Scholarships

The School of Business offers many different scholarships with various requirements. The list below details many of them.
For more information about scholarships through the School of Business, please contact:

Melissa Gordon
School of Business
Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, IL 61920-3099
(217)581-6110
mkgordon@eiu.edu

To search for scholarships you may be eligible for, please use the following link: Foundation Scholarship Search

Alexander Briggs Memorial Award - Established by Margaret Briggs in memory of her father, Alexander Briggs, the contractor who completed the L.C. Lord Administration Building, this award is made annually to a business major who has completed at least one year of college work with not less than a B average, and demonstrates outstanding personal character and interest in the field of business and business education. Spring semester only.

Bert and Janet Holley Scholarship - Established in 1991 by the Holleys, this scholarship benefits transfer students from Illinois community colleges who have completed Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees prior to entering EIU as Business majors.

Beta Gamma Sigma Scholarship - Established in 1999, this fund may be used for scholarships for full-time students who have completed 30 sem. hrs. and who are members in good standing of the EIU Beta Gamma Sigma Chapter.  Fall semester only.

Bill Spaniol Memorial Scholarship - This scholarship benefits a full-time Junior or Senior student majoring in Computer Information Systems who is admitted to the School of Business with a GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Fall semester only.

Brankey Scholarship - Established in 1997 through the generosity of Edward Brankey, this award will go to an incoming Freshman business major who shows potential for academic success. Award is renewable for four years if recipient maintains a 3.0 GPA. Fall semester only. 

C. Roger Sorensen Business Scholarship - Preference for this award, which was established in 1991 by C. Roger Sorensen, goes to Mattoon High School students who have been admitted to the School of Business. If no suitable recipients are available from Mattoon High School, secondary preference shall be given to other high schools in Coles County. Fall semester only. 

Charles Gifford Manion Memorial Scholarship - Established in 1998 by Robert and Sally Manion in memory of their son. Award will go to a full-time student majoring in business who has been accepted into the School of Business. Recipient must have a 2.75 GPA and display a need for financial aid. Recipients may reapply. Fall semester only. 

The Clay/Richland Scholarship - Established in 1988 by an anonymous donor, this award is presented annually to an undergraduate student from Clay/Richland counties entering EIU for the first time, admitted as a Pre-Business or Business major. The award is based on academic performance with the stipend paid upon verification of enrollment in the Fall. Fall semester only. 

Cooley Family Scholarship - Established by Mr. and Mrs. Rex Cooley to provide a scholarship to an incoming full-time freshman student enrolled as a Pre-Business major who demonstrates financial need. Renewable for four years as long as criteria continues to be met. 

Kevin and Pam Savoree - Established by Kevin and Pam Savoree to provide a scholarship to a full-time student majoring in business or education at Eastern Illinois University. The recipient must be a Paris High School graduate from Paris, Illinois.

Dean Giffin Award - Established by the first dean of the School of Business and his wife, Dr. James and June Giffin, this award is given to a senior student who is nominated by a member of the faculty and selected by a faculty committee and the dean.  Criteria include: grade point average, service to the School of Business and University, and potential for distinguished service and leadership by reason of scholarship, occupational experience, character, sense of purpose, growth, and service to the university.

Donald L. and Clara Alice Seaman Shawver Scholarship - Established in 1989, this award will be given to business students who reside within the Central Illinois region and who demonstrate financial need and scholastic ability. Renewable on an annual basis up to four years.

Don & Mary (Hartke) Gher Scholarship - Established in 2004, this award will be given to a full time student majoring in business who is a graduate of Mt Carmel Illinois or Dieterich Illinois High School.

Dwight & Bette (Leckrone) Baptist Scholarship - Established in 2006 by Dwight Baptist, this award goes to an undergraduate or graduate student who carries a minimum GPA of 3.0 and is majoring in accounting who received his/her high school diploma from the Cowden, Salem, or Shelbyville, Illinois schools. 

Earl S. Dickerson Award - Established in 1991 by Earl S. Dickerson, this award goes to a senior who carries a minimum grade point average of 3.60 after completing at least 30 hours of course work at Eastern Illinois University. The recipient must demonstrate qualities needed to be a professional accountant. Spring semester only. 

Eunice W. Dougherty Scholarship - Established by a bequest of Eunice W. Dougherty, the awards go to outstanding junior students enrolled in programs administered through the School of Business, the College of Arts and Humanities, and the College of Sciences.

Foster C. Rinefort Scholarship - Established in 1997 through the generosity of Foster & Jean Rinefort, this award will go to a student accepted to Eastern's Graduate Business Program. The recipient must be of good character, show academic and career promise, and display significant financial need. Recipient shall be able to apply for and receive award one additional year provided they continue to meet selection criteria and maintain cumulative and semester GPAs of 3.0+ since receiving the award. Selected in Spring semester; award paid in Fall semester.

George Preisser Memorial Scholarship - Established in 1994 by John Smith, President of CRST International, Inc., in honor of George Preisser; the scholarship is given to a student majoring in accounting. Financial need is a consideration. Selected in Spring semester; award paid in Fall semester.

Grace T. Bair Business Scholarship Fund - Established in 1992 by Grace Bair, the scholarship is given to a business major with a 3.0 or higher grade point average. The recipient must demonstrate exemplary character and have noteworthy goals. The recipient should have a magnetic personality and must display enthusiastic support of EIU.

Jack K. and Marge Hatfield Scholarship - Established in 1997 by the Hatfields, the recipient must be a graduate of Unity High School in Tolono, Illinois.  Preference will be given to an incoming freshman; if not, then award may be given to a student from Unity High School who is currently attending Eastern.  Recipient must be a business major and preference will be given to recipient with financial need.  Fall semester only.

Jerry Rooke Accountancy Scholarship - Established in 1990, this award goes to an accountancy major who has earned between 60 and 90 semester hours at EIU, and who has been admitted to the School of Business. The recipient must be a full-time student in both the award announcement semester and the monetary award semester. Academic achievement is the primary consideration. At no time is financial aid to be considered. Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher in BUS 2102 and ACC 3300 combined. Selected in Spring semester; award paid in Fall semester.

Jim & Bess Townsend Hanks Scholarship - Established in 1990 to assist undergraduate business majors in Accountancy and Finance, this award will be given to students considering a career in insurance. Spring semester only; recipient may reapply. 

Jim & June Giffin Scholarship - Established in 1988 through the generosity of Jim and June Giffin, this award goes to two full-time students enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Business degree program who will be juniors at the time of the first payment. Recipient shall be eligible to receive the award during the four semesters of the junior and senior year if they continue to meet selection criteria. Must maintain 3.0 GPA or higher and have financial need. 

John Luther Business Scholarship - Established in 1992 by John Luther, this award is intended for a student entering Eastern for the first time and declaring a major in business. The recipient must have GPA of 3.0 or higher, and must have demonstrated high achievement in previous educational environments.

John T. Moore Scholarship - The award is granted to a junior Marketing major with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher. Financial need is preferred over academic standing and recipient must have participated in extracurricular activities. Spring semester only. 

John and Mary Kensil Delta Chi Scholarship - Established in 2000 by Dwight Kensil in honor of his parents and his fraternity. The recipient must be a full-time student majoring in business, who has a minimum of 30 semester hours completed, including those enrolled in the graduate school. Recipient must be a member in good standing with Eastern's Delta Chi Fraternity, with preference given to an existing or former chapter president or member that shows substantive chapter and campus leadership. Preference shall be given to applicants with interest in international studies or finacne. Financial need may be a consideration. Fall semester only; award is renewable if the selection criteria continue to be met.

Judge and Usha Oberoi Scholarship - Established in 1999 by Mr. Sundeep Oberoi in honor of his parents, this award is given to a full-time student who has been accepted into the School of Business.  Special emphasis will be given to computer information systems majors and students enrolled in the MBA program.  Recipient must have an overall grade point average of 3.0; financial need may be a consideration but is not a requirement.  Fall semester only; award is renewable if the selection criteria continues to be met.

J.W. & Marilyn Oglesby Scholarship - Established in 1990 by J.W. and Marilyn Oglesby, this award goes to a junior admitted to the School of Business who carries a minimum grade point average of 3.5. Recipient will continue to receive scholarship as long as selection criteria is met. 

Keller Family Scholarship - Established in 1990 by Thelma Keller, this award is given to a junior or senior level student majoring in management or marketing.  Recipient must be a resident of Central Illinois, demonstrate financial need and scholastic achievement.  Spring semester only; recipient may reapply.

Kris Beedy Karner Scholarship - Established in 2003 by Michael Karner in memory of his wife. This award is given to a female accounting student who has completed at least 30 hours at EIU. The recipient should work part-time or volunteer personal time on a regular basis.

Mr. & Mrs. William Craig Simmons Scholarship - Established by members of the Simmons family, the award is made annually to a junior business major on the basis of outstanding personal character, scholastic achievement, and interest in the field of business. Spring semester only.

McCoy Family Scholarship - Established in 2001 by Sherry McCoy, an EIU alumnus, to honor her family. Recipient must be an undergraduate student at Eastern and enrolled in at least 12 semester hours of coursework and majoring in finance, accounting, or education. Must have an overall grade point average of 3.5 or higher. Applicants must complete a one or two page personal reflection on an influential person in their life in order to demonstrate character. Recipient shall be eligible to apply for and receive the award again provided they continue meet the selection criteria and is selected by the selection committee. Award is issued in the Fall semester only and paid directly to the university to be used for tuition, fees, and housing. If recipient does not owe EIU any money, the unused portion will be returned to the corpus account.

Roberson Business Scholarship - Established in 1991 by Roger Roberson, this award goes to a full-time business major who has been admitted to the School of Business. The recipient must display a need for financial aid, must display the potential for leadership and academic promise, must have good moral values, must be active in the Christian religion of their choice, must be a resident of the State of Illinois, and special consideration should be given to student athlete applicants. Award is renewable for four semesters provided the selection criteria continues to be met.

Ronald and Myra Jeffris Scholarship - Established in 1990 by Ronald and Myra Jeffris, this award goes to a student successfully enrolled in the School of Business and demonstrates academic excellence. Financial need is a consideration.

Rudolph G. and Kathryn E. Hlavek Scholarship - Established in 1999, this award is given to business students who come from low-income families or are otherwise underprivileged.  Recipients may reapply.  Spring semester only.

Timothy Gover & Clifford Fagan Scholarship - Established in 1989 by Rudolph B. and Kathryn Hlavek, this award is given to business students who come from low-income families or are otherwise underprivileged. Recipient may reapply. 

United Graphics Scholarship - Established by United Graphics in 1990 and goes to a business student entering Eastern for the first time. Freshman applicants must be in the top 10% of their graduating class; transfer students must have a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale. 

Watson Memorial Scholarship - Endowment Fund In Memory of Dallas, Hazel, and Leland Watson. Established in 2001 by the Hazel Watson Scholarship Foundation, this scholarship shall rotate annually between the areas of Business, Theater, and Political Science. Recipient must be a full- or part-time student currently accepted and enrolled at EIU for a minimum of six semester hours. Recipient must major in one of the following areas: business, political science, or theater with preference given to theatrical lighting; having an overall grade point average of 2.5 or higher, display a need for financial aid, demonstrate a high quality of character, and be a resident of Illinois with priority given to a Coles County resident. Recipient must submit a one-page personal letter setting forth the reason for applying and stating future career goals. Fall semester only; recipient shall be eligible to apply for and receive the award one additional time if selection criteria continues to be met.

Scholarship Application Page