2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipients

Nolan Adam

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Nolan is the son of Glenn and Tina Adam of Manhattan, Illinois. Nolan is a 2023 graduate of Lincoln-Way West High School and is currently attending the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama where he will be a sophomore majoring in Political Science and History on a Pre-Law track.

Grace Ansburg

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Grace is the daughter of Margie Ansburg of Mokena, Illinois. Grace is a 2022 graduate of Lincoln-Way Central High School and is currently attending Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio where she will be a junior majoring in Electrical Engineering.

Nicole Eldrenkamp

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Nicole is the daughter of Dean and Karen Eldrenkamp of Lisle, Illinois. Nicole is a 2022 graduate of Benet Academy and is currently attending Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where she is a junior majoring in Kinesiology and Health Science.

Caleb Feilen

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Caleb is the son of Steven and Michelle Feilen of Steger, Illinois. Caleb is a 2021 graduate of Marian Catholic High School and is currently attending Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois where he is a senior majoring in Kinesiology and Health Science.

Charles Gentile

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Charles “Chuckie” is the son of Jim and Karen Gentile of Manhattan, Illinois. Chuckie is a 2022 graduate of Lincoln-Way West High School and is currently attending Lewis University, in Romeoville, Illinois where he is a junior majoring in Mathematics.

Gregory Gomez

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Gregory is the son of Amy and Vice Gomez of Channahon, Illinois. Gregory is a 2022 graduate of Minooka Community High School and is currently attending St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa where he will be a junior majoring in Secondary Education with an English Literature and English Language Learner endorsements.

Elizabeth Hegji

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Elizabeth is the daughter of David and Maureen Hegji of New Lenox, Illinois. Elizabeth is a 2023 graduate of Lincoln-Way West High School and is currently attending the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas where she is a sophomore majoring in Speech Language Pathology.

Ryan Hilty

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Ryan is the son of David and Carleen Hilty of Mokena, Illinois. Ryan is a 2020 graduate of Providence Catholic High School and is currently in his first year of medical school at Marquette University of Dentistry in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he is majoring in Dentistry.

Olivia Ipema

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Olivia is the daughter of David and Tricia Ipema of Beecher, Illinois. Olivia is 2021 graduate of Illiana Christian High School and is a senior at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois where she is majoring in Accounting.

Emma March

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Emma is the daughter of Benjamin and Michelle March of Bourbonnais, Illinois. Emma is a 2021 graduate of Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School and will be a senior at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona where she is majoring in Dance.

Caleb Maue

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Caleb is the son of Dan and Judi Maue of Homer Glen, Illinois. Caleb is a 2020 Homeschooled graduate and will be a senior at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois where he is majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

Sarah Maue

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Sarah is the daughter of Dan and Judi Maue of Homer Glen, Illinois. Sarah is a 2018 Homeschooled graduate and will be in her second year of her Master’s program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois where she is majoring in Speech and Hearing Science.

Colin McDonald

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Colin is the son of Greta McDonald and the late James McDonald of Frankfort, Illinois. Colin is married to Lauren and is the father of two children under the age of 5. Colin is a 2003 graduate of Lincoln-Way Central High School and is in his third year of Seminary at the Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois and is majoring in a master of Divinity.

Lindsey Merk

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Lindsey is the daughter of Scott and Danielle Merk of Lockport, Illinois. Lindsey is a 2020 graduate of Lockport Township High School and will be a graduate student at the University of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois and is working on her Master of Business Administration.

Allyson Meyer

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Allyson is he daughter of David and Donnette Meyer of Kankakee, Illinois. Allyson is a 2022 graduate of Herscher High School and is currently a junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee majoring in Public Relations.

Clare O’Connor

2024 Tractors for A Cure Scholarship Recipient and 2024 Higher Education scholarship recipient

Clare is the daughter of Patrick and Anne O’Connor of Frankfort, Illinois. Clare is a 2022 graduate of Providence Catholic High School and will be a junior at St. Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana where she if majoring in Nursing.

Emma Oestmann

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Emma is the daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Oestmann of Crete, Illinois. Emma is a 2022 graduate of Illinois Lutheran High School and is currently a junior at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan majoring in Architecture.

Madelynne Oppenhuis

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Madelynne is the daughter of Jason and Sheila Oppenhuis of Beecher, Illinois. Madelynne is a 2022 graduate of Beecher High School and is currently a junior at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Illinois double majoring in Accounting and Business Management.

Mackenzie Pasek

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Mackenzie is the daughter of Steve and Jennifer Pasek of New Lenox, Illinois. Mackenzie is a 2021 graduate of Lincoln-Way Central High School and is currently a junior at the University of Louisville in Louisville, Kentucky majoring in Nursing.

Claire Rink

2024 Tractors for A Cure Scholarship Recipient and 2024 Higher Education scholarship Recipient

Claire is the daughter of Bob and Jacquelyn Rink of Wilmington, Illinois. Claire is a 2020 graduate of Wilmington High School and is currently a senior at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan majoring in Nursing.

Taryn Sandei

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Taryn is the daughter of Dave and Jen Sandei of Channahon, Illinois. Taryn is a 2020 graduate of Minooka Community High School and will be in her 5^th year of Pharmacy school at Ohio Northern Illinois University in Ada, Ohio where she will become a Pharmacist.

Callahan Steen

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Callahan is the son of Jason and Stephanie Steen of Naperville, Illinois. Callahan is a 2021 graduate of Neuqua Valley High School and will be a senior at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois where he is majoring in Law Enforcement and Justice Administration.

Macullum Steen

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Macullum is the son of Jason and Stephanie Steen of Naperville, Illinois. Macullum is a 2023 graduate of Neuqua Valley High School and will be sophomore at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Illinois where he is majoring in Emergency Management.

Brooke Thornton

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Brooke is the daughter of Terry and Kristine Thornton of Naperville, Illinois. Brooke is a 2021 graduate of Naperville Central High School and will be a senior at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois where she is majoring in Secondary Education in English.

Carlee White

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Carlee is the daughter of Brian and Janine White of New Lenox, Illinois. Caralee is a 2022 graduate of Lincoln-Way West High School and will be a sophomore at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois majoring in Business.

Brighid Zelko

2024 Higher Education Scholarship Recipient

Brighid is the daughter of Frank and Laurel Zelko of Minooka, Illinois. Brighid is a 2021 graduate of Minooka Community High School and will be a senior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, Illinois majoring in Crop Sciences with a concentration in Biotechnology and Agronomy.

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(this is a separate scholarship for the Senior College student majoring in Ag Education)

Jessica Carlson

2024 High School Ag Teacher Scholarship Winner

Jessica is the daughter of Gary and Jill Carlson of Plano, Illinois. Jessica is a graduate of Somonauk High School and is our 2024 High School Ag Teacher Scholarship Winner from the Kendall-Grundy County Farm Bureau. (Please note: this scholarship is open to all Illinois Farm Bureau memberships for a person who is in the Ag Education program). She is a senior at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois this Fall where she is majoring in Ag Education. Jessica will be student teaching in the Spring of 2025 at Genoa-Kingston High School.

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2025 scholarships

When will the 2025 scholarship applications be available? They will be available on December 1, 2024 for the 2025 scholarship program. Applications will be available at the website: www.willcfb.com

Scholarship applications for the 2025 scholarship program will be available on December 1, 2024 with a deadline date of March 1, 2025 to submit completed and signed applications submitted along with transcripts to Will County Farm Bureau. (Please follow the guidelines as stated with the application forms.) Please watch the Farmers Weekly Review and our Directions Newsletter for the availability of the scholarship application forms after December 1st.

There are two scholarship programs available: one for high school seniors and one for college sophomores through graduate or doctoral school (higher education). If you won a scholarship the last fiscal year of 2023-2024, you will not be eligible to apply for a scholarship this upcoming fiscal year (2024-2025).

The Will County Farm Bureau Foundation will be offering a minimum of twenty-six (26) scholarships to graduating high school seniors who will be College Freshman in the fall of 2025 and twenty-six (26) college scholarships (sophomore through graduate school) will be awarded to students who will be college sophomores, juniors and seniors or who will be graduate students or students pursuing a 6 to 8-year degree such as doctors, lawyers, etc. in the fall of 2025.

Both of these scholarships are open to all Will County Farm Bureau members in good standing and their legal dependents that are pursuing a college degree. Applicants over age 22 (and/or parents for college students ages 18-21) must be a member of the Will County Farm Bureau as of December 31, 2024 and their membership dues must be paid in full and current at the time the scholarships are awarded.

Qualifications for the scholarships will be available on-line along with the scholarship application form. High School Senior scholarship winners in 2025 will not have their scholarship monies applied until their second semester upon verification of enrollment in the fall of 2025. The current college scholarship winners (upper classmen) in 2025 will have their scholarship monies applied during Fall Semester in 2025.

PLEASE NOTE: 2025 scholarship applications will not be available at the Will County Farm Bureau’s website at www.willcfb.com until 12/1/2024.

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