Waukegan Park District Academic Scholarship Application Available

Mar 15
Friday, March 15th 2024

Waukegan, Illinois (March 15, 2024) – The Waukegan Park District will support the academic endeavors of five local students with a $1,000 scholarship, known as the Waukegan Park District Memorial Endowment Fund Scholarship. The scholarship is intended to invest in students with outstanding academic achievements and a commitment to community service.

Applicants will be selected based on their academic achievements and community service. To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:

  • live within the boundaries of the Waukegan Park District.
  • be a student attending a college, university, or trade school in the fall of 2024.
  • be pursuing a park and recreation related academic field or trade, including, but not limited to, accounting, business, carpentry, communications, electricity, environmental science, exercise sports science, forestry, graphic design, horticulture, human resources, landscape architecture, marketing, mechanics, occupational safety, therapeutic recreation, or tourism development and management.

Applications must include:

  • a transcript from the most recent educational institution attended.
  • a resume with the applicant’s work and/or volunteer experience.
  • a personal essay about the applicant’s experience with parks and recreation and aspiration to use their education to benefit the community.
  • a letter of recommendation from an individual who is familiar with the future goals and aptitude of the applicant.

Past recipients of the Waukegan Park District Memorial Endowment Fund Scholarship attended or currently attend the following schools: Case Western Reserve University, Clark University, Coe College, College of Lake County, Connecticut College, Cornell College, DePaul University, Duke University, Hope College, Howard University, Knox College, Lake Forest College, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Smith College, Texas Southern University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Richmond, University of Rochester, and University of Wisconsin – Parkside.

The Waukegan Park District Memorial Endowment Fund Scholarship began in 2019 and is funded by private donations. Applications are due by Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 5pm. Scholarship recipients will be announced on Tuesday, June 11, 2024. More information, including the application, is available at waukeganparks.org/scholarship.


About the Waukegan Park District

Established on December 26, 1916, the Waukegan Park District (WPD) has 53 properties and more than 742 acres of land, including the 18-hole Bonnie Brook and 9-hole Greenshire Golf Courses. Properties are managed to the highest environmental and conservation standards. Facilities operated by the WPD include the Field House Sports, Fitness and Aquatics Center, Waukegan’s Greg Petry SportsPark, Waukegan Skate Park, BMX Track, SplashZone, Percussion Playground, recreational centers, disc golf course, dog exercise area and agility course, outdoor sports fields, picnic areas, playgrounds, splash pads, and sports courts including basketball, tennis and pickleball. A full range of programs and services are offered year-round for all ages, from infants to seniors, as well as special need populations. Healthy lifestyles, wellness initiatives, and a connection with the outdoors and nature are integrated throughout programs, services, and special events. Arts and cultural activities are provided by the Jack Benny Center for the Arts, Waukegan Symphony Orchestra and Concert Chorus, and the Waukegan History Museum. We offer something for everyone!

A member of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD), Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA), and the Park District Risk Management Agency (PDRMA), the WPD employs 73 full-time and 219 part-time, seasonal, and temporary employees and is recognized by the IPRA as an Exceptional Workplace.

Nationally accredited by the NRPA Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) and State accredited through the IAPD Distinguished Agency Accreditation, the WPD has received the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Triple Crown Award for receiving the GFOA’s Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, Popular Annual Financial Reporting Award, and the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award. The WPD was awarded the NRPA National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management in 2013, and was named a Gold Medal Finalist in 2012, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023.

Media Contact
Josue Pasillas, MPA
Communications Supervisor
Waukegan Park District
(847) 360-4789
jpasillas@waukeganparks.org
waukeganparks.org