Harold Marker remembered having school in Blair Hall with what he describes as “those little red chairs.”

Marker graduated from Eastern in 1937 with a degree in physics. However, Marker can remember when Blair was used for elementary school.

Marker spoke at the EIU Foundation’s Endowment Tea on Friday afternoon in Buzzard Auditorium. Scholarship donors were able to meet with the recipients of their scholarships at the reception.

Genie and Patrick Lenihan were donors for the Genie Lenihan Endowed Fellowship in Clinical Psychology and the Patrick Lenihan Endowed Fellowship in Economics.

“We are committed to graduate education and decided to put our money where our mouths are,” Genie said.

Whitney Self, a 2006 Eastern graduate in journalism, served as emcee. Self is currently an associate producer for Country Music Television in Nashville, Tenn.

While at Eastern, Self was a news anchor for WEIU for three years.

“Two years ago I was at Eastern wondering what I was going to do,” Self said. “Then I received a call from CMT.”

Ashley McBride, a senior elementary education major, received the Livingston C. Lord Scholarship, the highest scholastic scholarship given to students at Eastern.

McBride plans to use this scholarship toward attending graduate school.

“One day I will be a donor for a scholarship and give someone what has been given to me,” McBride said.

Rachel Galligan, a junior communications major, received the Joan and Glenn Williams Women Athletic Scholarship. She was awarded the scholarship in the fall.

Galligan, a women’s basketball player, met Glenn last spring, but he was unable to come to the tea because he lives in Colorado.

“My scholarship helped because that money was able to be put back into the women’s basketball program and to help pay for certain expenses,” Galligan said.

Galligan enjoyed talking with the scholarship donors.

“There were a lot of great stories told and things to talk about,” Galligan said. “It was very nice to sit down and talk with some of them and just listen to their experience at EIU.”

Rebecca Griffith, a senior English major, received the Dr. Ann E. Jackson Catholic Scholars Award.

It’s part of the Catholic Scholars program and is open to Roman Catholic students who apply through the Newman Catholic Center, Griffith said.

“I applied for the Catholic Scholars Program in the summer of 2006, after having been involved at Newman Catholic Center for the past year, and was accepted,” Griffith said. “I took my first theology course that fall and have been involved ever since.”

Griffith also received the Betty J. Hawkins English scholarship through Eastern’s English Department.

“I was awarded the Betty Hawkins scholarship at the Department Awards Tea in the spring of 2007 and the scholarship was applied to my account for the Fall 2007 semester,” Griffith said.

Both women that Griffith’s scholarships were named after have died, but she says it was a blessing to receive them.

“Being awarded these scholarships helps me to keep a level head and to be excited about not dreading the costs of all the dreams I have regarding the next few years,” she said.

Ashley Mefford can be reached at 581-7942 or at almefford@eiu.edu.

Kali Cox, a sophomore English major, talks with Alumn Jackie Moler at the Endowment Tea in the Buzzard Hall Atrium on Friday. (John Bailey/The Daily Eastern News)

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