Sisters in service: Community Foundation scholarship recipients turn opportunity into impact

For Megan and Allie Bowlyou, service has long been a way of life shaped by family, community, and a deep belief in showing up for others. Both sisters are past recipients of Quad Cities Community Foundation scholarships, and they’ve used that support to pursue ambitious goals while giving back to the community that helped raise them.

Megan Bowlyou, a 2024 graduate of Sherrard High School, is now a sophomore at Bradley University, majoring in education. A recipient of the Clifford and Louise King Scholarship and the Morency Family Scholarship, Megan has already built an impressive record of advocacy. She is the founder of Overcome T.H.A.T. — The Hidden disAbilities Traits, an organization dedicated to increasing awareness and support for people living with hidden disabilities.

Megan (L) and Allie (R) Bowlyou

“As someone with dyslexia, I wanted to be a role model and an advocate for those with hidden disabilities,” Megan said. “My community has always supported me in this advocacy work. The Community Foundation scholarship was another expression of that support, and I’m so grateful for it.”

Her advocacy has extended statewide, including work on a resolution affecting major Illinois airports. She has also brought the program to Bradley’s campus, where students regularly thank her for sharing a story that resonates with their own experiences.

Her older sister, Allie, graduated from Alleman High School and is currently studying at Western Illinois University, where she is pursuing a nursing degree alongside coursework in firefighting administration. She is a four-year volunteer firefighter with the Coyne Center Fire Department and a recipient of the Community Foundation’s Steve and Virginia Mutziger Scholarship.

“Having the support of the Quad Cities behind me pushes me to do more,” said Allie. “My mom is a nurse, and my dad is a volunteer firefighter. They showed us what service looks like, and I try to emulate that.”

Allie founded Rescuing 911: Keeping Our Emergency Services Alive, a statewide initiative addressing the decline in volunteer first responders and critical funding gaps. Her advocacy has taken her to the Illinois Capitol and allowed her to call attention to the challenges facing emergency services.

“I plan to come back to the Quad Cities as a registered nurse and also continue my work as a firefighter,” said Allie. “This community raised me, and I want to give back in the moments when people need help the most.”

Together, Megan and Allie Bowlyou exemplify how scholarships do more than ease financial burden; they empower young leaders to transform passion into lasting community impact. “I wouldn’t be where I am without my community,” Megan said. “Because of these donors and scholarships, we can grow and become the next generation to help the Quad Cities.”