Regardless of how many years have passed since your days at Illinois State, the memories of those unique collegiate days remain vivid. There was the studying, the fun campus atmosphere—and the need to live on a meager student budget!

Today’s students feel the financial burden even more than past generations, as the price of a college education continues to soar.

The total cost for attending Illinois State—including tuition, fees, room and board, books, transportation, and incidentals—is now more than $23,000 per year for an incoming in-state freshman.

Alumni know the value of an Illinois State University degree, which is one reason graduates are coming together to help offset the rising costs students face. The Illinois State University Alumni Association Scholarships program will do just that by providing financial assistance that will ease students’ financial obligations so they can focus on their education.

The association has committed to building an alumni endowment to fund multiple $2,000 renewable scholarships for deserving students. The program will help incoming freshmen, graduate students, community college transfer students, and distinguished seniors. The first $2,000 scholarship will be awarded this coming spring for fall of 2010.

It takes $50,000 to fund one $2,000 annual scholarship on an ongoing basis. That total can be reached without much effort if alumni from across the country get involved, as there are more than 180,000 alumni.

Donations of any amount are needed, and all gifts are tax-deductible. Get involved today by going online to www.Alumni.ilstu.edu/alumnischolarship.