William D. Stiehl Scholarship

The William D. Stiehl Scholarship Program is intended to support East St. Louis or Brooklyn students enrolled in law school, or in graduate degree programs in education, city planning or community development who plan to work in disinvested communities such as East St. Louis upon graduation.
AMOUNT of the Scholarship Award

Recipients of the William D. Stiehl Scholarship are awarded up to a $5,000 scholarship for the first year in the program. If approved, students are eligible to continue their scholarship each year for a maximum of three years of law school or 2 years for Masters-level graduate studies or 3 years for PhD studies, as long as they meet the William D. Stiehl Scholarship renewal requirements.

Eligibility

To be eligible for acceptance into the William D. Stiehl Scholarship Program, applicants must:

  • Be graduating from college and meet the residency requirements as outlined below
  • Have financial need
  • Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0
  • Enroll in and attend an accredited college or university as a full-time law school student or a full-time graduate school student in a degree program in education, city planning or community development studies and plan to work in economically challenged communities such as East St. Louis upon graduation.
  • Submit all required application materials by the established deadline through www.myscholarshipcentral.org Failure to provide a complete application including all required supporting documentation to GESLCF by the application deadline will invalidate the application regardless of an Applicant’s having satisfied all other criteria.

Residency Requirement

Students must have been a resident of East St. Louis, IL or Brooklyn, IL or have lived within the boundaries of Illinois School Districts 188 or 189. Students are required to submit a copy of a utility bill to verify residency.

Questions? Contact scholarships@greaterestlfund.org

Donor
Greater East St. Louis Community Fund
Award
Up to $5,000
Deadline
05/31/2026
Supplemental Questions
  1. Where will you live during the academic year for which you are applying?
  2. What college do you plan to attend next year? If undecided, list your top two choices to which you have applied. You must submit a copy of your acceptance letter before final scholarship consideration is given.
    • a. Name of College
    • b. Address, City & State
    • c. Accepted by Institution?
  3. Financial Aid
    • Are you applying for financial aid at the college you plan to attend?
    • If no, please explain.
  4. Share with us your graduate school goals. UPLOAD your response in a Word or PDF document.
  5. Share with us your professional goals and how graduate school will prepare you for future professional goals. UPLOAD your response in a Word or PDF document.
  6. Upload the acceptance letter from the graduate program/law school or medical school to which you have been accepted.
  7. OFFICIAL COLLEGE TRANSCRIPT: If you are a current college student, upload your official college transcript. The transcript should reflect grades from your most recently completed semester.
  8. Upload your official high school transcript.
  9. Please upload a recent photo of yourself. Make sure it is a professional looking headshot.
  10. Upload your 2026-2027 FAFSA Submission Summary
  11. SCHOLARSHIP CENTRAL RECOMMENDATION: Enter the name and e-mail address of an instructor, counselor, advisor, supervisor or other similarly qualified individual who will submit a recommendation on your behalf. NOTE: As the applicant, it is your responsibility to inform that person to watch for an email sent on your behalf that will explain how to complete this process.
  12. SCHOLARSHIP CENTRAL SECOND RECOMMENDATION: Enter the name and e-mail address of an instructor, counselor, advisor, supervisor or other similarly qualified individual who will submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf. NOTE: As the applicant, it is your responsibility to inform that person to watch for an email sent on your behalf that will explain how to complete this process.
  13. APPLICANT SIGNATURE: By entering my full name below, I authorize The Greater East St. Louis Community Fund and its partners to examine, verify and discuss my academic and/or financial records and other information which applies this application. I also understand that an unsigned or incomplete application will make me ineligible for consideration for an award. I certify to The Greater East St. Louis Community Fund that all information here is true and complete to the best of my knowledge and that I understand that the Committee makes the decision regarding my participation in this program, in reliance upon the truth and correctness of the information I provide.
  14. Show 8 more