New Scholarship Fund Launches to Support Agriculture Students

A new scholarship fund has been established in DeKalb County to assist students pursuing studies in agricultural sciences, with a particular focus on conservation efforts. The Samardzija-Gutesha Family Fund was announced by the DeKalb County Community Foundation, aimed at reflecting the values of the Samardzija-Gutesha family and their commitment to community support.

The fund is designed to bolster education and practical experiences in farming alongside soil and water conservation. It specifically targets members of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and associate-level college students. “It’s an honor to help carry the Samardzija-Gutesha family legacy forward through a fund that supports the land, values, and people they cared about,” said Dan Templin, Executive Director of the Community Foundation.

The late Militsa Samardzija, who initiated the fund, was a proud native of DeKalb and graduated from DeKalb High School. She held a bachelor’s degree in music education from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in historic preservation planning from Cornell University. Militsa passed away in February 2023, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with her family’s local roots. Her father, Milosh “Mike” Samardzija, immigrated from the former Yugoslavia, and her mother, Mildred Gutesha Samardzija, was also from DeKalb. The fund is named to honor both sides of her family.

Militsa Samardzija made significant contributions to publishing and communications, serving as an editor and project coordinator. Her efforts to preserve local history included spearheading the campaign to save DeKalb’s historic old post office from demolition in 1994-1995. The establishment of the fund was further supported by the estate of her sister, Mary Samardzija, who earned a doctorate in adult education and worked with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in Washington, D.C.

The Samardzija-Gutesha Family Fund aims to provide scholarships for students graduating from high school who wish to pursue education in agriculture or conservation. It also offers paid internships with local farmers and conservation professionals and funds educational seminars on sustainable farming practices and agricultural business. Grants will be available for local organizations that align with the fund’s values.

In its inaugural year, the fund awarded $65,000 in scholarships to eight graduating seniors from various local high schools, including DeKalb, Genoa-Kingston, Indian Creek, Somonauk, and Sycamore. Each student attending a two-year college received a scholarship of $5,000, while those planning to attend a four-year university were awarded $10,000.

To enhance the impact of the Samardzija-Gutesha Family Fund, donations of any size are encouraged. Contributions can be made online at dekalbccf.org/donate. For those interested in creating their own named fund or discussing charitable interests, Templin can be contacted at 815-748-5383 or via email at [email protected].