THE FOLLOWING IS A DANVILLE AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE RELEASE
ABOVE: Tom and Beth Chamberlain, endowing the Harold and Emily Jean Hull Scholarship at DACC in honor of Beth’s parents. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a DACC graduate who transfers to the University of Illinois.
Tom and Beth Chamberlain have once again endowed a scholarship at Danville Area Community College.
But unlike their first scholarship, which helps foot the bill for current DACC students, this second scholarship supports DACC grads who transfer to the University of Illinois.
The Tom and Beth Chamberlain Scholarship has been at DACC since 2017. Each year, two female students receive up to $1,000 for tuition, books, or fees. To be eligible, they need to maintain a B or better grade average and major in a science program.
This new scholarship is named the Harold and Emily Jean Hull Scholarship in honor of Beth’s parents. It will be awarded annually to a DACC graduate who transfers to any of the University of Illinois campuses to earn a bachelor’s degree.
Beth and Tom met at the U of I in 1984 and graduated together in 1986 with bachelor’s degrees—with Beth majoring in secondary education and Tom in agriculture economics. They subsequently earned master’s degrees at Eastern Illinois University.
For the Harold and Emily Jean Hull Scholarship, a student transferring to the U of I will receive up to $1,000 that may be used for tuition, books, or fees. With their latest donation, the couple has given more than $30,000 for their scholarships.
Beth recently retired from a 34-year career as a science teacher, including the last 14 at Danville High. She believes that the Harold and Emily Jean Hull Scholarship is a fitting tribute to her parents, whose family mission was to serve others. She says, “Providing the opportunity for students to discover their potential, to be the first one in their family to go to college, or to have monetary assistance to avoid tremendous college debt is one way that I can fulfill life’s mission of helping others.”
Tom is the senior executive vice president and chief lending officer for Iroquois Federal Savings & Loan. He grew up on a dairy farm with a dozen brothers and sisters. He says, “Growing up in this situation meant there was only one way any of us would ever go to college. We had to pay for our own college education.”
Tom was able to save money for college by working several different jobs in high school, but it wasn’t enough. “Being able to stay in college required me to take out student loans, but I also received scholarship support from people and companies who remain near and dear to my heart even today. I know I wouldn’t be where I am today without the scholarship assistance I received. So, this is now our turn to give back. We give to honor those who gave before, for those that need scholarships today and to those in the years to come.”
Along with the Harold and Emily Jean Hull Scholarship, DACC has five other scholarship funds that DACC graduates receive when they continue for their bachelor’s degree: the Mary Miller Memorial Scholarship (named in honor of DACC’s founding president), the Coan Teacher Scholarship, the Andy and Lou Ann Young Scholarship, the Marilyn F. Campbell Scholarship-Illinois Audubon Society, and the Danville American Association of University Women Scholarship.
For more information about DACC scholarships, call 217-443-8893 or apply online at dacc.edu/foundation
