MARILYN E. (RAY) BALCH MEMORIAL ENGLISH SCHOLARSHIP

Fall Scholarship This scholarship will be awarded to first generation students who have demonstrated financial need.  Recipients must be a declared English or English Education major with at least a sophomore classification and a minimum 3.0 GPA.  Preference will be given to students who are members or involved with an ECU TRiO program.  Marilyn graduated from East Central University with a Bachelor’s Degree “with honors” in English Education, with a minor in Journalism in 1979.  Over the years Marilyn shared her many talents over various positions in a variety of career fields.  She used her degree in every position she held, including; a typist and proofreader with the Ada Evening News, a Human Resources administrative assistant at Valley View Hospital, an English Teacher, and a Site Director with Central Texas College in Fort Riley, Kansas.  Marilyn Balch was the first person in her family to graduate from a university.  She believed that a good education was the key to success and encouraged anyone she spoke with to better themselves by attending college.  This scholarship was established in her memory by her family.