Four $500 Scholarships to be Awarded; Deadline is March 8

St. Charles, IL  (Jan. 11, 2013) – The City of St. Charles, in partnership with the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association (IMUA), is offering four (4) $500 scholarships to eligible high school students.  To be eligible, applicants must be high school seniors whose parents or legal guardians are residential customers of City of St. Charles utilities.  Eligible students must submit an application and essay of 500 words or less addressing their choice of one of three (3) utility-related questions.  Applications are due Friday, March 8, 2013.

Applications along with utility-related questions can be found on the City of St. Charles web site at www.stcharlesil.gov and are also available at the front desk of the Municipal Center Building, 2 E. Main Street, St. Charles.  

The scholarship program seeks to promote and recognize scholastic achievement, as well as create greater awareness among young adults of the many issues facing consumers and public power municipalities.

“Today’s energy providers, including municipally-owned and operated utilities, face a myriad of economic, environmental, and other challenges which warrant creative and innovative solutions,” said Tom Bruhl, Electric Services Manager for the City of St. Charles.  “Creating awareness of these issues among tomorrow’s leaders can be the first step in helping determine effective, long-term solutions, both now and into the future.”

This will be the 13^th year IMUA has offered the program.  “Since its inception in 2000, IMUA’s scholarship program has proven to be a very popular and successful program for IMUA, its members and the communities it serves,” said Kevin M. Gaden,  President & CEO of the IMUA.  “Public power communities offer their customers a number of cost, service and other advantages compared to those served by other energy providers.  IMUA’s scholarship program is another example of how municipally-owned and operated utility systems can help return value to their communities while at the same time, provide a measure of financial assistance to those students who wish to pursue a college education.” 

A committee of municipal utility officials will select four (4) finalists, each of whom will receive a certificate and $500 scholarship award.  Winners will be announced in April.  For more information, contact IMUA at 217-789-4632.

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About the City of St. Charles

Friendly neighborhoods, diverse retailers, international employers, innovative schools, beautiful parks, varied cultural amenities, and unique architecture have earned St. Charles its reputation as the Pride of the Fox. Located in both DuPage and Kane counties, the City of St. Charles is 35 miles west of downtown Chicago, and has a population of approximately 33,000. Over 2,100 businesses, consisting of a balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and manufacturing facilities, employ more than 18,000 people. The City of St. Charles was named the #1 City for Families by Family Circle® magazine; one of the “150 Great Places in Illinois,” by the AIA Illinois; and one of the “Top 10 Towns To Live In” by West Suburban Living magazine.

About the IMUA

Organized in 1948, IMUA is a statewide trade association which represents the unified interests of, and provides services to, 64 municipalities which operate their own electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water and wastewater treatment systems.