Pictured L-R: Maria Poston, Claire Sudkamp
(EFFINGHAM, Illinois – June 20, 2025) Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation is pleased to announce two scholarship awardees for the 2025 Thomas J. Epplin Health Profession Scholarship.
- Claire Sudkamp is a 2021 graduate of St. Anthony High School and attends St. Louis University School of Medicine.
- Maria Poston is a 2023 graduate of St. Anthony High School and attends Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. Maria is pursuing a health profession in the dentistry field.
The Thomas J. Epplin Health Profession Scholarship is available for graduates and current seniors of Pinckneyville High School, Vandalia High School, or St. Anthony High School (Effingham). The scholarship provides assistance to students seeking health profession careers.
Dr. Thomas J. Epplin was born and raised in Pinckneyville, Illinois. He was a dentist in Vandalia, Illinois for 25 years where he was an active member of his parish, president of the Fayette County Health Department, and a member of various professional organizations. He was an avid supporter of St. Anthony High School in Effingham, Illinois. Tom was also passionate about promoting educational opportunities for students in all walks of life. This scholarship has been made possible by the generous gifts of family and friends who wish to carry on Dr. Epplin’s legacy.
The Thomas J. Epplin Health Profession Scholarship is a fund with Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation. The Community Foundation manages more than 250 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.
