The city of Sullivan in partnership with the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association (IMUA) is again offering a scholarship competition program for eligible high school seniors. Each eligible applicant is asked to submit an application and an essay of 500 words or less addressing their choice of one of four utility-related questions.

Applicants must be high school seniors whose parents or legal guardians are residential customers of the city of Sullivan municipal utility.

According to public property commissioner Mike Kirk, the program has a dual purpose: 1) to promote and recognize scholastic achievement; and, 2) to create greater awareness among young adults of the many issues facing consumers and public power municipalities today.

“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,” Kirk said. “Creating a great awareness of these issues among tomorrow’s leaders can be the first step in helping to determine effective, long-term solutions, both now and into the future.”

This will be the 14th 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 and 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 purse a college education.”

The deadline for submitting applications and essays is Friday, March 7. A committee of municipal utility officials will select a total of four finalists, each of whom will receive a certificate and $500 scholarship award. Winners will be announced sometime in April.

Organized in 1948, IMUA is a statewide trade association that represents the unified interest of, and provides services to, nearly 60 municipalities that operate their own electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water, and wastewater treatment systems. Applicants may contact IMUA for more information at 217-789-4632.