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NIU Executive Club boosts annual scholarship

March 18, 2011
Christine Cortina, winner of the 2010 Executive Club Scholarship

Christine Cortina, winner of the 2010 Executive Club Scholarship

Leaders of the NIU Executive Club announced today that their Executive Club Scholarship has jumped from $5,000 to $7,500 per year.

Since establishing the scholarship in 1999, the NIU Executive Club has awarded nearly $100,000 in scholarship dollars to 17 exceptional NIU students. These significant scholarship awards have had a direct impact on the lives of the award recipients, who invariably go on to successful careers after graduating from NIU.

Monica Wallace, an attorney in the Health Law Department at Chicago-based McDermott, Will & Emery LLP in Chicago, was the first recipient of the NIU Executive Club scholarship in 1999. Today, she serves on the Executive Club’s Board of Directors and mentors current Executive Club scholars.

“The level of support I received from the NIU Executive Club during my academic career was truly exceptional, and was instrumental to the success I have enjoyed in my career,” Wallace said. “I gained opportunities for summer internships, participated in the club’s business and social activities, and met numerous accomplished alumni, many of whom I consider close friends today.”

Michael Nicolas, president of the NIU Executive Club, said that raising the amount of the Executive Club Scholarship is a testament to the club’s continued commitment to the academic success of NIU’s best and brightest students.

“Since its inception, the Executive Club Scholarship has been our way of giving back to NIU by providing financial assistance to exceptional students. This significant increase in the Executive Club Scholarship is further proof of the club’s commitment to our scholars, and to the university as a whole. We hope that our efforts serve as a shining example that Huskie pride is a lifelong commitment, which starts on campus and continues long after graduation.”

Funding for the Executive Club Scholarship is provided by the club’s many activities, including its annual Scholarship Gala held in November. The Executive Club endowment is the second largest scholarship fund at NIU, and currently exceeds $582,000.

Established in 1996, the NIU Executive Club is an organization dedicated to fostering professional and personal relationships among highly successful NIU graduates, and giving back to the NIU community. It connects students with mentors and internship opportunities, and sponsors a variety of educational forums and networking activities.

In 2006, the Executive Club formed a partnership with the NIU Young Professionals Network to advance the career development of graduates with less than 10 years of experience.

For more information, call (815) 753-5794 or e-mail businessalumni@niu.edu.