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June 21, 2024

Announcing the 2024 Bruce V. Penwell, Jr. Nursing Scholarship Recipients

Pictured from L to R: Carsen Sims, Charly Kreke, Margaret Holthaus

(EFFINGHAM, Illinois – June 13, 2024) Margaret Holthaus of Christian County, Carsen Sims of Shelby County and Charly Kreke of Effingham County were named recipients of the 2023 Bruce V. Penwell Jr. Nursing Scholarship.

Margaret Holthaus will be a junior pursuing her nursing degree at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville.  Carsen Sims will be a senior pursuing a nursing degree at St. John’s College of Nursing. Charly Kreke will be a freshman beginning her pursuit of a nursing degree at Eastern Illinois University.

The Bruce V. Penwell, Jr. Nursing Scholarship provides scholarships to residents pursuing a nursing degree of three Illinois counties: Effingham, Shelby, Christian.  Bruce Penwell, Jr. was born in Pana, IL, and graduated from Beecher City High School.  He attended the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and worked in sales and marketing in the animal health industry. Bruce never forgot his ties to the region. He had a lifelong interest in the people and the surrounding rural area in Illinois.

Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation manages more than 200 funds for the immediate and long-term benefit of communities in southeastern Illinois. For more information, contact Alex Pleasant, President/CEO of Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation at 217.342.4988 or alex@southeasternillinois.org.

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