SCHOLARSHIP WINNER CHOSEN FOR 2025!

NEWS! 2025 Scholarship Winner

The Houston Illini Club is proud to award its annual scholarship to Annabel Li, a graduate of the Math and Science Academy at Dulles High School in Sugar Land, Texas. Beginning this fall, Annabel will be attending the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and majoring in electrical engineering.  Annabel is the recipient of the largest Houston Illini Club Scholarship to date, $5,000!

A National Merit Finalist and AP Scholar with Distinction, Annabel has a long list of academic and extracurricular achievements, including top placements in UIL, TMSCA, and FIRST Robotics competitions. Additionally, her leadership roles in the Math National Honor Society and Varsity Orchestra have allowed her to organize events such as Math Bash for elementary and middle schoolers and a district-wide high school orchestra social.

Her interest in electrical engineering sparked during physics class and quickly evolved into self-taught circuitry projects using Arduinos and breadboards. Inspired by sci-fi books like Project Hail Mary, Annabel became fascinated by the real-world technologies behind the fiction. Outside of the classroom, she is also a dedicated volunteer at the Houston Food Bank and shares her musical talents at senior and healthcare facilities. Annabel Li embodies a spirit of creativity and curiosity we’re proud to support through the Houston Illini Scholarship. Congratulations to our 2025 Houston Illini Scholarship Recipient: Annabel Li!

Click to see prior Houston-area scholarship winners, and an overview of the Houston Illini Club's scholarship. And, please donate to the club’s scholarship fund.