The Department of Recreation, Sport & Tourism is pleased to announce the availability of scholarships and awards for students for the 2024-2025 school year. All awards will be presented in person at the awards ceremony in April and applied directly to student accounts thereafter. Information describing each award and the eligibility criteria is listed below. Students can apply for more than one scholarship and only need to submit one application. Applications can be found at this link and are due Feb. 1, 2025.
 

Charles K. Brightbill Memorial Scholarship

The Charles K. Brightbill Memorial Scholarship is the highest award given to an undergraduate student in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism. It is awarded to an RST major who has demonstrated outstanding academic merit. One award of $800 will be presented to the recipient.

Chicago Knight Life Charities Scholarship

The Chicago Knight Life Charities Scholarship is presented to two undergraduate students majoring in Recreation, Sport and Tourism who have demonstrated outstanding academic ability, entrepreneurial drive and spirit, RST community involvement, and potential as a future RST professional. Two awards of $500 will be presented.

George and Mary Lowrey Scholarship

The George and Mary Lowrey Scholarship is awarded to three undergraduate students in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism who demonstrate outstanding scholarship, service and merit. Outstanding scholarship is determined by the overall GPA & demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment to classroom participation and projects. Service can include active involvement with student associations or involvement with national, state, or campus associations and activities engaged in the delivery of leisure services. Merit implies that this award is presented to a student who has demonstrated strong moral and ethical behavior. The award will be presented to one student from each of the three Concentration Areas (Recreation, Sport and Tourism). Two awards of $800 will be presented.

Paragon Marketing Group Scholarship

The Paragon Marketing Group Scholarship is presented to an undergraduate student who is a freshman, sophomore or junior in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism. The recipient shall (a) have financial need, (b) maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0, (c) demonstrate a commitment to values of diversity and inclusion, (d) exhibit and consistently demonstrate strong leadership abilities and upstanding character, and (e) be a full-time student. All applicants must prepare a personal statement (e.g. 300 words) that demonstrates a commitment to the values of diversity and inclusion. One award of $5,000 will be presented.

Jesse “Tony” Clements Scholarship

Campus Recreation and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, in partnership with the Department of Recreation, Sport, and Tourism, proudly established the Jesse “Tony” Clements Scholarship to recognize his extraordinary personal contributions and professional accomplishments; to perpetuate the impact of his unyielding commitment to supportive relationships; and to honor his unique legacy at the University of Illinois, in Champaign Urbana, and around the globe. Recipients of the Clements Scholarship should be employed by or have a leadership role at Campus Recreation and be majoring in recreation. Follow this link for award and application information.

Joan Braswell Scholarship

The Joan Braswell Scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate student in the department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism. Preference is given to students studying Recreation. An award of $750 will be awarded to the recipient.

John Bruce Capel Memorial Scholarship

The John Bruce Capel Scholarship is presented to a sophomore or junior in Recreation, Sport and Tourism who has demonstrated outstanding ability and potential. Capel graduated in 1966 from the Department of Leisure Studies and was killed in Vietnam on May 2, 1966. Two awards of $750 will be presented.

Margaret K. and Edward W. Harvey Scholarship in Parks and Recreation

The Margaret K. and Edward W. Harvey Scholarship in Parks and Recreation is awarded to an undergraduate student in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism who graduated from a high school in the State of Illinois. Preference is given to students who have a concentration in Parks and Recreation Management. Recipients shall submit a statement on how their work could impact the State of Illinois after graduation. Two awards of $1,250 each will be presented to the recipients.

Triple S Scholarship Fund

This scholarship was established by Sarah B. Nemeth to honor her three favorite professors (Dr. Kimberly Shinew, Dr. William Stewart and Dr. Monika Stodolska, whose last names all start with "S") in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism in the College of Applied Health Sciences. This scholarship will be awarded to a junior or senior pursuing a concentration in Recreation and will be selected on the basis of financial need and merit, which may be evidenced by outstanding ability, potential, and commitment to the field of recreation. One award of $1,000 will be presented to the recipient.
 

Allen V. Sapora Research Award (for Graduate Student Research)

The Allen V. Sapora Research Award (for Graduate Student Research) will be awarded to masters and Ph.D. students in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism to support original research in the leisure field not undertaken as a class project. This does not have to be dissertation/thesis research; it can be any research project for which the student has a leadership role. Include a brief research proposal with budget and references limited to two pages as part of the award application. Three awards of $1,500 each will be presented. 

Charles K. Brightbill Memorial Scholarship

The Charles K. Brightbill Memorial Scholarship is the highest award given to a graduate student in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism. It is awarded to a Recreation, Sport and Tourism graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding academic merit. One award of $800 will be presented to the recipient.

Christine Ziebarth Howe Graduate Student Award

The Christine Ziebarth Howe Graduate Student Award is awarded to recognize a doctoral student who demonstrates academic excellence. Financial need or “extenuating circumstances” may also be considered as criteria for selecting the award recipient. Two awards of $1,000 will be presented.

J. Robert and Linda L. Rossman Graduate Research Fund 

The J. Robert and Linda L. Rossman Graduate Research Fund (for Graduate Student Research) supports graduate students within the Department of Recreation Sport and Tourism, specifically for their dissertation and thesis research. Preference shall be given to students researching the antecedents of recreation, sport and tourism experiences, the phenomenology of participating in them, and the short-term and long-term outcomes of them for individuals and society. One award of $1,000 will be presented. Include a brief research proposal with budget and references limited to two pages as part of the award application.

Mary and Duke Regnier Scholarship

The Mary and Duke Regnier Scholarship will be presented to outstanding online and on-campus masters students in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism studying leisure or recreation. Scholarships will be awarded to students who are in good standing and can demonstrate need for financial assistance. Two awards of $1,000 each will be presented.