alexander Memorial Scholarship, established by Alexander’s family to facilitate the education of deserving students who would like to pursue their goals and dreams in higher education. Henderson is seeking an Associate in Science with a career goal of being a software engineer.

9. The Richard Edward Dunk, Jr. Memorial Scholarship was created by Angie Dunk in memory of her father, a Vietnam veteran and lifelong coal miner and supervisor at Peabody Coal Company. He had an appreciation for the CTE careers and embodied some of the same values held by SIC such as integrity, fairness, and responsibility. It goes to an outstanding diesel or welding student going into their second year of the program and exhibiting academic excellence. Dakota Logsdon (left), a welding student from Golconda, received this award presented by Angie Dunk.

10. The Harrisburg Kiwanis Scholarship was awarded to Kansas Larson of Eldorado (right) by Mike Williams, Kiwanis member and former SIC adjunct instructor. It is awarded to members of the SIC Circle K (the collegiate version of Kiwanis) each year. Larson is also a student ambassador working with the GED program and a member of SIC Student Government. She will receive her Associate in Arts next month and transfer to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to pursue a degree in social work.

11. SIC Director of Nursing and Allied Health, Amy Murphy, awarded four scholarships to SIC Nursing students. (Pictured l-r) are Murphy, Gabrielle Russell of Eldorado, Karis Carlson of Carmi, Braxton Raben of Ridgway, and Jennifer Johnson of Carmi.

Gabrielle Russell earned the Illinois Healthcare Improvement Association scholarship, which is awarded by the Illinois Community College System Foundation. The student must be enrolled in health studies, and the scholarship can help cover tuition, books, or other expenses directly related to education. Russell plans to continue her education in SIC’s Associate Degree Nursing program this fall, then transfer to a university to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

The Judith Elaine Milligan-Baugher Scholarship was created to honor Baugher, an SIC graduate who earned her RN credentials while tending to a busy family and then worked night shifts providing care and comfort to terminally ill patients at Human Hospital in Orlando. The 2024 recipient is Jennifer Johnson whose future plans include a career in maternal/newborn care, such as labor and delivery or neonatal intensive care.

Braxton Raben is the recipient of this year’s Carla’s Wings of a Butterfly Scholarship, established in memory of a cherished SIC nursing instructor, to facilitate the education of deserving students who would like to pursue their goals and dreams in nursing. Raben is a busy father, active church member, and contributes a great deal to his community, including coaching little league. He will continue his education this fall as an Associate Degree Nursing Student.

The 2024 recipient of the Dr. Warren Tuttle Memorial Scholarship is Karis Carlson. Dr. Warren Tuttle was a medical pioneer in Southern Illinois and a practitioner at Harrisburg Medical Center. As one of the founders of SIC, he worked hand-in-hand with Shirley Oshel to establish the nursing program. His daughter, Pam Pearson, and family honor his memory through this scholarship to a second-year nursing student. Carlson will attend SIC’s ADN program next year then enroll in a BSN program and pursue a career working in public health.

12. The Frank Schneider Memorial Scholarship was established in 2017 by Carole Schneider to help provide students with an opportunity to pursue their higher education dreams in a math or science major in honor of her husband, a beloved physics instructor at SIC for 32 years. The award was presented by their daughter Monica Warren (left). The recipient chosen this year was Whittleigh Trusty of Harrisburg, who is pursuing a profession in pharmaceutical chemistry.

13. The Gladys & Raymond Carroll Memorial Scholarship was established by their family to facilitate the education of deserving students. Two students were chosen for the award this year: Lucas Stricklin (right) of Galatia High School and Skyler Edwards of Norris City. Stricklin plans to pursue his passion for mathematics into a professional career, while Edwards is seeking an Associate in Arts and is majoring in political science.

14. Ezekiel Narvasa of Pope County High School was awarded the C.R. Gardner Memorial Scholarship, which was established by the family of C.R. Gardner to help provide students with an opportunity to pursue their higher education dreams. Narvasa plans to pursue a degree in nursing.

15. The recipient of the Faye Mitchell Memorial Scholarship, established in 1997 to assist students interested in pursuing a teaching or education-related degree, was awarded to Trenton Clifford of New Haven. Clifford is majoring in secondary education with a concentration in history and political science.

16. The Harold Bauman Memorial Scholarship, established in 2000 by Marie Bauman to honor her husband who was a Social Sciences instructor at SIC from 1961-1971. He had a passion for education, and she provided this scholarship fund to help provide students with an opportunity to pursue their higher education dreams. Skylar Gentles of Shawneetown is the recipient of this scholarship. She is passionate about making a meaningful impact with a career as a school counselor.

17. Madilynn Cruson of Gallatin County High School is the recipient of the Harry W. Abell Memorial Scholarship which honors Dr. Harry Abell, SIC president from 1974-1994. It is awarded to a student who excels in leadership and academic performance, as well as community service. Cruson plans to pursue a career in the field of biology.

18. The John and Audrey Coyle Scholarship was established in 2014 in memory of his mother, Virginia Coyle, to help provide students with an opportunity to pursue their higher education dreams. This award was given to a student pursuing her passion in the healthcare industry and planning to specialize in anesthesiology, Kenlee Grisham of Eldorado.

19. The Delta Shrine Club Scholarship was established in 1993 to assist a Hardin County resident who excels in academic performance. This year’s recipient is Calista Conley of Elizabethtown. She plans to become a veterinarian and dreams of opening her own animal rescue center one day.

20. The Eugene & Callie Walden Morris Memorial Scholarship was established to facilitate the education of deserving students who would like to pursue their goals and dreams in the field of teaching. Brandi Whitt of Harrisburg was presented with this award by SIC Foundation Board Chair Brian Surprenant. She aspires to be a sociology instructor and motivational speaker.

21. The Rosiclare Chapter #971 Order of Eastern Star Scholarship was established in 1993 to assist a current SIC Hardin County resident who excels in academic performance.
This year’s recipient is passionate about helping others, which is why she is pursuing a career in the healthcare industry and continuing her education towards a nursing degree.
The award goes to Jaicee Burton of Elizabethtown.

22. The Dorothy Helen Baldwin Harrisburg Business and Professional Women’s Scholarship was established in 1998 by the organization in memory of one of its founders Dorothy Helen Baldwin. Baldwin demonstrated great leadership and exemplary skills in business. The organization wanted to support education and help build a stronger business community in Saline County. This year’s recipient is Joseph Quisenberry. He is pursuing a degree in business management and hopes to open his own construction company one day.

23. The Companion Pet Rescue Scholarship was established to provide educational assistance to a student pursuing their dreams in a field of study that focuses on animal welfare or environmental preservation. This year’s scholarship recipient is Layna Odum of Stonefort. She plans to become a veterinarian, earning an associate degree at SIC and then transferring to SIU Carbondale for the Pre-Veterinary Science program.

Several other students also received scholarship awards, although they were not able to be present for the ceremony.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs’ Illinois District 25 Eldorado Women’s Club Scholarship was established to assist a current Saline County Student. This year, the award goes to Katelyn Dunning of Harrisburg.

Rebecca Brinkley of Norris City was awarded the Ruth Baird Creative Writing Scholarship and the Wilma Hunter Memorial Scholarship.

Triton Kielhorn, a criminal justice major from Harrisburg, was awarded the Law Enforcement’s Future Scholarship, established by Kenny and Heather Ryder.

Registration for summer and fall classes is currently open at SIC. The first 5-week summer session begins May 20, the regular 8-week session begins June 3, and the last 5-week summer session begins June 24. Fall classes begin Aug. 19. Contact advisors at 618-252-5400, ext. 4130 or email advising@sic.edu to get started or visit sic.edu.

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