Five area students were the recent recipients of Million Endowed Scholarships at Illinois College.
The Howard and Vera Million Endowed Scholarship is awarded annually to students entering Illinois College from high school with preference given to students from Greene, Morgan or Scott counties.
Isaac Anderson, Daxton Baptist, and Hunter Gillis of Jacksonville; Tiffany Hill of Meredosia; and Kathleen Watson of South Jacksonville have been named this year’s recipients.
A $1.5 million gift to Illinois College from the estate of the late Howard Million funds the permanent scholarship, which was established in 2014 after his passing.
Million was a distinguished friend of Illinois College. Raised on a farm near Roodhouse, he had a successful career as a farmer and was the founder and president of the former Roodhouse Savings and Loan Association. Illinois College awarded Million an honorary bachelor of arts degree during
the 2012 Commencement ceremony.
That same year, Million approached the College about helping ensure deserving students have the opportunity to attend Illinois College and receive the type of education he had not been afforded. Working closely with the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, Million established a gift through his estate to provide for the scholarship.