Endowed Undergraduate Scholarships
Vincent A. and Janet O'Brien Scholarships
Established 1996
Vince and Janet O'Brien were both born in 1907 in Iroquois County, Illinois, into families of little means. Vince was raised on a farm near Stockland, Illinois, and Janet was raised in Milford, Illinois. Even though her parents were immigrants from Germany, Janet attended the University of Illinois at Urbana and graduated in 1932. Upon the birth of her first child, Janet became a full-time homemaker. Vince's career plans were interrupted by the Great Depression and World War II. He eventually became a successful businessman and community leader in Watseka, Illinois.
Although he never attended college, he strongly supported education and served on the local school board for 25 years. He had an active and inquisitive mind and along with Janet, encouraged his two children to advance their understanding by attending college. This they both did with Katherine (O'Brien) Martin graduating from the U of I as valedictorian in 1962 and Vincent E. O'Brien graduating with High Honors in Electrical Engineering in 1967. Since then two grandchildren have also graduated from the U of I: Susan Trillet, 1986, and John Martin, 1993. Thus, Vince and Janet have established a tradition of interest and support for the U of I.
Description:
These scholarships were established by Vincent E. O'Brien to honor his parents for their continued devotion to educating future generations.
Requirements:
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- You must be a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, enrolled in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
- The recipients must have demonstrated academic merit.
- Freshman in ECE
Selection Process:
All applications are reviewed for the incoming freshmen scholarships. Applicants are ranked on the College of Engineering PGPA (predicted GPA), which is a calculation based on the student's high school GPA, class ranking, and ACT/SAT scores. The number is weighted to judge math scores higher as they are more relevant to the study of engineering. The ECE department solicits (via e-mail) further information, including an essay and a letter of reference from the top 75 applicants. The scholarship committee reviews these essays and letters in order to decide the recipients of the freshmen scholarships.
Award:
The scholarships carry a stipend of $5,000 per year. The recipients are recognized at the annual ECE Award Banquet in April.
PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE AWARD:
Year Recipients 2009-2010 Genevieve LaBelle 2008-2009
Raeed Chowdhury
2007-2008
Jacob Tolar
2005-2006
Paras Baxi, Erica Lynn, Kevin Reifsteck, Tyler Rossi
2004-2005
Jonathan Krauss, Gary J. Yen, Matthew A. Young
2003-2004
Jesse Gerdes, Craig Kietzman
2002-2003
Troy Becicka, Aaron C. Piggush
2001-2002
Troy Becicka, Cole E. Zemke
2000-2001
Cole E. Zemke
1999-2000
Timothy D. Smith
1998-1999
Jeffrey W. Young
1997-1998
Michael D. Horn
1996-1997
Thad A. Heinold
For More Information Contact:
Kara MacGregor
kmacgreg@illinois.edu
153 Everitt Laboratory, MC-702
(217) 333-9706