The Pasieka family donated $11,000 to create an endowment scholarship fund in memory of their late parents, Joseph and Gayle Pasieka.
Joe and Gayle met while working at Tonica Milk Products and were married in 1951, when Joe returned from the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Joe and Gayle then worked together on their farm for 40 years while raising three children.
Farming was a way of life for the Pasieka family, and this scholarship for Illinois Valley Community College students will honor that legacy.
The Joe and Gayle Pasieka endowed scholarship will provide one $1,000 scholarship this fall to a local student studying agriculture and $500 each year thereafter.
“The Pasieka family endowment is a significant investment in the future of agriculture here in the Illinois Valley,” IVCC Foundation Executive Director Tracy Beattie said in a news release. “We are so thankful the family chose to honor their beloved parents by creating a scholarship in their name.”
Students attending Illinois Valley Community College in the fall are encouraged to apply for this and hundreds of other scholarships online at ivcc.edu/scholarships.
IVCC offers an opportunity to individuals and businesses to create annual and endowed scholarships. These scholarships help hundreds of IVCC students each year.
For information about creating a scholarship, contact Beattie at 815-224-0550 or tracy_beattie @ivcc.edu.
![The Pasieka family has donated funds to create an endowment scholarship to be awarded to a student studying agriculture. Pictured are Chris Pasieka, (left) and John Pasieka (right) with Executive Director of the IVCC Foundation Tracy Beattie.](https://www.shawlocal.com/resizer/bPd-VCH3DkknutyVr0AXmrp6eqw=/1440x0/filters:format(jpg):quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/GDKEEGQH6VHRVBWBO7V4PCBU6E.jpg)