A first-year NIU law student, received a tuition refund after his name was drawn from a contest at the First National Bank in DeKalb.

Yan Mau Timothy Li said, “I saw the newspaper advertisement and I dropped it off as I was walking by,” Li said. “I really didn’t put much hope into it.”

Li said he seldom enters contests because he does not think he has much of a chance. “I am very thankful for the money because I am supporting myself and it is difficult.”

Bank Marketing Officer Lori Timberlake said, “The contest was set up as an in-state tuition reimbursement for full-time undergraduate students.”

Entry blanks appeared in The Northern Star and students could enter the contest as many times as they wanted. “We had over 3,000 entries and some people had put handfuls of entry blanks in,” Timberlake said.

She said one person entered on colored paper, larger paper, paper with duct tape, and paper taped to a heavier piece of paper. “I don’t know if the student was conducting some kind of survey or what.”

The contest, which was open to any NIU or Kishwaukee Community College students, was designed to “get students into the bank and open accounts.” Timberlake said.

Since the contest, she said the bank has had more student business. “We have opened more than 500 accounts in five weeks but that may be because we are now the closest bank to campus,” she said.