Information About the Ray LaHood Scholarships
Past Winners

The Ray and Kathy LaHood Scholarships for the Study of American Government

The Dirksen Center sponsors the LaHood Scholarships to promote the study of politics and governance as practiced by the distinguished public servants who have represented Illinois's 18th district in Congress, a list which includes Abraham Lincoln, Everett Dirksen, Robert H. Michel, Ray LaHood and, currently, Congressman Aaron Schock.

The purpose of the LaHood Scholarships is to provide financial support for tuition, fees, and books to Bradley University juniors who are majoring in a discipline related to The Dirksen Center's purpose and interest or in a subject related to the study of the federal government. The program is managed by The Institute for Principled Leadership.

The LaHoods endowed the program with a series of donations to The Dirksen Congressional Center beginning in 2005.

Who is Qualified to Apply?

In order to be considered for a LaHood Scholarship, students must meet the following requirements:

• They are a junior in good standing who will enter their senior year of study in a field related to the study of the U.S. government (e.g., political science, public administration, American studies, U.S. history).
• They attend Bradley University.
• They have a Grade Point Average (on a four-point scale) of at least 3.5overall and 3.5 in their major.
• They agree to write a 250-word evaluation of the impact of their scholarship before the end of their senior year.
• They agree to meet with Ray or Kathy LaHood during the second semester of their senior year.

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Past Winners

2004 Sarah Anne Cottingham, Millikin University, and
Janet M. Greenwalt, Eureka College
2005 Beau Thomas Underwood, Eureka College

Beginning in 2007, the scholarships were restricted to students at Bradley University

2007 Amber Huett and Julie Mierzwa
2008 Emily Gesing and Courtney Lynne Wiersema
2009 Kathyrn Green and Amy Sickinger 

2010 Thomas Carroll and James Pripusich
2011 Katie Childs and Michael Kittleson
2012 Megan Ramlo, Bradley University
2013 Victoria Berkow and Abby Schierer