The Loken Family Scholarship was created to help students who not only want to be classroom teachers, but educators of those pupils who may need significantly more patience, guts and innovation with their instruction. Dr. Mary Loken, an Iowa native, came to Springfield in 1965. A job as a substitute teacher led to a supervisory job that took advantage of Dr. Loken's doctorate in education and master's degree in special education. Over the years, her advocacy for children with special needs earned her many accolades, including Springfield's First Citizen Award in 1984. The Loken Family Scholarship is for education majors who intend to work with special needs, at-risk or other special population students. Applicants must have financial need and be enrolled in a minimum of two classes.