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SIUC honors community women

A new program through the University will award scholarships to undergraduate students and allow the community to nominate women for their accomplishments in the community.

SIUC administrators unveiled the "Inspiring Women" program Tuesday. According to Larry Dietz, vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, the new program and the first scholarship will be presented at the Inspiring Women's Gala on Oct. 9.

"The purpose of the Inspiring Women's board is to honor women who have demonstrated a skill, a capacity, and who by their very personality and character have been truly inspiring to others," Dietz said.

A board consisting of 18 members and a 12-member campus planning group organize the program. The groups are comprised of women from throughout the Southern Illinois community.

"They represent women inside and outside the University," Dietz said. "From the public and private sectors who have come together to offer programs designed to raise scholarship funds in honor and memory of women who have inspired and are inspiring others."

The first scholarship will be presented in memory of Margaret H. Steele. Steele taught elementary education in Southern Illinois for 39 years. An anonymous donor contributed $104,000 to create the scholarship in Steele's memory. Along with others, the Margaret H. Steele scholarship will be awarded every year.

"To have a woman who taught elementary school in Southern Illinois for 39 years, I mean, that's an inspiring woman," said campus planning group member Jean Paratore who is the former associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. "Obviously to someone, she meant a great deal.

"To have an endowment that the money's there, and it's going to generate money every year, so that you can forever give a scholarship in a person's name is a wonderful legacy to leave in someone's name, so that's what great about this gift."

The criteria for the Margaret H. Steele scholarship endowment are the recipient must be enrolled in Elementary Education, be a transfer student from an Illinois community college and hold a 3.0 grade point average.

According to Doris Rottschalk, who co-chairs the Inspiring Women's program with Marlene Dietz, the donor of the scholarship wanted particular criteria for the winner, but future scholarships will also be given and will not have the same criteria.

At the October gala, the program will not only announce the winner of the first scholarship, but also will honor women in the community who someone has nominated. People can nominate a woman who they believe have made a positive impact in their life.

The event will consist of a dinner, a dance, and both a silent and live auction and award presentations. Tickets are $50 a person with proceeds going toward the program's scholarship funds.

"The criteria is someone who has come forward and has done great things," Rottschalk said. "Either in law, education, volunteer, philanthropy, someone who has really inspired others."

The program currently has three sponsors who have donated funds that will help with future scholarships and other program events. They are Short Enterprises, Henry Printing and the Southern Illinoisan.

According to Paratore, Henry Printing has volunteered to print the invitations and other printing needs for the event free of charge.

According to Rottschalk, there are four different levels of sponsorship ranging from $500 to $5,000.

At the banquet, stars adorned with the names of inspiring women can be purchased.

"We hope that through the efforts of the board and the work of the Inspiring Women committee that we can raise funds to endow more scholarships," Paratore said.

Factoid: Information for the event and nomination forms can be obtained at www.siuc.edu/inspiringwomen.