University News

Proof Philanthropy Changes Lives: Seymour Gift Unveiling Oct. 27

October 17, 2023

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MACOMB, IL – The WIU and Macomb communities are invited to attend a special ceremony that will unveil a gift by the late Arlington and Arlene Seymour, marking the future expansion of the Great River Teacher Corps (GRTC).

"Gifts like the Seymours' make the difference at Western Illinois University," WIU Vice President for Advancement, Alumni Relations and Athletics Clare Thompson said.

Growing up in the midst of the Depression, the Seymours were devoted to WIU and worked hard to pay for their education, and now their dedication lives on by helping many students in need of financial assistance.

They believed that Western offered a personal touch to help them achieve their estate goals. In 2017, they made a gift to establish the Arlington and Arlene Seymour Teacher Education Endowment. In 2020, Arlington made a larger announcement of a gift worth $1 million. Since then, the value of their gift has exceeded $3 million and the Arlington & Arlene Seymour Center for Rural Education, Advocacy, Policy, and Research was established in recognition of the commitment and dedication of two lifelong educators.

The event will take place in conjunction with the Future Teachers Day at 2:15 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 in Horrabin Hall, room 48. Parking will be open in the parking lot south of Horrabin Hall with accessible spots available to the west of Horrabin.

The center, located within the School of Education in the College of Education and Human Services (COEHS), aims to support the needs of rural educators in Illinois and at the state and national levels.

The center's mission will be accomplished through five sustainable priorities: developing a system to expand the teacher applicant pool for rural school districts in the region, providing advocacy, policy and research activities, developing a network for rural educators to partner with school districts and advocating for rural education at the local, state and national level.

To achieve this, the center offers partial and full tuition and fee scholarships to students who wish to pursue careers in teaching K-12 and agree to stay in WIU's 16-country service region to teach following graduation.

For more information on WIU's GRTC, visit wiu.edu/coehs/grtc.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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