CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - A $10,000 gift from Nicor Gas will support one of the inaugural fellowships in the new Civic Leadership Program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The gift will enable a fellow to pursue a graduate degree and will help offset the cost of tuition and fees, and may supplement stipends for internships that will be part of the program.
The program is structured to provide advanced undergraduates with informed appreciation of the ideals and deficiencies of American democracy, the values and structures on which it is based, and the challenges it will face. The objective is to generate broadly trained, ethically aware and highly motivated graduates who can participate in, revitalize and take leadership roles in American civic activity and government.
The recipients of the first 2005 Civic Leadership Fellowship grants will be announced, along with the inauguration of the program and the establishment of the Center for the Study of Democratic Governance, during the Oct. 24-27 Centennial Conference of the U. of I. department of political science. The first group of 12-15 fellows is expected to enter the Civic Leadership Program in 2005.
"When we learned about the Civic Leadership Program we felt it was a much-needed program and we wanted to be part of helping talented undergraduates pursue their dreams of public service," said Julian Brown, the corporate contributions manager of Nicor Gas. "I'm proud to see that Nicor Gas has contributed toward continuing the tradition of educational excellence through its support for the new educational program focused on leadership offered by the University of Illinois."
"This generous gift from Nicor Gas allows a well-deserving student with an interest in public service the opportunity to help offset their educational expenses," said Jesse Delia, the acting provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs at the U. of I. "It also helps us with this newly developed program, since it reinforces our community partnerships and helps support key educational programs in the process."
The Nicor Gas donation is part of the company's local giving and is part of the company's overall philanthropic and corporate-giving program. (For more information about Nicor's community involvement, visit its Web site and click on "Nicor in the Community.")
Nicor Gas is one of the nation's largest gas distribution companies. Owned by Nicor Inc., a holding company, Nicor Gas has provided safe and reliable natural gas services for 50 years. The company serves 2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding Chicago. For more information, visit the Nicor Web site.