National Day of Love Community Scholarship for Engineering

During Orange & Blue Week, you can help us honor engineering students who are making a difference in their communities by providing scholarships to deserving students in the Morrill Engineering Program.

Charles and Diedre met at the University of Illinois. Charles graduated with his B.S in Mechanical Engineering in 2004 and is an alumnus of the Morrill Engineering Program. Diedre graduated from the Gies College of Business in 2004 with her undergraduate degree in Accountancy and in 2005 with her Masters in Taxation.

Having both received scholarships during their time as students, Charles and Diedre have always believed in the importance of giving back and empowering the next generation of students to succeed.

In 2017, Charles and Diedre started the National Day of Love through The Banks Foundation, Inc. which supports educational organizations and other nonprofits to empower people to reach their full potential through love and education.

In 2020, Charles and Diedre awarded the first recipients of the National Day of Love Community Scholarship in the Morrill Engineering Program at The Grainger College of Engineering. The Morrill Engineering Program (MEP) empowers African American, Hispanic, and Native American engineering students to be successful scholars. MEP joins staff, students, and alumni to help students achieve academic excellence in a rigorous engineering program.

In 2022, Charles and Diedre helped fully fund their endowment of $25,000 at The Grainger College of Engineering. Their long-term goal is to see the endowment reach $125,000 and help more students. Their short-term goal is to raise $5,000 by 12/31/2025.

Join today in helping provide scholarships to engineering students so they can reach their full potential.