A new scholarship has been set up in DeKalb County to support students studying agricultural sciences with an emphasis on conservation work.

The DeKalb County Community Foundation recently announced the creation of the Samardzija-Gutesha Family Fund, meant to reflect the Samardzija-Gutesha family’s values and interest of giving back. The fund supports education and hands-on experiences in farming and soil and water conservation, with a focus on FFA members and associate-level college students.

“It’s an honor to help carry the Samardzija-Gutesha family legacy forward through a fund that supports the land, values and people they cared about,” Community Foundation Executive Director Dan Templin said in a news release.

The late Militsa Samardzija, creator of the fund, is a DeKalb native and a DeKalb High School graduate with a bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in historic preservation planning from Cornell University, according to a news release. She died in February 2023.

Samardzija came from a family with deep local roots. Her father, Milosh “Mike” Samardzija, immigrated from the former Yugoslavia, and her mother, Mildred Gutesha Samardzija, also is a DeKalb native. The fund’s name honors both sides of Militsa’s family: Samardzija and Gutesha.

Samardzija worked in publishing and communications as an editor and project coordinator. She lived in cities on both coasts and traveled throughout Europe and the Middle East. One of her proudest accomplishments was leading the 1994–95 effort to save DeKalb’s historic old post office from demolition, according to the release.

While Samardzija contributed assets from her estate to the fund, it was made possible largely through the estate of her sister, Mary Samardzija, according to the release. Mary Samardzija earned a doctorate in adult education and worked as a corporate trainer and instructional designer, most recently with the FDIC in Washington, D.C. Together, the sisters’ legacy reflects a strong commitment to education, hard work and community service.

The Samardzija-Gutesha Family Fund provides scholarships for post-high school students pursuing education in agriculture or conservation, as well as paid internships with local farmers and conservation professionals. It also supports educational seminars on topics such as sustainable farming and agricultural business, and provides grants to local organizations that align with the donor’s values.

In its first year, the fund awarded $65,000 in scholarships to eight graduating seniors from DeKalb, Genoa-Kingston, Indian Creek, Somonauk and Sycamore high schools. Each student attending a two-year college received a $5,000 scholarship, while students planning to attend a four-year university received $10,000.

Donations of any size are welcome to grow the impact of the Samardzija-Gutesha Family Fund. To give online or explore giving options, visit dekalbccf.org/donate.

To learn more about creating your own named fund or to discuss your charitable interests, contact Templin at 815-748-5383 or dan@dekalbccf.org.