Ten Galesburg eighth-grade students were inducted as George Washington Gale Scholars on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at Galesburg High School. 

Named for the founder of Knox College and Galesburg, the Gale Scholars program provides local students with educational support and resources throughout their high school and college degrees. The program began in 1996 as a collaborative effort between Knox College, Carl Sandburg College, and Galesburg Community School District #205. 

The program aims to support first-generation and income-eligible students pursuing higher education by providing tuition-waiver scholarships toward their associate’s degree at Carl Sandburg College, followed by a bachelor's degree at Knox.

Students are selected to be a part of the program following a rigorous selection process. During the induction ceremony, Gale Scholars Director Steve Cheeseman praised the group for their dedication and pointed out the wide range of local leaders who helped make the program possible. 

“Seize the opportunity. Anything that is truly valuable in life takes time. It takes hard work to get where you want to go,” Cheeseman said. 

This year’s ceremony was comprised of multiple speakers, including President of Carl Sandburg College Seamus Reilly, Director of TRIO Upward Bound Math-Science and Gale Scholar alumni Randi Torrance, and Knox College student Tyler Ferris ’24, who will complete his Gale Scholars journey after graduating in June. 

Speakers candidly addressed the privilege the Gale Scholars program affords to students who utilize it. Reilly shared words of praise for the talents of each individuals, urging them to follow their passions and dream big. Torrance shared a personal story about her difficult childhood, the unlikely route she journeyed through the program, and the pride she feels for making it to where she is today.

“I want you to take a moment and remember the faces in this room. These are the mentors in your lives. They want you to succeed and will help you achieve that success. Don’t let anyone squander your goals,” Torrance said. 

Ferris shared elements of the program that he found most useful along his journey, telling the group to take advantage of all the financial resources and mentor guidance that they have available. Following these speeches, Cheeseman presented each student with a certificate and well wishes as they transitioned into the first steps of the program. 

Gale Scholars Class of 2028

• SaraRose Carrillo Fredrickson 
• William Grant IV
• Ana Gutierrez 
• Harley Harris
• Aaron Johnson-Haker
• Alondra Morales
• Miles Patrick
• Jasper Petry-Garcia
• Tymyra Siby
• Zacheriah Smith