2024 Alumni Association Award Recipients
- Mouna Soumahoro '12 :: Young Alumna Award
Mouna Soumahoro ’12 is a mathematician who found her way into manufacturing engineering after graduating with Phi Beta Kappa honors from IC with a degree in physics. She also earned a master’s degree in theoretical and applied mechanics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Over the last 10 years, she has gained tremendous experience in the areas of operations and quality assurance.
Soumahoro is originally from Abidjan, West Africa, and is currently a Ph.D. student studying nuclear engineering
while working full-time at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois.As a student at Illinois College, Soumahoro worked at Starhill Forest Arboretum, served on the Student Activities Board and held several leadership roles within the Coalition for Ethnic Awareness. As an alumna, she continues to be involved, sharing her professional expertise as a member of the Pathways to Engineering Advisory Board.
When asked how her experience at Illinois College influenced her life, Soumahoro said, “Beyond academic knowledge, IC gave me my very first job as a student worker with food services. I developed the set of transferable skills that helped me access other summer jobs and internships, providing the foundation for my career.”
She explains: “I learned to operate heavy machinery and power tools while working at Starhill Arboretum, which proved valuable when I joined the manufacturing industry. Participating in extracurricular activities like Model UN or being an officer of the Coalition for Ethnic Awareness helped me define my voice as a first-generation immigrant and woman in STEM. I made lifelong connections that are part of a rich and diverse network.”
- Nick Bustos '10 :: Young Alumnus Award
Nick Bustos ’10 is a community leader with strong ties to his alma mater. Born and raised in East Moline, Illinois, he
graduated from Illinois College with a bachelor’s degree in management and organizational leadership and a minor in
Spanish.While on the Hilltop, Bustos held various offices in Phi Alpha Literary Society and was a member of the Investment
Club. He continued his education at the University of Illinois Springfield where he graduated with an MBA. Bustos has
remained engaged as an alumnus, serving on the Alumni Association Board from 2016-2021, regularly attending events and giving to the IC Fund.Currently, Bustos is senior vice president at Mercury Public Affairs, a global bipartisan, government relations and strategic communications firm with recently opened offices in Chicago and Springfield. Before joining the Mercury team, Bustos was vice president of marketing in the agriculture manufacturing industry where he helped elevate his company’s
profile to a nationally known brand.Bustos spent several years in state government, working in various capacities for an Illinois Governor and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the state’s business arm, where he focused on small business development growth for companies expanding to new markets abroad. He has worked in and advised various political campaigns at the local, state and federal levels.
When asked about the influence Illinois College had on his career, Bustos said: “Attending Illinois College was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life. IC provided me with a suite of practical tools and a mindset I employ daily to navigate challenges, whatever they may be.”
Bustos proudly carries on his family’s tradition as an Illinois College legacy. He is the son of Hon. Cheri Callahan Bustos ’83 and Gerry Bustos and his grandparents are the late Gene ’55 and Ann Hammond Callahan ’55. Gene was a pitcher for the Blueboys before he went on to a successful career working in Major League Baseball and journalism. He was a strong supporter of athletics and helped to transform the program at the College through his consistent generosity. Ann was a trailblazer who graduated from IC during a time when only about 5% of women earned degrees. Cheri has led a successful career in politics and continues to lead positive change in the state, splitting her time between Washington, D.C., and Illinois as a partner for Mercury. The impact of the Callahan and Bustos family continues to be felt on campus through several endowed scholarships established in the family’s name.
Bustos notes that many people had an incredible impact on his experience at IC. “It’s hard to identify one person who made the biggest impact on me during my time at IC as there were many great professors, administrators, and leaders. Former Congressman Paul Findley ’43 H’73 was one person who meant a great deal to me. I respected him for his integrity, bravery, willingness to help others, support of Illinois College and the help and guidance he provided to men of Phi Alpha. He was a great public servant and person, and I’m proud to have had the opportunity to learn from him.”
Bustos resides in Springfield with his wife, Awisi, who is the CEO of the Illinois Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs and their three-year-old son, Callahan.
- Dr. Nichol Eyman DelGiorno ’97 – D.M.A. :: Faculty Ambassador Award
Dr. Nichol Eyman DelGiorno ’97 is assistant professor of music and director of choral activities. In her 15 years on
faculty at Illinois College, she has taught piano, organ, and voice, as well as a variety of courses in musicology and music theory. She directs the choral program, serves as department chair and is also the chair of the Fine Arts Series Board. In Springfield, she has served the congregations of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Temple B’rith Sholom, and the Cathedral of Saint Paul as choir director and organist, and is currently the organist at First Presbyterian Church.DelGiorno holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana, the University of Iowa and Illinois College. She also studied at the Haarlem Summer Organ Academy in Haarlem, the Netherlands. DelGiorno is a scholar of Cuban music, having presented at international conferences in Pinar del Río and Havana. She travels regularly to Pinar del Río to continue her research, to collaborate with Cuban scholars, and to work with their center for music, assisting in their music preservation efforts. Additionally she is actively engaged in a partnership between First Presbyterian Church of Springfield and the Presbyterian Church of Sancti Spiritus, Cuba. DelGiorno will lead the IC Choirs on a tour to Cuba in March 2025, with performances at the Center for Music and Teatro Milanes in Pinar del Río.
As a performer, DelGiorno is active as a solo and collaborative keyboardist, conductor, and vocalist. She lives in Springfield with her husband, attorney Tony DelGiorno ’99, daughter, Sophia, and mother, Betty Higgerson.
When asked about her experience as a professor at IC, DelGiorno only had good things to say. “A student asked me recently what I would be doing if I wasn’t teaching music and I honestly had no idea. Teaching music at a small liberal arts college was always my goal; the fact that I have the privilege to serve my alma mater is a dream come true,” DelGiorno explains. “I love that I have the opportunity to guide students on a diverse musical journey, sometimes through their entire undergraduate career, introducing them to a broad spectrum of musical genres and styles from all over the world. And along the way, I really get to
know them, watch them grow, and collaborate with them through the transformative power of music. Making music with my students brings me so much joy.”- Hon. Gail Noll ’94 P’25 :: Distinguished Service Award
Gail Noll ’94 is a Circuit Judge in the 7th Judicial Circuit, which includes Sangamon, Morgan, Scott, Greene, Macoupin
and Jersey counties, a position she has held since 2019. As a trial court judge, Judge Noll handles a wide variety of cases, including probate, guardianships and complex civil litigation. She also serves on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Committee for Judicial Education, which develops continuing education programs and resources for Illinois judges.A Springfield native, Noll graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in English from Illinois College. As a student, she
was a Class Agent and a member of the Student Activities Board. She went on to earn her law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law and began her legal career in 1997 as a law clerk to Judge Harlington Wood, Jr. in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit. Immediately prior to taking the bench, Noll was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Central District of Illinois where she served as the Chief of the office’s Civil Division overseeing civil litigation in 46 counties across Central Illinois.Judge Noll is a mentor to young professionals in the legal field and well respected throughout the community. She is an advocate for the power of an Illinois College education and has served her alma mater on the Alumni Association Board from 1998-2003. Noll and her family are members of the Illinois College Varsity Club which supports student-athletes. They regularly attend campus events and area alumni gatherings.
The Noll family has a long legacy at Illinois College starting with Conrad Noll Jr. ’34. Other Noll family graduates include: Conrad Noll III ’65, Susan Shaver Kehoe ’84, Mae Marie Noll ’96, Conrad Noll IV ’97, Gray Noll ’99, Bob Noll ’02 and Daniel Noll ’06. Gail and her husband John Milhiser have two daughters, Abby and Katie Mae ’25, who is a junior at IC. The family has generously given back to Illinois College — supporting the annual fund, various strategic initiatives and establishing several endowed scholarships.
“The lessons I learned both in and out of the classroom prepared me for practicing law. I learned to work as a team with my peers to accomplish goals, from building a float to staffing Orientation to chairing the Homecoming Committee. I was fortunate to have professors who got to know me and assisted me with advice and thoughtful, personalized letters of commendation for law school,” said Noll of how IC has influenced her career.
She adds: “Additionally, Illinois College has such a dedicated and loyal alumni network. It never ceases to amaze me how many times I encounter other alumni that have consistently been willing to go out of their way to support a fellow IC grad.”
- Edgar J. Curtis – FACHE :: Friend of the College Award
Edgar J. Curtis is a community leader who championed a $4.2 million partnership between Memorial Health
and Illinois College in 2023 to expand local educational opportunities.Curtis has served as president and chief executive officer of Memorial Health since January 2008. He provides leadership for the strategic direction of the Springfield-based health system, which delivers comprehensive health services to the central Illinois region. He began his career at Memorial in 1975 as a registered nurse and has served in a variety of administrative positions.
“We are excited to partner with Illinois College to make nursing education programs more accessible and affordable for students in our region,” Curtis said of the pioneering initiative between IC and Memorial Health, which will create 50 scholarships annually.
The new scholarships will cover the complete cost of tuition for eligible nursing students hailing from the 38 Illinois counties surrounding the Jacksonville campus during the first two years at IC. Students have the opportunity to continue receiving support while working part-time at any Memorial Health site, allowing them to gain hands-on experience while continuing their education.
Funding from Memorial will support new nursing simulation labs and facilities planned to open in fall 2024 to provide specialized training in areas such as home health, neonatal, and intensive care. Dedicated nursing “coaches” ensure students’ individual success throughout the dynamic program. The partnership exemplifies the commitment of both Illinois College and Memorial Health to strengthen the local healthcare workforce and provide students with access to high-quality nursing education.
Beyond his role at Memorial, Curtis serves as an American College of Healthcare Executives Fellow and a past chair of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board. He currently serves as member of the IHHA Nominating Committee, is a member of the board of the BJC Collaborative and is chair of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance (economic development) Board. In 2019, he was appointed by Gov. JB Pritzker to serve on the board of trustees of Southern Illinois University.
Curtis previously served on the Illinois Board of Higher Education Commission on the Future of the Workforce and the advisory board of the University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing. Curtis is past chair of the boards of the Springfield Urban League, United Way of Central Illinois, and Central Illinois Foodbank. He was named a Grassroots Champion by the American Hospital Association and awarded the Order of Lincoln by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois.
A Springfield resident, Curtis received an honorary doctorate of humane letters degree and earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where he was inducted into the School of Nursing Alumni Hall of Fame.