The Southernmost Illinois Delta Empowerment Zone has established a new scholarship at Shawnee Community College called the Willard Murrie Scholarship.  The scholarship honors founding SIDEZ Board member Willard Murrie of Vienna.  Murrie has served on the SIDEZ Board of Directors since the empowerment zone was established in 1999.  Murrie helped secure the empowerment zone designation by volunteering to gather support letters from businesses and governmental bodies in three states.  Murrie requested that the scholarship be awarded to students with an exemplary record of volunteer service to the community.

The SIDEZ Board of Directors has set a goal of raising $20,000 to endow the scholarship.  Half of all funds raised through the annual Tour de Shawnee bike ride will go towards the endowment.  Once the fund-raising goal is met, a yearly scholarship will be awarded from interest earned on the endowment.