June 15, 2025
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IV Leads donates $28,000 to IVCC foundation for student scholarships

Endowment will support scholarships for trades and young professional students at IVCC

By Bill Freskos
The IV Leads young professionals group recently presented Illinois Valley Community College with a $28,000 check to create an endowment fund at the College. Pictured are (from left) Danielle DeCarlo, Rachel Balestri, Jennifer Roulston, College President Tracy Morris, Spencer Luecke, Zack Giovanine and Neal Knauf.

The IV Leads young professionals group recently presented Illinois Valley Community College with a $28,000 check to create an endowment fund at the college. Pictured (from left) are Danielle DeCarlo, Rachel Balestri, Jennifer Roulston, College President Tracy Morris, Spencer Luecke, Zack Giovanine and Neal Knauf. (Photo Provided By Illinois Valley Community College)

The IV Leads Foundation, a development organization for young professionals, has donated $28,000 to the Illinois Valley Community College Foundation to establish an endowment fund that will provide ongoing scholarships for current and future IVCC students.

“We are so happy to be able to help students at IVCC,” former president of IV Leads Spencer Luecke said in a news release. “We believe in growing the workforce in the Illinois Valley and are happy to work with the college to provide opportunities for young professionals.”

IVCC’s President Tracy Morris said the donation will have a lasting impact.

“This donation will ensure that the important work that IV Leads has done for our community will continue long into the future,” Morris said in the release. “The leadership experiences through IV Leads have been beneficial for a number of our campus leaders, and these scholarships provide essential support for students.”

IV Leads had previously raised funds and awarded two annual scholarships for students in the trades and young professionals.

In 2025, the organization merged with the Illinois Valley Chamber of Commerce, which also had sponsored two annual scholarships.

Following the merger, IV Leads donated its remaining assets to the IVCC Foundation to ensure the continuation of all four scholarships.

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