Emily Guest ’26 recognized with Lincoln Laureate honor
Emily Guest ’26 has been named the College’s 2025 Lincoln Academy Student Laureate, recognized for her leadership, service and academic excellence. The statewide honor is awarded annually to one outstanding senior from each four-year college and university in Illinois.
Guest, a history and education double major from Nashville, Illinois, will graduate in May 2026 with secondary education licensure to teach grades 6–12. She says the honor came as a surprise and a reflection of how much she’s grown since her quiet first semester on campus.
“When I started college, I never would’ve thought I’d get an award for leadership,” Guest said. “I came here to play golf and earn my degree, but I ended up finding so much more. It means a lot that people noticed the effort I’ve put in to step outside my comfort zone.”
Guest’s Illinois College experience has been defined by involvement and mentorship. A four-year member of the women’s golf team, she also joined Alpha Phi Omega, the College’s co-ed service fraternity, where she’s held several leadership roles. She has also served as both an Involvement Leader and later the student director overseeing campus-wide Welcome Week events.
Her IC education has also taken her beyond the classroom. Guest participated in a Fulbright-Hays funded trip to Ecuador, where she and other education students and alumni gained firsthand experience in international education. She also interned last summer with the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. There, she helped design new learning programs for students and assisted with community events such as Juneteenth celebrations and the Museum’s Back-to-School Bash.
“It was such a great opportunity to combine my love of history and teaching,” Guest said. “I worked on creating lessons for all grade levels, from early learners to high school students, and it really showed me how creative education can be.”
Guest credits Illinois College’s close-knit community and liberal arts approach with preparing her to Graduate READY for her future classroom.
“IC offers so many opportunities for students to grow,” she said. “The professors, the small campus, the connections you make, all of it helps you build confidence. I don’t think I would’ve branched out like this anywhere else.”
After graduation, Guest hopes to begin her teaching career, continuing her family’s tradition of service in education.