From 1846 to 2020 MacMurray College scholarships helped students pursue their college education. MacMurray students were frequently supported by college scholarships provided by generous donors. The MacMurray Foundation is continuing this legacy, primarily by making scholarships available for members of MacFam, i.e., MacMurray College alums, former faculty, staff, and trustees, and their relatives, as well as for students sponsored by a member of MacFam. In addition, the Foundation offers a scholarship to a community college graduate and a local student who has previously been awarded a Jacksonville Promise scholarship. We invite applications from our awardees from prior years to renew their scholarships and from new applicants pursuing higher education for classes beginning in Fall 2025. (We always welcome contributions to our scholarship fund. Learn more.)
We will begin accepting applications on January 1 and will not review or award any scholarships until after the March 15 deadline for submissions. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please review the criteria below. All awards are for one year only, but previous awardees may apply for additional years through this process. If you are interested in funding a scholarship or supporting the scholarship program, review the possibilities on our support page.
CURRENT SCHOLARSHIPS
SCHOLARSHIPS—General and Named
- MacMurray Foundation MacScholar Scholarships
- Richard and Judith Dozier Hackman Scholarship
- Class of 1981 Scholarship
- Nancy Witthoeft Scholarships
- Cathy Horn Randall Scholarships
- Nancy Potts Rapier Memorial Scholarships
- Russel Patton Memorial Scholarships
- The Maggie Scholarships
- Michael Zimmers Memorial Scholarship
- Nancy Teel Croessmann Memorial Scholarship
- Simons Family Scholarship
SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
Jacksonville Promise Scholarship
This scholarship is for $1500 and will be awarded to a previous Jacksonville Promise scholarship recipient.
William Stanton Scholarship for Future Educators
This scholarship is for $1500 and will be awarded to a student intending to pursue a career as an educator who meets the criteria listed below.
Class of 1972 Scholarship
This scholarship is for $2000 and will be awarded to a student who is either first generation, and/or has overcome some obstacle in pursuing or attempting to pursue an undergraduate education, and meets the criteria listed below.
Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” Scholarship
This scholarship is for $3000 and will be awarded to a community college student receiving an associate degree who intends to pursue a bachelor’s degree as a residential on-campus student at a four-year institution of higher learning and who meets the eligibility criteria listed below.
Baker Family Trust Scholarship
This scholarship is for $5000 and will be awarded to a student majoring or intending to major in Business Administration, Economics, Marketing or Industrial Distribution and who meets the eligibility criteria listed below.
CRITERIA FOR APPLYING
- Previous MacMurray Foundation Scholarship Awardees
- Previous awardees must submit another complete application during the application period.
- The application must indicate that the previous awardee/applicant will be a full-time student during academic year 2025-2026:
- As a student attending an institution of higher learning with a focus on the connection to the legacy of MacMurray College, or
- As an undergraduate student majoring in one of the programs for which MacMurray College was prominent, or
- As a student pursuing an advanced degree in a helping profession.
- The application must include a paragraph giving an account of the previous year’s academic and non-academic activities and accomplishments and explaining how the previous year’s scholarship award helped the awardee achieve these activities and accomplishments. If the scholarship was awarded but not used, the paragraph should address why the scholarship was not used, what the awardee has been doing since the original award and what the awardee plans to do with the scholarship if it is awarded again
- In addition to the application, the previous awardee must submit a letter of recommendation and a transcript from the applicant’s most recent academic year showing a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (and must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA through the end of the current academic year).
- New Applicants for All MacMurray Foundation General or Named Scholarships
- Primary Criteria. To be considered for a MacMurray Foundation and Alumni Association general or named scholarship, an applicant must be a member of MacFam or sponsored by a MacFam member as described below, meet one or more of the additional criteria in paragraph b, and submit a complete application with all required forms, essays, and recommendations:
- MacFam member. A member of MacFam is considered to be anyone who attended or graduated from MacMurray College, a former faculty member, staff, or trustee of MacMurray College, or a relative of any of the above; or
- Sponsored by MacFam member. A person sponsored by a member of MacFam as described in the paragraph above, is evidenced by a sponsor form signed and submitted by a MacFam member.
- Additional Criteria.
- Be a first-generation College student
- Be a high school graduate who will attend an institution of higher learning with a focus on the connection to the legacy of MacMurray College
- Be a college applicant or attendee who will major in one of the programs for which MacMurray was historically prominent, e.g., Deaf Education and Hard of Hearing, Special Education and teacher training, Nursing, Business, Social Work, Homeland Security, Criminal Justice, Art, Music, or a helping profession
- Be pursuing an advanced degree in a helping profession
- Demonstrate Financial Need as indicated on a FAFSA submitted as part of the application
- Be a person who has overcome a difficulty in life, such as a physical, mental or other difficulty, as explained in the required essay
- Primary Criteria. To be considered for a MacMurray Foundation and Alumni Association general or named scholarship, an applicant must be a member of MacFam or sponsored by a MacFam member as described below, meet one or more of the additional criteria in paragraph b, and submit a complete application with all required forms, essays, and recommendations:
- Applicants for a Jacksonville Promise Scholarship must be a previous awardee of a Jacksonville Promise Scholarship and must submit a complete application, including a letter of recommendation and a transcript from the applicant’s most recent academic year showing a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, but need not be a MacFam member or sponsored by a MacFam member. The applicant must maintain at least the minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA through the current academic year.
- Applicants for a William Stanton Scholarship for Future Educators
Applicants for a William Stanton Scholarship for Future Educators must be a MacFam member or sponsored by a MacFam member and meet one or more of the Additional Criteria listed above for a MacMurray Foundation General Scholarship, submit a complete application, including a letter of recommendation, a transcript from the applicant’s most recent academic year showing a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better (and maintain that minimum GPA through the current academic year) and must indicate in the application that they intend to pursue a career as a future educator.
- Applicants for the Class of 1972 Scholarship
Applicants for the Class of 1972 Scholarship must be a MacFam member or sponsored by a MacFam member and meet one or more of the Additional Criteria for a MacMurray Foundation General Scholarship listed above, except that the applicant must be pursuing an undergraduate degree. Students who are first generation or who have overcome some obstacle in life will be given priority for the scholarship. In addition, an applicant must submit a complete application including a letter of recommendation and transcript from the most recent academic period showing a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. The applicant must maintain that minimum GPA through the current academic year.
- Applicants for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” Scholarship
Applicants for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” scholarship must submit both a complete application and a letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member of a community college. The applicant must be an individual who:- Is preparing to graduate from a community college with an associate’s degree and is intending to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the nApplicants for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” Scholarship Applicants for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” scholarship must submit both a complete application and a letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member of a community college. The applicant must be an individual who:
- Is preparing to graduate from a community college with an associate degree and is intending to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the next academic year;
- Is planning to be a residential student, i.e., planning to live on the campus of an institution of higher learning; and
- Has, during the applicant’s years at the community college, demonstrated real academic and personal growth as shown by a recommendation submitted by a faculty or staff member from the community college.
- Applicants for a Baker Family Trust Scholarship.
Applicants for a Baker Family Trust Scholarship must be a MacFam member or be sponsored by a MacFam member, and meet one or more of the Additional Criteria listed above for a MacMurray Foundation General Scholarship, submit a complete application, including a letter of recommendation, and a transcript from the applicant’s most recent academic year showing a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better, and must indicate in the application that they intend to major in Business Administration, Economics, Marketing or Industrial Distribution. The applicant must maintain that minimum GPA through the current academic year.
HOW TO APPLY FOR MACMURRAY FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
Submission Requirements
A COMPLETE application, which includes, where applicable, a transcript from the applicant’s most recent academic period, an essay, and a letter of recommendation.
- Complete applications must be submitted by March 15, 2025
- Starting on January 1, 2025, you may apply for any of the above scholarships, by accessing our online scholarship application, creating an account, and following the instructions to complete and submit your application.
Transcript requirements
- Previous awardees and applicants for a MacMurray Foundation General or Named Scholarships, the Jacksonville Promise Scholarship, the William Stanton Scholarship for Future Educators, and the Baker Family Trust Scholarship, must have maintained a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative GPA as shown on a transcript that includes the applicant’s most recent academic period and must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA through the end of the current academic year.
- Applicants for the Class of 1972 Scholarship must have maintained a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA as shown on a transcript that includes the applicant’s most recent academic period and must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA through the end of the current academic year
- There is no minimum GPA for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” Scholarship.
Essay Requirements
- A new applicant for a MacMurray Foundation general or named Scholarship, the Jacksonville Promise Scholarship, the William Stanton Scholarship for Future Educators, the Baker Family Trust Scholarship, or the Class of 1972 Scholarship must include a short essay describing how the MacMurray values of Knowledge, Faith, Service, and Wisdom, Duty and Reverence have impacted the applicant or the applicant’s life. (See the About page for information about MacMurray values).
- If applying for a MacMurray Foundation general or named scholarship, the William Stanton Scholarship or the Class of 1972 Scholarship on the basis of needing assistance as a result of overcoming a difficulty in life, such as a physical, mental or other obstacle in life, the applicant must include a discussion in the essay explaining how the applicant has overcome the difficulty.
- There is no essay requirement for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” Scholarship.
Letter of Recommendation Requirements
- All returning awardee applicants and new applicants for a MacMurray Foundation general or named scholarship, the Jacksonville Promise Scholarship, the William Stanton Scholarship for Future Educators, the Class of 1972 Scholarship, and the Baker Family Trust Scholarship must also submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher, pastor or other adult of their choice who is not an immediate family member.
- An applicant for the Louise Rintelmann Thompson “I Believe in You” Scholarship must submit a letter of recommendation from a faculty or staff member of the community college from which the applicant is receiving an associate’s degree discussing how the applicant has demonstrated real academic and personal growth during the applicant’s career at the community college.
PRIVACY POLICY FOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS AND AWARDEES
The information provided by the applicant and family is private and will be shared only with scholarship reviewers for purposes of determining eligibility for a scholarship and making recommendations for scholarship awards. No information will be made public, except as may be required by law, or for publication of the award or as specifically permitted by the awardees. Scholarship awardee’s information will be provided to the applicant’s requested institution. Applicants/awardees may submit a request in writing to limit in whole or part publication of the applicant/awardee’s information.
CONTACT US
If you have questions or want more information, please contact the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee Chair at [email protected].