News Release From:

SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Dustin D. Tripp, President/CEO

585 Highway 142 South, P.O. Box 251

Eldorado, IL 62930

Phone: 618-273-2611

For Immediate Release:

September 30, 2011

Eight 2012 IEC Memorial Scholarships Available

SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative President/CEO, Dustin Tripp has announced that the Illinois electric cooperatives will again in 2012 award seven academic scholarships to high school seniors through a memorial scholarship fund designed to financially assist deserving students in the "electric cooperative family." In addition, an eighth scholarship - to assist with costs in attending an electric lineworker school - will also be offered.

The eight scholarships of $1,250 each will be awarded in 2012 through the Thomas H. Moore Illinois Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Memorial Scholarship Program.

Four scholarships will be awarded to high school seniors who are the sons or daughters of an Illinois electric cooperative member receiving service from the cooperative. A fifth scholarship, the Earl W. Struck Memorial Scholarship, will be awarded to a student who is the son or daughter of an Illinois electric cooperative employee. The sixth and seventh scholarships are reserved for students enrolling full-time at a two-year Illinois community college who are the sons or daughters of Illinois electric cooperative members, employees or directors.

A new eighth annual scholarship, the "LaVern and Nola McEntire Lineworker's Scholarship," was awarded for the first time in 2011. This $1250 scholarship will help pay for costs to attend the lineworker's school conducted by the Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives in conjunction with Lincoln Land Community College, Springfield, Ill. LaVern McEntire served as a lineman for McDonough Power Electric Cooperative from 1949 until 1991. He and his wife, Nola, endowed the new scholarship to financially assist deserving individuals in becoming trained lineworkers. Sons and daughters of co-op members; relatives of co-op employees or directors; and individuals who have served or are serving in the armed forces or National Guard are all eligible for the lineworker's scholarship.

"We hope to assist electric cooperative youth while honoring past rural electric leaders with these scholarships," says Dustin Tripp. "SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative and the other Illinois electric cooperatives are always seeking ways to make a difference in our communities. One of the best ways we can do that is by helping our youth through programs like this one. In addition, we are very pleased to offer the electric lineworker's scholarship. It will benefit not only electric cooperative youth but also those fine men and women who have served our country through their military service and may now be wanting to become a trained lineworker."

For more information regarding the scholarships, contact Sunday Whitlock at SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative at 618-273-2611 ext. 170. All necessary paperwork has also been sent to area high school guidance counselors and is also available for download at the cooperative's website at www.seiec.com.