VICTOR AND MARY HICKEN
HISTORY DEPARTMENT SCHOLARSHIP
The Victor and Mary Hicken History Scholarship was established by their children Jeff, Liz, and Dan in the Fall of 2006. The Hicken children established this scholarship during their parents’ lifetimes as a loving tribute to the Hickens’many contributions to the campus and community.
Victor Hicken came to Western as a History instructor in 1947 and was appointed Chair upon formation of the Department in 1967. He was one of Western’s most widely known scholars of the 1960s and ‘70s, and in 1969 was selected Western’s first Faculty Lecturer. In 1976 he was chosen as Western’s first Distinguished Professor. Prof. Hicken retired in 1981, and has since devoted time to research and publication. He is the author of several books, including American Fighting Men, Illinois in the Civil War, and The Purple and the Gold: the Story of Western Illinois University, as well as numerous articles.
Mary Hicken earned a B.A. in philosophy from Western in 1973. She not only supported Victor by typing and editing many of his books and articles, but also played a major role in Western’s Journal of Developing Areas. She is a longtime patron of the arts and supporter of numerous library initiatives.
CRITERIA:Applicants for this merit-based scholarship must
- Be a History major
- Have completed a minimum of 60 semester hours (i.e. at least junior status) at time of initial award
- Have three letters of recommendation submitted to the Department Chair
- Submit a writing sample (no more than 10 pages in length) originally submitted for credit in a History course
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.5and maintain a 3.5 GPA during the award period
- NOTE: applicants cannot be recipients of the Leonard, Sadler, or Balsamo Scholarships in the History Department
TERMS: The award shall be in the amount of $1000 per year, renewable for a second year.
SELECTION PROCESS: Recipients will be selected by the History Department’s Scholarship and Recruitment Committee.
DEADLINE: May 1st in even-numbered years
CRITERIA FOR RENEWAL: The scholarship will be automatically renewed for a second year if the student maintains at least a 3.5 GPA.
INQUIRIES: Department of History, WIU, 438 Morgan Hall, Macomb, IL61455-1390, (309) 298-1053
Victor and Mary Hicken History Department Scholarship: Application
Applicant Information (Please Type or Print Legibly)
Last Name: ______First Name: ______
WIU Identification Number: ______
(Home) Street Address: ______
City: ______State: ______Zip Code: ______
Local Address: ______
Local Phone Number: ______Email Address: ______
Cumulative GPA: ______Semester Hours Completed at WIU: ______
Letters of Recommendation Requested from: ______
______
______
Applicant’s Signature: ______Date: ______
Return completed form and writing sample to the Department of History office, 438 Morgan, by May 1.
Department of History
College of Arts and Sciences, Morgan Hall 438, 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL61455-1390
Phone 309.298.1053 Fax 309.298.2540