Waukegan Park District scholarship applications available

The Waukegan Park District will support the academic endeavors of five local students by awarding each a $1,000 scholarship, known as the Waukegan Park District Memorial Endowment Fund Scholarship. The scholarship is intended to invest in students with outstanding academic achievements and a commitment to community service.

Applicants will be selected based on their academic achievements and community service. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:

• Live within the boundaries of the Waukegan Park District.

• Be a student attending a college, university or trade school in the fall of 2026.

• Be pursuing a park and recreation-related academic field or trade, including, but not limited to, accounting, business, carpentry, communications, electricity, environmental science, exercise sports science, forestry, graphic design, horticulture, human resources, landscape architecture, marketing, mechanics, occupational safety, therapeutic recreation or tourism development and management.

Applications must include:

• A transcript from the most recent educational institution attended.

• A resume with the applicant’s work and/or volunteer experience.

• A personal essay about the applicant’s experience with parks and recreation and aspiration to use their education to benefit the community.

• A letter of recommendation from an individual who is familiar with the future goals and aptitude of the applicant.

Past recipients of the Waukegan Park District Memorial Endowment Fund Scholarship attended or currently attend the following schools: Butler University, Case Western Reserve University, Clark University, Coe College, College of Lake County, Connecticut College, Cornell College, DePaul University, Duke University, Hope College, Howard University, Knox College, Lake Forest College, North Carolina Central University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Smith College, Texas Southern University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Richmond, University of Rochester, and University of Wisconsin — Parkside.

The Waukegan Park District Memorial Endowment Fund Scholarship began in 2019 and is funded by private donations. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, April 20. Scholarship recipients will be announced on Tuesday, May 12. More information, including the application, is available at waukeganparks.org/scholarship.