DEKALB (WIFR) – If you are a Rockford Community student who is thinking about attending Northern Illinois University, College of Business, now is your chance to apply for a scholarship. Since 2000, the NIU Rockford Club has helped 23 Rockford-area students achieve one of their most important dreams – a college education. The scholarship has been awarded to both incoming freshman and transfer students who are residents of Boone, Winnebago, Ogle and Stephenson counties.

Scholarship funds are donated by Dr. David Graf, former dean of the NIU College of Business and current dean of the United Arab Emirates University College of Business and Economics (UAEU), and his wife, Dr. Diane Graf, an NIU, College of Business alumna and retired business educator/administrator. The donation not only helps provide scholarships to worthy Rockford students who wish to attend the NIU College of Business, but also serves as a challenge to the Rockford community who wish to contribute. The Grafs will match each donation, dollar for dollar, up to $10,000.

If you know a worthy student who is in need of a financial boost to assure their future educational success, here’s how to apply: http://www.cob.niu.edu/rockfordclub/scholarshipdetails.pdf. The application deadline is February 1, 2013.

To make a donation, visit http://www.cob.niu.edu/rockfordclub/donationdrive.pdf.

This year, the scholarship celebration event will be held in Rockford in August 2013.