2024 IMUA Scholarship Program Applications Available
The Village of Chatham, in partnership with the Illinois Municipal Utilities Association (IMUA), is
again offering a scholarship competition program for eligible high school seniors. Each eligible
applicant is asked to submit an application and an essay of 500 words or less addressing their
choice of one of five utility-related questions.
The top four (4) vote-getters in this year’s essay competition will receive a finalist certificate
and a $1,000 scholarship award check from IMUA.
Applicants must be high school seniors whose parents or legal guardians are residential customers
of the Village of Chatham Municipal Utility.
According to President Kimsey, the program has a dual purpose:
1) to promote and recognize scholastic achievement; and,
2) to create greater awareness among young adults of the many issues facing consumers and public
power municipalities today.
“Today’s energy providers, including municipally-owned and operated utilities, continue to face a
myriad of economic, energy, environmental and other challenges which warrant creative and
innovative solutions,” Kimsey said. “Creating a greater awareness of these issues among tomorrow’s
leaders can be the first step in helping to determine effective, long-term solutions, both now and
into the future,” he added.
“Since its inception in 2000, IMUA’s scholarship program has proven to be a very popular and
successful program for IMUA, its members and the communities they serve,” said Kevin M. Gaden,
President & CEO of the IMUA. “Public power communities offer their customers a number of cost,
efficiency, service and other advantages compared to those served by other energy providers. IMUA’s
scholarship program is another example of how municipally-owned and operated utility systems can
help return value to their communities while at the same time, provide a measure of financial
assistance and support to those students who wish to pursue a college education.”
Since it began, the program has awarded $64,000 to 100 students from various IMUA member
communities statewide.
Organized in 1948, IMUA is a statewide trade association which represents the unified interests of,
and provides services to, nearly 50 municipalities which operate their own electric, natural gas,
telecommunications, water and wastewater treatment systems.
The deadline for submitting applications and essays is Friday, March 8, 2024.
Applicants may contact IMUA’s DeeDee Bunch at (217) 789-4632 or dbunch@imea.org
for more information.
