LLC Student Receives Paul Simon Scholarship Award

Lake Land College student Rebecca “Becky” Ennis earned the 2023 Illinois State Paul Simon Scholarship Award for her essay on how community college changed her life. She also received the 2023-2024 LLCFA Foundation Scholarship.

“Since enrolling at Lake Land College, I have learned that I have what it takes to get my degree,” Ennis said in her essay. “I connected with instructors who wanted success as much as I did. I received a quality education and found missing pieces of myself. Lake Land College has changed my life, and I will be eternally grateful.”

Ennis is a nontraditional student who returned to college after years of being out of school. With five children at home and while dealing with family health problems, Ennis decided to enroll at Lake Land College.

Though she said she felt overwhelmed at the very idea of enrolling in college, Ennis said her academic advisor met her worries and emotions with kindness and compassion.

Ennis is currently working towards an associate degree in Psychology and has maintained a 4.0 grade point average during her time at Lake Land.

“I believe it's ok to trust the process of waiting and embracing things as they come,” Ennis said. “This has helped me so much in my non-traditional approach to education. I'm thankful that God led me to Lake Land and that I've been blessed with such a fantastic opportunity to meet amazing people and find myself through my experience.”

To read Ennis’s winning essay and to watch a video of her story, visit https://blog.lakelandcollege.edu/blog/post/2246247/how-one-non-traditional-student-found-connection-commitment-and-capability-at-lake-land-college