Clem T. Hanson Scholarship Fund (a Donor Designated Fund through the Moline Foundation)

Since 1985, four scholarships have been awarded annuallyto students living in Moline School District No. 40 through the Clem T. Hanson Scholarship Fund established through the Moline Foundation. Over 66 students have been encouraged by the generosity of Clement T. Hanson and his family since Mr. Hanson’s death in 1985. Clement T. Hanson (1901-1985) founded the Clem T. Hanson Advertising Agency in Moline, and was a co-founder of HON Industries of Muscatine. Mr. Hanson served Moline as a volunteer to many organizations including the Boy Scouts of America, Arrowhead Ranch, United Way, Moline Rotary (as president in 1952) and many others. He was the 1920 Valedictorian and graduate of St. Mary’s High School in Riverside, Iowa. He was awarded a scholarship in 1920 which enabled him to attend the University of Iowa. He graduated in 1925. Mr. Hanson was widely respected for his strong business ethics. He was also a visionary executive in the area of human rights and participative management in corporate life. Scholarships are awarded with the following criteria:

1. Candidates must be graduating high school seniors, or community college students preparing to transfer to four-year colleges. Candidates must reside within Moline School District No. 40 (which includes Coal Valley, Illinois). 2. Candidates must intend to pursue a bachelors degree on a full time basis, in any career field. 3. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, presented through the scholarship application, a personal interview and information confirmed by the financial aid office of the selected college. 4. Candidates must have achieved high school scholastic performance in the upper one-third of their class, or community college grade performance of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, or equivalent. 5. The finalist candidate’s potential for future personal achievement will be evaluated by the selection committee, as determined by a personal interview and letters of reference received as part of the application requirement. 6. Each scholarship award will be $1,500 for the academic year. 7. Scholarship recipients will be eligible for renewal in three subsequent years, based on continued financial need and scholastic achievement acceptable to the Moline Foundation. 8. Scholarship funds will be distributed through the school financial aid office and can be applied to any component of the school’s comprehensive fee (tuition, room and board, etc.) 9. For a scholarship application, please contact the Moline Foundation at (309)736-3800 or write the Moline Foundation at 817 11th Ave, Moline, Illinois, 61265.Lee Womack Scholarship Fund (a Donor Designated Fund through the Moline Foundation)

Lee A. Womack graduated from Moline High School in 1956 and from Arizona State University in 1960. He taught school for eight years at Central Junior High School in Rock Island, Illinois. In 1978, he started work for Mr. Quick, Inc. and became President of the corporation in 1975.

He served as President until 1980, when he founded the Lee Womack Insurance Agency. For 22 years, he owned and operated the insurance agency. Mr. Womack also served as President of Porkie’s Restaurants, Ltd. from 1987 until he died in 2002.

In 1991, Mr. Womack was awarded the Quad City Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year award by Black Hawk College and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Womack served on the Moline Planning and Zoning commission, Moline Crimestoppers Board, and was also a member of the Silvis Jaycees, Milan Rotary Club and Miland Chamber of Commerce.

His first love, however, was teaching. Each year he would spend time in the Wilson Middle School Special Education classroom talking to the students about life. He always said,”You can do anything you want to do, but good things don’t come easily. To do it right, you have to work hard.” For his friends and clients, he always had time to hear about their problems and offer his advice. Mr. Womack was highly respected in the Quad City community. He had a reputation for providing others with an opportunity to succeed. By establishing the Scholarship fund, he continues to provide that opportunity for years to come.

The Lee Womack Memorial Scholarship award was established by Mr. Womack’s wife, Peggy, and the Lee Womack Memorial Golf Outing Steering Committee. Annually since his death, a golf outing has been held in Mr. Womack’s memory to raise funds for a local charity. In 2004, a scholarship fund was established and is administered through The Moline Foundation’s scholarship program.

The Lee Womack Scholarship Fund is intended to provide funds to deserving students graduating from Moline High School who plan to obtain a college degree in Education. Special consideration will be given to Education majors who give an emphasis to Special Education. However, a Special Education major is not a requirement for this award.

Selected recipients shall use the funds for first year expenses for tuition, room, board, or books at any accredited two-year or four-year institution. Moline Foundation Announces Engineers for Tomorrow Scholarship Program with Bradley University and Black Hawk College

An innovative scholarship program to encourage engineering as a career and provide an incentive for young college graduates to return to live and work in the Quad Cities has been announced by the three organizations involved in the program.

In 2001, representatives from the Moline Foundation and Bradley University began meeting to form a unique initiative to address two challenges facing the Quad Cities region :

1. a lack of engineers to fill jobs in the area, and;
2. a declining number of young professionals choosing to live in the Quad Cities area.

Nationally, there is also a shortage of engineers as over 140,000 new jobs are available in engineering each year and only 70,000 students graduate in engineering from universities annually. Experts are worried the United States is losing its industrial focus on developing new products as many engineers choose to work in the United States for a few years and then return to their homes overseas.

After meetings with Bradley alumni, community leaders, engineers and other citizens, the group decided to offer a scholarship to Bradley University. There is also the possibility of two years of study through Black Hawk College. The selected scholarship recipient is expected to sign a document agreeing to live and work in the Quad Cities for a minimum of three years after completion of college education. Summer internships may be available in the Quad Cities region during college. Assistance will be given to the student from the Quad Cities Engineers for Tomorrow Project to find suitable employment in the Quad Cities region.

Two-thirds of the tuition at Bradley University is paid by the scholarship. The estimated tuition payment is approximately $16,000. One third is paid by Bradley, one third from the Quad Cities Engineers for Tomorrow Project through the Moline Foundation, and one third by the student. Students who attend Moline High School and/or Black Hawk College are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Applications are available by contacting the Moline Foundation, 817 11th Ave., Moline, IL 61265 or by calling (309)736-3800. Sholarships are NOT given on an annual basis depending on funds available. Additional information about the Engineers for Tomorrow program is available by contacting Bradley University at (309)677-2745.