Twelve students were named recipients of the Tom Tracy Memorial Farm Credit Illinois Family Scholarship, administered by the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois (CFECI). Each scholar receives $3,000 towards their college education. The selection criteria include scholastic achievement, leadership and community contributions, and career vision and goals.

The financial cooperative’s family scholarship was renamed in 2020 to permanently memorialize the late Tom Tracy. Tracy established a family scholarship program early in his career as FCI president and CEO – demonstrating his values of lifelong learning and employee support. His legacy of passionate advocacy for those seeking to better themselves through education endures through a scholarship endowment at the CFECI. Tracy served as FCI’s president and CEO from 2015-2019 until his passing in Sept. 2019.

Applicants for the family scholarship are 26 years of age or younger, the children or grandchildren of Farm Credit Illinois employees, and will be enrolled as full-time college students in the fall of 2020.

Recipients of the 2020 Tom Tracy Memorial Farm Credit Illinois Family Scholarship include:

Cassidi Collins, of Mahomet, is pursuing a degree in public health in the pre-physician's assistant program at University of Kentucky. She graduated from Mahomet-Seymour High School and is the daughter of Tammi (FCI crop insurance service specialist) and Ted Collins of Mahomet.

Britni Gortner, of Monticello, is pursuing a dual degree in finance and economics at the University of Missouri - Columbia. She graduated from Monticello High School and is the daughter of Niki Moore (FCI loan operations specialist) and Mark Gortner.

Sidney Hood, of Fisher, will pursue a degree in nursing at Parkland College in the fall after graduating from Fisher High School in May. She is the daughter of Tracy (FCI associate credit officer) and Tim Hood.

Cody Johnston, of St. Joseph, will pursue a degree in engineering science at Parkland College in the fall after graduating from St. Joseph-Ogden High School in May. He is the son of Dan (FCI vice president of information systems and security officer) and Cindy Johnston.

Noah Lintker, of New Athens, will pursue a degree in physical therapy at Maryville University in the fall after graduating from New Athens High School in May. He is the son of Ron (FCI Red Bud vice president of lending) and Laura Lintker.

Natalie Mitchell, of Mahomet, will pursue a degree in interdisciplinary health sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the fall after graduating from Mahomet Seymour High School in May. She is the daughter of Cory (FCI Mahomet vice president of lending) and Michelle Mitchell.

Abby Repking, of Effingham, is pursuing a degree in athletic training, pre-physical therapy at the University of Evansville. She graduated from St. Anthony High School and is the granddaughter of Dave Ragan (FCI senior certified appraiser) and the daughter of Doug Repking and Aimee Repking.

Andrew Rhode, of Champaign, is pursuing a degree in materials science and engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

David Rhode, of Mahomet, is pursuing a medical doctorate at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. Brothers Andrew and David graduated from Morton High School and are the sons of Bob (FCI senior vice president and general counsel) and Rebekah Rhode.

Alex Waldinger, of Naperville, is pursuing a degree in finance at Indiana University. He graduated from Neuqua Valley High School and is the son Corey (FCI Capital Markets Group managing director) and Laura Waldinger.

Delaney Wheeler, of Mahomet, will pursue a degree in nursing at Illinois State University in the fall after graduating from Mahomet Seymour High School in May. She is the daughter of Jeff (FCI Mahomet vice president of crop insurance) and Becky Wheeler.

Lauryn Wright, of Mount Carmel, is pursuing a degree in speech-language pathology at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She earned an associate’s degree from Wabash Valley College and graduated from Mount Carmel High School. She is the daughter of Mark (FCI Lawrenceville regional manager) and Kristi Wright.

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About the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois:

The Community Foundation of East Central Illinois is a publically-supported 501(c)(3) tax-exempt philanthropic organization created in 1972 to encourage and receive contributions establishing endowments for the long-term benefit of east central Illinois. Because the funds are endowed, they are permanently invested to produce income that is used to meet charitable needs of the community. The Community Foundation is independently governed by 15 Trustees serving without compensation and chosen for their knowledge of the community and their expertise in the areas of management necessary to carry out the functions of the Foundation. For more information, visit www.cfeci.org.