Whether by posting on bulletin boards or Web sites, departments within the university are finding ways to increase student interest in scholarships.

Scholarship coordinator Dana Gautcher said scholarships rarely go unclaimed.

Gautcher said the number of scholarships, as well as the amount of scholarship money, varies per department. She said this information is broken down on the NIU scholarship Web site.

Endowed scholarships and tuition-dollar scholarships are two of the main types offered at NIU. Gautcher said endowed scholarships mean money was given to the university by alumni or another donors.

“[That money] is invested in that market and a 4-percent return is used to make awards,” Gautcher said.

Tuition-dollar scholarships are also awarded based on the university’s total tuition revenue year-to-year, Gautcher said.

There are also scholarship programs for incoming and transfer students in which the scholarship can be renewable or a one-time award, Gautcher said.

Shannon Creamer, a junior accounting major and scholarship recipient, said she received scholarships when she transferred from McHenry County College in 2004.

Creamer said she received the Academic Finalist Award, a tuition waver plus $900; the Centennial Scholarship, a renewable scholarship for $500; the Alumni Scholarship for $1,000 and the Randall N. Beck Memorial Scholarship, from the College of Business, for $1,999.

“My advice to students is to take advantage of the opportunity and to apply for as many scholarships as possible,” Creamer said.

The Financial Aid Office also has many scholarship programs of student interest.

Dorothy Razniewski, scholarship coordinator of the Student Financial Aid Office, said there are more than 350 different scholarships for students to look at in books at the Financial Aid Office and online.

Razniewski said there are also out-of-state scholarships students can apply for, as well as specific scholarships donated by various corporations, students, parents, organizations, churches and other donors.

Unlike scholarship searches, which can be costly, financial aid will help students search for scholarships free of charge, Razniewski said.

“Students should make looking for scholarships a habit,” Gautcher said. “It is something you should be in the practice of; maybe doing every couple weeks.”