Entrepreneurial Scholarships

NWILED John D. Cooke, III Memorial Entrepreneurial Scholarship

Beginning in 2018, NWILED began offering an entrepreneurial scholarship. In 2021, the scholarship was renamed in honor and remembrance of the late John Cooke III who was a founding member of the organization. Through the Cooke scholarship, NWILED's goal is to enrich the lives of deserving students in our service area that are on an entrepreneurial path and want to start or pursue a career in business. 

NWILED typically offers three scholarships to graduating high school seniors from Carroll or Jo Daviess counties who are entrepreneurial bound and want to start or pursue a career in business. There is one $2,000 first place award and two $1,500 runner-up awards. Recipients must be full-time students with good academic standing in the qualifying school year. Scholarships can be used for start-up costs related to launching a business and or advancing a career in business through education and or training.

Past scholarship winners have included a Galena student aiming to open a brick-and-motor location for their family's “Merry for a Cause” business that promotes health awareness issues, to a student who opened the agritourism business Dry Creek Beekeeping outside Elizabeth. Others were connected to Hoof It Goat Treks of rural Galena, Three Sisters Sweet Shoppe in Elizabeth, and Davis Lumber Company in Scales Mound, in addition to a student from Savanna that proposed a sign language business, and a student from the Galena Territory who was developing a hand-crafted artisan doll line.
 

2025 Announcement!

NWILED received 7 applications for the 2025 John D. Cooke, III Memorial Entrepreneurial Scholarship from across the region. In past years only students residing in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties were eligible but beginning this year those attending Lena-Winslow High in Stephenson County were included.
 
The 2025 John D. Cooke, III Memorial Entrepreneurial Scholarships are being awarded to the following students:
 
First Place - Brooke Dittmar of Galena High
Runner Up - Ryan Pieper of Lena-Winslow High
Runner Up - Evan Trone of the Illinois Mathematics & Science Academy