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 2022.

“This scholarship is a lasting legacy in memory of our late CEO Tom Tracy who demonstrated a passion for continuous learning,” says David Haase, FCI Board Chair. “This scholarship pays tribute to Farm Credit Illinois’ core value of family and mission of Helping Farm Families Succeed.”

Recipients of the 2022 Tom Tracy Memorial Farm Credit Illinois Family Scholarship include:

• Grace Cain, of Mahomet, will pursue a degree in psychology at Illinois State University. She will graduate from Mahomet-Seymour High School in May and is the daughter of Darcy Allen (FCI executive assistant of administration) of Mahomet.
• Cassidi Collins, of Champaign, is pursuing a master’s degree in physician assistant studies at the University of Saint Francis. She graduated from Mahomet-Seymour High School and is the daughter of Tammi (FCI crop insurance service specialist) and Ted Collins of Champaign.
• Emily Fisher, of St. Joseph, is pursuing a degree in pre-international business and accounting, concentrating in business analytics, and minoring in Spanish at the University of South Carolina. She graduated from St. Joseph-Ogden High School and is the daughter of Ryan (FCI vice president of business intelligence) and Stacy Fisher of St. Joseph.
• Sidney Hood, of Fisher, is pursuing a degree in business administration and finance at Eastern Illinois University. She graduated from Fisher High School and is the daughter of Tracy (FCI associate credit officer) and Tim Hood of Fisher.
• Noah Lintker, of New Athens, is pursuing a degree in physical therapy at Maryville University. He graduated from New Athens High School and is the son of Ron (FCI vice president of lending in the Red Bud regional office) and Laura Lintker of New Athens.
• Conner McKinney, of Sumner, is pursuing a degree in philanthropic studies at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. He graduated from Red Hill High School and is the son of Birgit Volk (FCI regional vice president of crop insurance) of Sumner.
• Natalie Mitchell, of Mahomet, is pursuing a degree in interdisciplinary health sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She graduated from Mahomet-Seymour High School and is the daughter of Cory (FCI vice president of lending in the Mahomet regional office) and Michelle Mitchell of Mahomet.
• Haylie Orton, of Mahomet, will pursue a degree in nursing at Illinois College. She will graduate from Mahomet-Seymour High School in May and is the daughter of Mike (FCI digital engagement specialist) and Darlia Orton of Mahomet.
• Katie Reid, of Vincennes, Ind., is pursuing a degree in health services with a concentration in health administration at the University of Southern Indiana. She graduated from Edwards County High School and is the daughter of Kent (FCI chief appraiser) and Lori Reid of Vincennes, Ind.
• Kali Walker, of Cerro Gordo, is pursuing a degree in agricultural education, leadership, and communications with a concentration in advertising at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She graduated from Cerro Gordo High School and is the daughter of Jenny (FCI loan process specialist) and Brandon Walker of Cerro Gordo.
• Carson Wheeler, of Mahomet, is pursuing a degree in nursing at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. She graduated from Mahomet-Seymour High School and is the daughter of Jeff (FCI vice president of crop insurance in the Mahomet regional office) and Becky Wheeler of Mahomet.
• Delaney Wheeler, of Mahomet, is pursuing a degree in pre-veterinary medicine at Illinois State University. She graduated from Mahomet-Seymour High School and is the daughter of Jeff (FCI vice president of crop insurance in the Mahomet regional office) and Becky Wheeler of Mahomet.

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About the Community Foundation of East Central Illinois:

The Community Foundation of East Central Illinois is a publicly-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.

About Farm Credit Illinois:

Farm Credit Illinois (FCI) is an agricultural financial cooperative owned by 16,000 farmer, rural landowner, and agribusiness voting stockholder members in the southern 60 counties of Illinois. Dedicated to Helping Farm Families Succeed, FCI provides competitive and flexible financing, crop insurance expertise, and Rural 1^st® country life lending. FCI manages a $5.1 billion loan portfolio, sells 1.5 million acres of crop insurance coverage, and employs 260 staff in the Mahomet headquarters and 14 regional offices. The Association will return $40 million of 2021 earnings as cash patronage to member-borrowers in 2022. The U.S. Farm Credit System is a network of locally owned cooperatives supporting rural communities, farm families, and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services today and tomorrow.