Foundations of East Chicago (FEC) has supported the community of East Chicago, IN since its inception in 1997. The organization awards annual grants to several educational and community outreach organizations as well as distributing funds through its scholarship program.
This year, FEC was able to award scholarships to 43 high school students and 14 college students, all of whom reside in East Chicago. These scholarship recipients were honored Wednesday, May 13, 2015 with an award reception held at the Ivy Tech Foundations of East Chicago De La Garza Campus, sponsored by FEC.
“We are grateful that they [FEC] are here in the community and for recognizing that education is one of the single most important ways you can change your life,” said Steve Segura, parent of a scholarship recipient.
According to FEC, the goal of their scholarship program is to give East Chicago students the opportunity to follow their educational dreams.
In pursuit of this goal, FEC also funds the American Honors Program through the Ivy Tech campus in East Chicago.
The FEC American Honors Scholarship allows select students with exceptional grades to attend Ivy Tech for two years without paying tuition. If these students maintain a certain GPA, the American Honors program, through partnerships with other colleges & universities, will pay for the next two years of their Bachelor’s degrees to be completed at the four-year institution of their choice.
“Indeed, the Foundations has freed students from the financial demands and concerns that are attended by the pursuit of a four-year degree, thereby enabling them to more fully engage in their learning and the opportunities of the academic community at large,” said Ivy Tech American Honors Associate Program Director Caleb Westberg.
Students who received the traditional scholarships will be able to use these funds towards the post-secondary educational endeavors of their choosing as well.
“This is a great opportunity for me and my family,” said scholarship recipient Joi Gillespie.
Gillespie and many of the other students who received scholarships from FEC at the Wednesday night ceremony will be looking to attend college in the upcoming academic year where they will be able to use these scholarships in pursuit of educational advancement and success
List of 2015 Scholarship Recipients
