Gregory-Rye Scholarship Fund Grant

The Gregory-Rye Scholarship Fund, established by the Southern Illinois Community Foundation, honors the legacy of Elmer Gregory and Leonard Rye. This scholarship aims to support Benton High School students pursuing higher education with awards of $10,000, distributed in four installments. With a minimum GPA of 2.00, this fund seeks to empower students to achieve their educational and career dreams, reflecting the values of philanthropy and community support in southern Illinois.

Our Scholarships
We represent scholarships all across Southern Illinois with a variety of different missions, goals, and dreams.
This scholarship is established in memory of Elmer Gregory and Leonard Rye, admired maternal grandfathers of Robert and Stephanie Bourque.
Elmer Gregory was born in East St. Louis, IL, on February 12, 1907. He was educated through the eighth grade, but then had to go to work to help the family survive. Despite these early challenges, he went on to become a Chevrolet automobile dealer and a long-serving Zoning Administrator for the City of Benton. Elmer was an avid golfer and played in many competitive events across Southern Illinois.
Leonard Rye was born in Palmyra, TN, on September 2, 1920. He attained an eighth-grade education and enlisted to serve in the Philippines during WWII. Upon his return from war, he settled in Mt. Vernon and embarked on a long career in maintenance at General Radiator. Leonard was a lifelong tinkerer, a self-taught musician on the guitar, and a weekend golfer.
Both of these men were shaped by living through the Great Depression and World Wars and the hardships those events entailed. They embodied the qualities of self-made men who overcame long odds to have a good living and loving families without the benefit of a significant education. They wanted their children and grandchildren to have the opportunities they did not have, and worked daily to make sure an advanced education was available to everyone in their family.
It is in this spirit that the Gregory-Rye scholarship has been established- to enable graduates to go on to successful post-high school education and help enable them to make their goals and dreams a reality.
Award Amount
$10,000 per award, paid in 4 equal installments of $2,500 per academic year, while the student remains enrolled and in good academic standing.

Eligibility

Benton, Illinois High School student, continuing education at college, university or technical instituteGrade Point Average of 2.00 and above