University News
MidAmerica National Bank Donates Scholarship Funds, Peoria Branch
September 12, 2003
SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 Peoria
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MACOMB, IL MidAmerica National Bank has donated $310,000 to the Western Illinois University Foundation to provide scholarship support to encourage more academically talented students to enroll at the University.
The announcement was made following a tour of campus facilities and a dinner for MidAmerica National Bank officials hosted by Western Illinois University President Al Goldfarb.
The endowment gift will generate funds to support an additional eight scholarships of $1,500 per year for first-year students, one of the goals stated in the Universitys strategic plan draft. The scholarship awards will be used to attract academically talented new students from Fulton, McDonough, Peoria and Rock Island counties and transfer students from Black Hawk and Spoon River colleges.
We are delighted to support Western Illinois Universitys efforts to attract more outstanding college-bound students from the communities served by our financial institutions, said Andrew V. Herrera, President of MidAmerica National Bank/Peoria. These scholarships will support Westerns desire to enhance the quality of the student learning experience and are consistent with our institutions public service mission to support the communities we serve.
Western is grateful for the vote of confidence MidAmerica National Bank has placed in one of the most important initiatives outlined in the draft of our strategic plan, said Goldfarb. Our ability to provide additional scholarships for first-year students is central to our goal to create a student body of even more high achieving students.
The gift from MidAmerica National Bank in support of the Universitys planning priorities is an excellent example of the partnerships the University will continue to build with business and community leaders in the region we serve, said Western Vice President for Advancement and Public Services Larry Mortier, who serves as executive director of the WIU Foundation. We are grateful to MidAmerica National Bank for this very generous commitment.
The Western Illinois University Foundation encourages and manages private support to maintain and develop facilities and programs to enhance educational opportunities for its students, alumni and citizens of Illinois. These contributions, when combined with state resources, add an extra dimension of support that might not otherwise be possible, Mortier added.
MidAmerica National Bank is a full service community bank with approximately 450 shareholders throughout the communities it serves. The bank has offices located in Canton, Cuba, Lewistown, Macomb, Peoria and the Quad Cities.
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Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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