Weisbecker Scholarship Fund helps more than 400 students
An annual fund drive is held each spring to bolster the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund, which serves and provides opportunities for Redbird Athletics’ ultimate resource—its more than 400 student-athletes.
As the fundraising arm of Illinois State Athletics and the lifeblood of scholarship dollars for the student-athletes, the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund uses privately cultivated funds to help cover increasing annual scholarship costs. A total of $2.9 million has been budgeted for 2011–2012.
The fund is named in honor of former Illinois State University Director of Athletics Milt Weisbecker, who was responsible for ground-breaking decisions. He hired Will Robinson, the nation’s first African-American head basketball coach at a predominantly white university. He moved Illinois State into full NCAA Division I status, and made Hancock Stadium the first collegiate field in Illinois with AstroTurf.
Weisbecker served until 1974, and remained on campus through 1993. He died in 2002, but his legacy remains. He always knew the value of student-athletes, which is why he started the Varsity Club, Illinois State’s first student-athlete scholarship program. Today the Weisbecker Scholarship Fund still creates an opportunity for Illinois State alumni and fans to give back and support Redbird Athletics.
The Illinois State Athletics Department is self-supporting, receiving no state funding, so gifts from you and your fellow Redbird fans are crucial to keeping our university’s Athletic program going strong. Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gift levels are tied into priority seating. Contributions are desired by July 1 of the current fund drive year, but payment plans are available over each academic/sports year. For more information call (309) 438-3803.
