COUNTRY Financial Scholarship
In partnership with Heartland Community College, the COUNTRY Financial Scholars Program is designed to provide access to enrollment at Heartland in tuition-based college courses while in high school (dual enrollment/dual credit). This program also provides all McLean County public high school students with job shadowing and career mentorship.
Scholarship Eligibility
| Applicable High Schools |
Bloomington, Heyworth, Lexington, Normal (Unit 5) High Schools, |
|---|---|
| Year in High School |
2nd (sophomore) or 3rd (junior) year high school students only |
| High School Cumulative GPA |
3.0 on a 4.0 scale OR 3.75 on a 5.0 scale |
| Financial Need | Eligibility based on free/reduced lunch program standards *verified by a high school* |
| Career/Academic Pathway | Demonstrate an interest in pursuing any the following academic/corporate career paths: Accounting, Agriculture, Arts (w/a tech. focus), Business, Communication, Computer Science, Digital Media, Economics, English, Languages, Information Technology, Mathematics, Political Science, Philosophy, Psychology, or Sociology. |
| Priority Consideration |
Priority consideration is provided to underserved students who:
|
Submission and Notification
The new applicant window will open November 2026.
- Students selected into the program are eligible for scholarship funding courtesy of COUNTRY to cover:
- tuition, universal fees, and course fees for up to 18 credit hours each academic year, including summer terms;
- textbook/required materials costs for all HCC courses, including HCC tuition-free courses offered at high school locations;
- a laptop furnished by HCC IT.
- Students selected into the program are expected to participate in a mentoring program through COUNTRY Financial (monthly contact with an assigned mentor) and 1-2 activities per Fall and Spring semester focused around, for example, career exploration, job shadowing, and leadership development.
- Students must complete the HCC admission process, meet course enrollment eligibility requirements, and enroll in at least 3 credit hours of HCC tuition-bearing college coursework during the academic year of acceptance.
- Juniors selected to the program will receive continued funding for their senior year if they:
- maintain a 2.5 GPA in HCC courses,
- earn a C or better in all HCC courses, and
- attended all required mentoring functions to date.
- Students selected into the program are eligible for scholarship funding courtesy of COUNTRY to cover:
2025 Scholar Video
2022 Scholar Video
COUNTRY Financial Scholars program has proven to make a positive impact in the lives of students and employees in our community. Below are a few impact stories from scholars and their mentors.
Scholar Testimonials - As a senior in high school, I completed enough college credits to be academically classified as a sophomore in college and finish my Associate's Degree and Digital Media Certificate from HCC in one year.
- My mentor and the staff at HCC supported my college/major search; through their guidance, I made an informed decision about my next steps after high school.
- I built connections to secure a summer internship at COUNTRY Financial immediately after completing my associate's degree in computer science at Heartland.
- I transferred all my HCC credits to a 4-year University right after high school, and I will still attain my associate's degree from Heartland through the reverse transfer process.
Mentor Testimonials - The students in this program are down-to-earth scholars. Through my interactions with them, I have become a better parent and employee.
- I'm proud to work for a company that invest in students in our community.
- Working with the scholars has taught me how valuable our corporate sponsorship is for students in our community.
- I enjoyed hearing the accomplishments of each of the scholars and witnessing my mentee take steps to fulfill her collegiate dreams is a personal highlight.
- I enjoyed being a resource to my mentee, he's grown so much in the context of this year.
