William R. Neville Scholarship for Incoming Freshman

The William R. Neville Scholarship was established to honor the memory and legacy of William R. Neville, a 1967 graduate of the College of Education, who aspired to be a high school teacher and basketball coach. Bill was born in Indianapolis and grew up in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago’s south side. He graduated from Harper High School where he played varsity baseball and basketball. Shortly after graduating from Southern Illinois University, he was drafted into the Army and sent to the Vietnam War. In January 1969, Sgt. Neville was killed by a landmine near Phu Son, Vietnam. Posthumously he was awarded several Medals of Honor including the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Purple Heart with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster.

In 1969, as a way of honoring and remembering their close friend, Lynn Larson, Dan Miller, Bob Rega, Dave Skvarla, Bob Sullivan, Ken Thomson and Hank Tumborello started the William R. Neville Scholarship, which awarded scholarships to high school seniors from Harper High School, and later at Curie and John Hancock High Schools. Since it’s small beginning in 1969, and for each and every of the 40 years thereafter through 2009, selection of scholarship recipients has been tirelessly handled by Bill’s brother Jack, also a teacher and coach, and the recipient selection committees he has assembled.

Scholarship for an incoming freshman:

• Recipient must be a graduate of one of the following high schools in the Chicago, IL: Currie Metro High School, John Hancock College Prep High School, Lindblom Math and Science Academy, or Thomas Kelly College Preparatory.
• Recipient must have a minimum high school GPA of 2.5.
• As long as the recipient remains in school and continues to makes satisfactory progress, this scholarship will be automatically renewed for four years.