Betty Medearis Memorial Scholarships

The Elgin Area Branch of American Association of University Women (AAUW) is offering TWO $1,000 scholarships to be used to meet undergraduate college expenses for the 2026-2027 academic year—the Betty Medearis Memorial Scholarship and the Elgin Legacy/Memorial Scholarship(s). At least ONE of these scholarships shall be given to a woman of color.

SELECTION CRITERIA:

• All applications shall be postmarked by April 1st and emailed to the scholarship committee no later than the deadline. See addresses below.
• Applicants shall be 19 years of age by April 1, 2026
• Applicants shall identify as female
• Applicants shall have successfully completed at least 12 semester hours (or equivalent) college credit with a minimum of a cumulative 2.5 GPA.
• Applicants must live within a 50- mile radius of Elgin, and preference will be given to Elgin-area applicants. Applicants must be currently enrolled in an accredited institution or seeking enrollment for the upcoming semester.

The recipient(s) will be granted a student-affiliate membership in the Elgin Area Branch of AAUW and will be invited to attend branch meetings and activities. It is hoped that the recipient(s) will attend AAUW’s May dinner meeting at which time the scholarships will be awarded. The actual scholarship money will be mailed to the recipient’s college choice and deposited into her tuition account.