[Freeport, Ill.] — The Highland Community College Foundation is proud to announce that Virginia Ames has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Delbert Scheider Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing her extraordinary commitment to Highland Community College through leadership, scholarship support for students, and belief in the mission of the institution.
The award honors the legacy of Delbert Scheider, whose lifelong dedication helped shape Highland into the institution it is today. Scheider served on Highland’s first Board of Trustees from 1966 to 1978, including four years as Board Chair. He then continued his service on the Highland Community College Foundation Board from 1978 through 2020, becoming one of the College’s most passionate advocates for education, agriculture, and community development. In 2019, Highland recognized his decades of service with its first Lifetime Achievement Award, an honor that now bears his name in recognition of his lasting contributions.
Like Delbert Scheider, Virginia Ames has dedicated her time, leadership, and generosity to creating opportunities for others.
Virginia’s commitment to Highland Community College spans more than four decades. In 1984, she established her first scholarship, beginning a legacy that continues to impact students today. Since then, she has created multiple endowed scholarships, supporting students pursuing careers in fields ranging from cosmetology to computer science and many disciplines in between.
Since 2010 alone, more than 75 Highland students have received scholarships made possible through Virginia’s generosity. Her belief in the power of education has helped remove financial barriers, opening doors for students to pursue their goals and build brighter futures.
In addition to her philanthropic support, Virginia has devoted countless hours of volunteer leadership to the Highland Community College Foundation. Following many years of distinguished service on the Foundation Board of Directors, she now serves as a Foundation Board Emeritus member, continuing to advocate for Highland and its mission of transforming lives through education.
“Virginia Ames embodies everything the Delbert Scheider Award represents,” said Dan Dick, Executive Director of the Highland Community College Foundation. “For more than 40 years, she has invested not only in Highland Community College, but in the success of our students and the future of our communities. Through her generosity, leadership, and unwavering belief in the power of education, Virginia has created opportunities for countless students to pursue their dreams. Her legacy is measured not only by the scholarships she has established, but by the lives she has forever changed.”
Whether through her leadership, volunteerism, or philanthropy, Virginia Ames has demonstrated that meaningful change begins with a commitment to others. Her legacy is reflected not only in the scholarships she has established, but also in the generations of students whose lives have been forever changed because she believed in their potential.
Virginia Ames will be presented with the 2026 Delbert Scheider Lifetime Achievement Award during the Highland Community College Foundation’s Soirée on Saturday, August 22, 2026. Learn more and register for this event by clicking here.