Mark Dunaway and Jon Farney are alumni so grateful for the support they received at Illinois State that each has created dean’s scholarships to assist students.
Dunaway ’84 learned to navigate the unknowns and financial hurdles as a first-generation college student. After high school, he worked full-time to fund his education. He completed an information technology degree within three years with support from work-study programs and scholarships.
Appears InRetired after a long career at Accenture, Dunaway’s passion for education continues. “Now I get to choose what I do, and much of what I do is about giving back,” he said. “I gained a range of skills and experience during my career. I had to figure out where I wanted to focus.”
Dunaway recognized a need within the College of Business, where 20 percent of incoming freshmen this fall are first-generation college students. He established the Dunaway Family Dean’s Scholarship for first-generation students with financial need who maintain a 3.5 GPA. The award is eligible for renewal for up to four years and includes enrollment in ISU’s Honors Program with the opportunity to serve as a College of Business ambassador.
“Being a first-generation college student is honestly kind of terrifying,” said freshman Sofia Troyer, who received Dunaway’s scholarship. “Earning this award really helps me to be able to put my education first.”
Farney ’93 is an accounting graduate who completed an internship at State Farm Insurance Companies. Now a State Farm senior vice president, treasurer, and chief financial officer, he knows ISU played a part in his success.
“ISU helped prepare me well. I had parents that helped me and two brothers who went before me. I hope to give someone the opportunity to work hard and impact their lives and hopefully their future families’ lives,” said Farney.
Lylac Lewis is the inaugural recipient of the Farney Family Dean’s Scholarship for First-Generation Students. “Being a first-generation college student motivates me to push myself in order to achieve the lifestyle I’ve always longed for,” said Lewis, a freshman this fall.
“Having this assistance will take away some of my stress. I will now only have to focus on keeping up with my work and making sure I excel in every class,” she said. “I don’t know where I’d be if I hadn’t gotten awarded this scholarship, and I am very thankful for this opportunity. I know this will change my life.”
Dunaway and Farney are the first alumni to sponsor College of Business dean’s scholarships, an initiative Dean Ajay Samant aims to expand. “Such scholarships allow us to recruit strong candidates from a variety of backgrounds,” he said. “It’s my hope that more alumni will step forward to provide further support for talented business students.”
To learn more about creating a dean’s scholarship or an endowment to impact a student’s Redbird experience, please contact Senior Development Director Liz Adams at eadams2@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-2903. To make a gift online, visit IllinoisState.edu/Giving.
