Janice Owens & Dr. Eric M. Stiffler Scholarship

This fund was established by Janice Owens upon her retirement from WIU January 1, 2010. Janice began working at WIU in 1982 and was named Scholarship Director in 1987. In addition to her role as Scholarship Director, Janice served as an Academic Adviser, as Assistant to the Enrollment Manager, and Assistant to President Wagner for External Relations. Under Janice’s leadership, the Minority Achievement Program began. Her late husband, Dr. Eric Stiffler, began his career at WIU as a professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies in 1977. He went on to serve in numerous administrative roles, including Director of the Honors Program as well as assistant, associate and acting provost. He returned to the faculty ranks in 2003, before retiring in 2005. The purpose of the fund is to assist students in purchasing books and/or supplies, an area that Owens always recognized as underfunded.

CRITERIA:
Sophomore standing and above
Minimum 3.0 Cumulative and Major GPA
Evidence of extracurricular activities at the college level
Scholarship should be awarded in the following priority order:
1. Student majoring in the visual arts
2. Student with a minor in philosophy or minimum of nine hours of credit in philosophy with a B average
3. Any student with a major in the College of Arts and Sciences