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Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program

Dorothy E. Lee Scholarship

The purpose of this fund is to provide scholarships for nontraditional undergraduate students to either begin a college education or to return to college to continue studies toward a degree.

Dorothy E. Lee

Portrait of Dorothy E. Lee

Dr. Dorothy E. Lee attended Eureka College following her high school graduation. After one quarter, she dropped out and returned to her hometown, Litchfield, IL. Ten years later, she returned to college at Illinois State Normal University (ISNU). That was the beginning of a life in education. After receiving her B.S. in Ed. Degree in 1959, she took a job teaching sociology and psychology at Proviso East High School in Maywood, IL. She taught there for three years while she took classes nights and summers at Northwestern University.

Upon receiving her M.A. in sociology in 1962, she was hired at ISNU on a tenure line. Her doctoral work in Sociology was done at the University of Iowa on a Danforth Teaching Grant.

During her tenure at ISNU, she taught courses in minority relations and social psychology, served on numerous committees and task forces, and published in professional journals. For six years, she chaired the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work. During that time, the anthropology major was first offered, the social work major was approved, and the Community Research Services was developed.

Dr. Lee was a founding member and president of the Women Faculty Association. She was a president of the Illinois Sociological Association and served on the board of the Midwest Sociological Society. She was on the original committee to form a women's studies minor and chaired a 1987 task force to determine the future direction of what was then called the Women's Studies Program.

As her 1991 retirement neared, she served as Acting Chair of the Departments of History, Foreign Languages, and Political Science. Since retirement, she has spent her time writing. As of 2004, she has published three novels: Revision (2001), Under My Hat (2002), and Another Hat: ; A Sequel (2003).

Dorothy Lee's decision to attend Illinois State Normal University as a nontraditional student changed her life, and she wants that to happen for other nontraditional students, too. In 2004, she created an endowed fund for nontraditional students. The purpose of this grant is to help current Illinois State University students fund incidental expenses related to their education.

Requirements

Each candidate for a Dr. Dorothy E. Lee Scholarship should meet the following qualifications:

  • Be a full or part-time nontraditional undergraduate student.
  • Be enrolled in a degree program, or be admitted as an adult learner with the intention to enroll in a degree program, at Illinois State University.
  • Be a student who is beginning her college education or returning to college education to resume studies to complete her degree at Illinois State University.
  • Have demonstrated financial need, as determined by the Financial Aid Office.
  • Applicants must submit a personal statement addressing an unanticipated life event that disrupted their education and their desire to return to ISU to pursue and complete their chosen degree.

All things being equal, preference is to be given to a nontraditional student from Montgomery County, south-central Illinois, and/or a non-metropolitan area.

Application Procedure

Students applying for the Dorothy E. Lee Scholarship must have a financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office. Financial aid is determined by filling out the FAFSA Form.

Once you have filed, the information will be sent to our Financial Aid Office if you indicate you want ISU to receive your FAFSA data. Financial Aid Counselors can verify "unmet need" once they have processed your file.

  • Download the Dorothy E Lee Scholarship application: Dorothy E Lee Scholarship Application.
  • Submit an essay describing the student's desire to earn a college degree
  • Application must be received by Friday, November 10, 2023. Send your applications electronically to wgstudies@ilstu.edu or deliver hard copies to the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies offices, 231 Rachel Cooper, Campus Box 4260.

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Illinois State University Foundation
Campus Box 8000
Normal, IL 61790-8000

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