Monzerat Garcia of McHenry, Illinois, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for the fall 2026 semester and awarded a $20,000 Capital Scholars Award for tuition over four years. At UIS, she will major in legal studies.

The scholarship is awarded based on high school GPA and can be renewed if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

In high school, she was involved in color guard, jazz band, Madrigals and Leadership in Action.

“I am choosing UIS because I fell in love with the Illinois Innocence Project when I came to visit,” Garcia said. “I find it inspiring and cool since the students are able to have such a hands-on experience.”

Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in immigration law.

Capital Scholars Honors scholarships are competitive and are open to first-year, first-time students admitted to the honors program. To receive $20,000 over four years, the student must have an unweighted GPA of 3.25-3.49.

For more information on scholarships, contact the UIS Office of Financial Assistance at 217-206-6724 or finaid@uis.edu. View a full list of scholarship opportunities.

Students can apply online for admission to UIS. Contact the UIS Office of Admission at admissions@uis.edu or 217-206-4847 with questions.