For almost 20 years, the George Washington Gale Scholars program has helped lower income, first generation college students receive higher education in Galesburg.
Steve Cheesman was named director of the program about three months ago after longtime director Les Hunter retired.
Cheesman tells Galesburg’s Evening News on WGIL the program was founded in 1996 through the collaboration of the District 205 superintendent, Knox College president and Carl Sandburg College president.
“They wanted to create something that focused in on a particular group of people that were probably not getting an opportunity to pursue a higher education because of costs and those kinds of things,” Cheesman says. “So they created this program to open up another door, create another avenue for kids to get an education. As I say, it’s just as good as it gets in terms of its goals and who it focuses in on and what it stands for.”
In order to be eligible for the program, Galesburg students in eighth grade have to be an upcoming first generation college student.
Once accepted, they have to maintain a 2.5 minimum GPA and complete 20 hours of community service per year as well as follow other guidelines.
The program pays students’ tuition for two years at Carl Sandburg College and two years at Knox College.
