Jacksonville Promise Scholarship expands outreach, aims for greater equity

The Jacksonville Promise Scholarship Program, a local nonprofit that has funded Morgan County graduates for a decade, is ramping up outreach to diversify its recipient pool and reach more lower income families. For the 2025 to 2026 academic year the program is supporting 65 new recipients, bringing the total number of students supported across all years to 124. Awards amount to $1,400 per semester, which can total up to $14,000 over four years for students attending Illinois College or Lincoln Land Community College at the Jacksonville campus.

The expansion is intended to address financial barriers that keep students from enrolling or persisting in college, a concern that carries direct consequences for community health and economic resilience. Recipients report that the award helps them remain in Jacksonville for school and reduces financial stress, which can affect mental and physical wellbeing and academic outcomes. By enabling more local students to begin and continue higher education, the program also supports efforts to retain educated young adults who might later contribute to the county work force, including in health care and public services.

Cofounder Charles Sheaff said the program is pursuing a two pronged outreach campaign to reach its goals. One branch focuses on direct recruitment in lower income neighborhoods to ensure eligible students are aware of and can access the scholarship. The other seeks donor appeals in wealthier areas to broaden the donor base and increase available funds. Sheaff described an eventual goal of covering full tuition for local students, but he noted achieving that would require public funding or a substantially larger private donor base. He plans to make an economic case to local government for investment in the program.

The policy implications are significant for Morgan County. Local officials and civic leaders face a choice about whether to invest municipal resources to multiply the scholarship impact. Public support could accelerate the program toward full tuition coverage, potentially expanding college access more rapidly for students from lower income households. From a public health perspective, such investment would align with upstream strategies to reduce health disparities by improving education, employment prospects, and financial stability.

Community leaders say the program has already made a measurable difference in the lives of students and their families. As Jacksonville Promise seeks new donors and municipal partners, its efforts highlight broader conversations about equity in access to higher education, the role of local government in supporting students, and the long term benefits to Morgan County when more young people can pursue and complete college without being priced out.