The Michael Alan Fuller II Memorial Scholarship committee recently selected 24 recipients for the annual scholarship (pictured below): Jeffrey Boswell, Chase Branson, Cooper Collings, Shelby Cox, Phillip Davis, Emma Diltz, Michaela Drake, Victoria Drake, Sarah Etchison, Mikayla Grant, Travis Kittell, Amanda Kriesel, Blake Masse, Luke Miller, Sierra Morgan, Jaden Patterson, Jacob Perry, Nicholas Polston, Machenzie Pope, Ashley Purvis, Chase Rich, Clayton Tucker, Austin Wetzel and Dylan Wolf. A total of $20,000 was awarded this year.
The Michael Alan Fuller II Memorial Scholarship was established in memory of Alan Fuller who was killed in a single-car accident in 2004 and is one of several scholarship funds managed by the Mattoon Area Community Foundation. Alan’s family, Mike and Carol Fuller and Rachelle Fuller, organize the Big Al Golf Classic each year to raise money for the scholarship fund. According to Carol Fuller, “It was very important to our family to find a way to memorialize our son after his death. At the same time, we really enjoy giving the money away through scholarships during our lifetimes. It is even better that it will keep on going after we are gone. We love the legacy we will leave behind in memory of our son.” The Michael Alan Fuller Scholarship Fund has reached an important milestone in 2014 of awarding $100,000 to Mattoon High School graduating seniors in one decade.
An additional scholarship was presented to Sam Lodes from a similar fund established by National Distributor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Alan Fuller lived and worked in Albuquerque for 7 years and one of the companies he worked for was National Distributor. The company’s CEO, Caryl Cochran, started the Albuquerque fund at the time of Alan’s death.
Every year, the Fuller’s give scholarship recipients a copy of “Life’s Little Instructions” by H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Their son loved this book and in his personal copy had many quotes underlined. Last year, the Fuller’s asked Brown to sign copies of his book to be given to recipients. The author replied with this personal note: “You honor me by choosing my book to give to the Michael Alan Fuller II Memorial Scholarship recipients. Each copy is autographed with affection and my added best wishes to those who receive them. With warm regards, Jackson Brown.” The author’s message was included in the books given to students in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the scholarship fund.
