The late Howard Payne was truly a legacy at Rend Lake College, thus it is only fitting he becomes the first member of the recently-established Legacy Society with the RLC Foundation.  The Benton native passed away last year at the age of 100, but is continuing to give back to his community and the college in the form of an estate gift.  At the end of last year, RLC Foundation CEO Shawna Bullard was informed of Payne’s exact donation, which was $500,000 to go toward student scholarships.  This planned gift came from a portion of Payne’s estate he left to the college after his passing in May of 2015.  Bullard explained this type of donation makes Payne the first individual to join the Jim & Carole Mounier Legacy Society.  Payne’s $500,000 donation will create an endowment for two scholarships.  One for students in RLC’s nursing program and another for students in the college’s vocational programs.  Officially called the Howard L. Payne Scholarship, the first awards will be presented in the Fall of 2016.  Bullard said the scholarship will generate about $25,000 in scholarships every year.  Scholarship applications are still being accepted for next fall, through Sunday, February 28^th.  To apply for the Howard L. Payne Scholarship, and approximately 300 others, visit www.rlc.edu/rlcf to complete the single-page application.  Applications will be accepted after the due date; however, preference will be given to students who meet the due date.  Every year, approximately $450,000 is awarded to RLC students through Foundation scholarships.  Over 500 scholarships and academic awards that generally range from $500 to $1,500 annually are made possible by generous, local businesses, and individuals.