Gerald and Brenda Zeborowski Establish Endowed Scholarship at JJC

Students pursuing a skilled trades degree program at Joliet Junior College will soon have the opportunity to apply for the Gerald and Brenda Zeborowski Endowed Scholarship. The longtime Channahon couple and former college employees recently made a $30,000 gift to the JJC foundation.

“Our parents were ‘blue collar’ workers. The diversity of the academic disciplines available within the scholarship can attract students from nursing to first responders to the skilled trades which is what we were looking for,” said Gerald Zeborowski. 

The scholarship, he added, will assist students as they prepare to enter the workforce upon graduation or transfer to a four-year school. 

Zeborowski was JJC’s chief of police from 1983 to 1998, and was also an adjunct professor in criminal justice over that period. His wife is a professor emeritus, serving more than 30 years in JJC’s Natural Sciences Department. Both are now retired. Brenda also assists part-time in the college’s Fitness Center and with its Peace Officer Wellness Evaluation Report (POWER) test, a physical fitness certification for prospective police officers. 

“Brenda and I believe that JJC is an excellent place for students to start their educational journey or continue with the educational process they may have already started. The faculty and staff are excellent, and the college is a wonderful place to work,” he said. 

He credits the foundation staff for making the scholarship process quick and easy, and encouraged others to get involved. 

“Establishing a scholarship or donating to the college can assist a student reach their academic goals and prepare them for the future. It’s an excellent opportunity to help students prepare for a career that is satisfying and rewarding.”

Applications for the Gerald and Brenda Zeborowski Endowed Scholarship will be open between January and May, 2019. One student will be awarded approximately $1,200 each fall semester.

To donate to or establish a scholarship through the JJC Foundation Office call 815-280-2201 or visit www.jjc.edu/giving. 

For media inquiries, contact Communications and Media Coordinator Scott Harvey at 815-280-2844 or sharvey@jjc.edu.