Illinois College

Anna Broadbooks ’23

rosalind.essig — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 20:41:01 +0000

Anna Broadbooks ’23

Anna

rosalind.essig Fri, 06/23/2023 - 15:41

Broadbooks

“My internships helped me get hands-on experience, as well as a job after graduation.”

With two internships at HSHS St. John’s Hospital and supportive mentors at IC, Anna Broadbooks ’23 is ready to start her nursing career. After finishing her boards, Anna will begin working in the emergency room at St. John’s, one of IC’s longtime partners in the region. Growth was an important part of her experience as an IC nursing student.

“The professors and mentors in my program helped me grow as a student by challenging me to step outside my comfort zone during clinicals and by constantly encouraging me.”

Another part of her experience: The opportunities to get involved on campus were far from limited. While completing her BSN, Anna was an active member of Sigma Phi Epsilon literary society; Brothers and Sisters in Christ; honors societies for nursing, biology, English and first-year students; and she graduated magna cum laude.

Anna received several scholarships that supported her education and chose IC “because of the amazing professors, small class sizes and beautiful campus.” But ultimately, “The most memorable thing about my time at IC was making some of my closest friends.”

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Nursing

Major

Nursing

Katelyn Scott ’22

rosalind.essig — Fri, 23 Jun 2023 20:32:55 +0000

Katelyn Scott ’22

Katelyn

rosalind.essig Fri, 06/23/2023 - 15:32

Scott

The minute she first stepped on campus, Katelyn Scott ’22 knew IC was the right place for her to pursue a degree in psychology.

“During my visit, I heard all about the psychology department and absolutely loved everything they offered, and after hearing about all of the different clubs on campus and the ways students could get involved I felt like IC was the choice.”

Arriving on campus her freshman year was just the start of all of the ways Katelyn’s life would be changed by her choice to attend IC. Not only did she meet one of her first college friends during Welcome Week, but she also immediately got involved with the Mental Health Advocates and remained a member during her four years on the Hilltop.

Katelyn also took on jobs as a consultant in the Campus Writing Center and an assistant in the psychology department; she did an internship in the counseling center helping to spread mental health awareness on campus via social media, event planning and website development; and she joined Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, and Sigma Tau Delta, the National English Honors Society.

“It’s so cool to go to a place where we all have something in common: that we want to learn and we want to have fun at the same time. Just being around other people that want the same thing I do and seeing people who work just as hard as I do really made me feel like I belonged at IC.”

Her faculty mentors also had an impact on her both in and out of the classroom, where she worked alongside them on research projects.

“The psychology faculty is so helpful and educated in their field. They’re always available for office hours, so I knew they would be there for me, and they walked me through the process when I was applying to graduate school.”

After graduation, Katelyn began working on a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and has an assistantship. She is interested in one day pursuing a Ph.D. and wants to work in the field of forensic psychology, offering mental health support to prisoners or as a psychiatrist conducting court-ordered mental health assessments.

“I’m glad I chose IC and I feel like I’m more prepared than I could ever have imagined I would be going into graduate school. Choosing Illinois College was a great decision.”

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Psychology

Major

Psychology

Patrick Combs ’22

alexia.helmer — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 19:38:09 +0000

Patrick Combs ’22

Patrick

alexia.helmer Thu, 03/23/2023 - 14:38

Combs

For Patrick Combs ’22, his Illinois College experience was all about the connections he made with professors and the hands-on learning he gained in and out of the classroom.

“It was great being able to build personal relationships with my professors. There’s not so much of a barrier there because of the small classes and that makes it really fun.”

As a chemistry major, Patrick had many opportunities for research and field trips, such as a day spent at Springfield Plastics, Inc., which helped him find an interest in plastic production and environmental issues caused by microplastics. With assistance from Associate Professor of Chemistry Jocelyn Lanorio, he focused his senior capstone project on the photodegradation of microplastics in an oceanic environment and, more specifically, how those microplastics affect the development of zooplankton.

“Dr. Lanorio was my professor for my first semester in organic chemistry and she really pushed me to do my best. She is a really good teacher, so she’s been very influential throughout my entire college career.”

As he pursued this interest, he also got involved with extracurricular activities like baseball, the intramural men’s volleyball team, and the IC Scholars Honors program, while also working as a resident assistant. Combs was also the recipient of the 2021 Arthur Hart Prize award, which is given to an outstanding chemistry major entering their junior year who shows promise of academic achievement in the field.

After graduation, Patrick spent the summer at Southern Illinois University Carbondale taking part in a research experience for undergraduates. He is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in chemistry at Oklahoma State University and working in the Mohanty Lab. He has a graduate teaching assistantship and continues researching the topics he’s most interested in — 3D modeling of proteins to produce more environmentally-friendly pesticides.

“Doing things during my undergraduate education that are similar to what I’m doing in the next step of my career, such as research and writing proposals in my classes, has given me the confidence to take that next step with the knowledge that I’m at the same level as my peers.”

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Chemistry

Major

Chemistry

Allyson Huffman ’22

rosalind.essig — Wed, 09 Nov 2022 15:27:53 +0000

Allyson Huffman ’22

Allyson

rosalind.essig Wed, 11/09/2022 - 09:27

Huffman

Allyson Huffman ’22 wants to make a difference in the classroom and beyond.

The education major graduated with a job teaching kindergarten and first-grade special education in Winchester.

"The reason I went into teaching is to make a difference — and I just love being around the kids. I have multiple paths to choose from, but I see myself getting a master's degree, and maybe a doctorate, to go into education reform. There are a lot of areas of education that need to be fixed, especially in elementary school, which would be my focus."

Allyson chose Illinois College based on the education program’s excellent reputation and its early hands-on classroom placement. IC’s opportunities both on and off campus, like BreakAways, and the small community and close connections with faculty were also important to her. She described the education department as close knit and said the faculty were always involved, helpful, energetic and motivating.

"Going into the classroom my first year and my sophomore year gave me the confidence in what I had chosen to do and that I'll be able to do it. I'd have a stressful day and I'd have to go spend two hours in the classroom, and it made everything else worth it."

A Golden Apple Scholar, Allyson also sought out experiences outside of the classroom. She went to Scandinavia for a BreakAway exploring the education systems in Sweden and Denmark. She was also an active member of Sigma Phi Epsilon and owns a cookie business she launched in high school and continued to operate during her time at IC ⁠— hence her minor in entrepreneurship.

When deciding on a college, Allyson found IC to be more affordable while offering more than other options.

“With the scholarships that I had I was able to focus more on my education and the experiences at Illinois College while I was there. Because I didn't have to go straight from class to work all the time, it opened a lot of opportunities that were extracurricular."

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Education

Entrepreneurship

Major

Education

Jasaun King ’21

rosalind.essig — Fri, 08 Apr 2022 22:48:28 +0000

Jasaun King ’21

Jasaun

rosalind.essig Fri, 04/08/2022 - 17:48

King

“I chose IC because of the environment that I experienced when I first visited campus. Everyone was really friendly and made me feel comfortable. It didn't seem like I was going somewhere new, but rather it felt like I had already been there before.”

When he returned to campus as an IC student, Jasaun King ’21 found there was never a dull moment on campus. As a football player, he received Midwest Conference Academic All-Conference honors three times and was vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He also helped other students in the HUB as a student worker for the Center for Career Readiness and Experiential Learning.

Jasaun gained additional hands-on learning experiences through Illinois College internships in athletics with head football coach Ray DeFrisco and the Office of Marketing and Communication, and participated in a BreakAway on which he assisted with orchid research in Cuba.

The variety of experiences he had at IC, combined with his coursework and experience with his major in communication and rhetorical studies, prepared Jasaun for his next steps. He is pursuing a master’s degree in communication at the University of Central Florida, with plans to focus on public relations and one day become a spokesperson for a company or high-profile individual.

“My experience within my major was stellar,” he said. “I enjoyed all of my classes and I felt myself really using the information from the classroom. I enjoyed going to class and working with the other students in my major and the faculty — we were like a big family.”

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Communication and Rhetorical Studies

Breakaways

Organizational and Strategic Communication

Major

Communication and Rhetorical Studies

Alexa Jardenil ’20

rosalind.essig — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:38:35 +0000

Alexa Jardenil ’20

Alexa

rosalind.essig Thu, 07/23/2020 - 08:38

Jardenil

Before commencement marked the formal end of her undergraduate career, Alexa Jardenil ’20 was already working in a lab as a molecular biologist, something she credits to the Illinois College biology department.

The connections Alexa made in the biology department while she was choosing a college played a big role in her decision to pick IC. She developed close and unique relationships with each of her professors in biology and chemistry, which was her minor, and had the opportunity to do student-faculty research with Bryan Arnold, associate professor of biology.

Through opportunities on campus, Alexa learned she has a passion for working with and teaching others. After an injury sidelined her as a volleyball player, she stayed involved as a manager for the team, working closely with players during her junior and senior years. She also helped her fellow students as a supplemental instructor. She hopes one day to teach at an academic institution like IC.

"Ultimately, my experiences within my major — like the research, the classes, all of the professors I've been mentored by — that's how I was able to get a job before graduation. Even in the midst of the pandemic I was still able to find a job — working directly with the virus, as well. I've been grateful, to say the least, for everything IC has done for me, especially the biology department and the students and the professors. I literally could not have done it without them."

Alexa is a molecular biologist at ACGT in Wheeling, Illinois. The company works closely with university labs and hospitals as a third party handling some of the lab work needed for coronavirus research.

"I am extremely grateful. I am indebted to IC for the rest of my life."

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Biology

Major

Biology

Caroline Casler ’20

rosalind.essig — Thu, 23 Jul 2020 13:25:08 +0000

Caroline Casler ’20

Caroline

rosalind.essig Thu, 07/23/2020 - 08:25

Casler

Caroline Casler ’20 had many unexpected turns in her journey to earn a degree in agribusiness — the first was that she ended up at Illinois College.

Caroline grew up in Jacksonville, but when it was time to choose a college, she originally didn’t even consider IC. But after just one semester at a big school, she decided to take a closer look at Illinois College. After a campus tour, she knew coming back to her hometown felt right. She worked with the transfer team for an easy transition. Once on campus, Caroline was surprised at how diverse the campus was and how many unique opportunities were offered to students.

She was also surprised to discover a new major that was just launching at IC. Caroline enrolled in an introduction to agribusiness course as an elective — the first time it was ever offered at IC — and quickly decided that would be her major.

Through her many learning experiences at IC, Caroline developed time management and communication skills. She worked in a team that conceptualized an agricultural product and presented a marketing plan at a national conference and competition. She gained hands-on professional practice with two internships, at Diversified Crop Insurance Services in Jacksonville and at the Climate Corporation in St. Louis. Her work at Diversified Crop Insurance led to a part time job that she held for two years, culminating in a full-time job offer as a mapping coordinator after graduation.

“I am excited to start applying what I have learned at IC to my career. The agribusiness program has been very supported by the Jacksonville community. Dr. Woods is an amazing professor who really got me excited about this field. I also loved that all my professors were so accessible and helpful.”

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Agribusiness Management

Major

Agribusiness

Mesfin Lenth ’17

amy.jones — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 21:15:31 +0000

Mesfin Lenth ’17

Mesfin

amy.jones Thu, 01/25/2018 - 15:15

Lenth

Mesfin Lenth ’17 decided to take a closer look at Illinois College after learning about the many scholarship opportunities available.

When the Ethiopia native stepped onto campus he discovered a welcoming community that supported the type of rich learning experiences he hoped to have. Lenth said he could not have imagined just how involved he would be as a student — he played soccer, served the Oxfam program, held a soccer tournament that raised money to build a well and volunteered for Jacksonville youth soccer and the YMCA, among other activities. As class officer, he delivered touching words to fellow classmates at commencement. Lenth was also selected by the United Nations as a delegate in their peace and sports development program in Florida. Lenth recently graduated and is currently working as a budget analyst in the Illinois Office of Management & Budget.

At graduation, Lenth said leaving the Hilltop was bittersweet for him and was overwhelmed with emotion as he reflected back on his early days at IC. “I knew I had to visit this college based on the scholarships that were offered. I really fell in love with the beautiful campus. It was President Farley’s first year and I got to meet with her. She knew me by name, which was amazing to me. Being on campus, I could tell that IC provides a supportive environment where students can explore and grow. I’ve had experiences beyond my imagination.”

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Business Administration

Scholarships

Major

Business Administration

Kellen Blum ’22

emily.titsworth — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 15:09:09 +0000

Kellen Blum ’22

Kellen

emily.titsworth Thu, 04/11/2024 - 10:09

Blum

Kellen Blum ’22 came to Illinois College to continue his baseball career and study psychology.

On campus, he found caring faculty mentors, athletics facilities that “are top-notch compared with other Division III schools,” and financial support that allowed him to pursue both baseball and his education.

“Scholarships helped lessen a financial burden that greatly played into my college decision. I was taking a risk when I decided to play baseball in college. I was only able to do this because IC was comparable in cost to some of the state schools that I was looking into. My experiences in and outside the classroom have been invaluable. Not only did I receive a quality education, but I was truly happy at IC. Now, I can take my experiences on the baseball field with me as I journey to be a psychologist and work with athletes.”

Being part of the 2021 Midwest Conference champion team and, before the championship game, receiving the Elite 20 Award were some of the highlights of Kellen’s college career. The Elite 20 Award is given to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA competing in the baseball championship.

“Having all the hard work of being a student-athlete pay off at that moment was priceless. Not only were my athletic abilities on display, but I was also being recognized for my dedication to my studies.”

Kellen was a member of psychology and first-year honor societies, Psi Chi and Alpha Lambda Delta, and student-faculty research with Assistant Professor of Psychology Alex Moore had a significant impact on his four years at IC.

In addition to being a mentor for Kellen’s psychology research, he said Moore “personally walked me through the graduate school application process and did everything he could to set me up for success, including meeting with me numerous times to fine-tune my application.”

“My research experience solidified my decision to pursue a graduate school education. Without it, I’m not sure I would have been prepared for the next step. It was an experience that I look back on with appreciation for the difference it made in my education and the scholar I have always desired to be. I cannot stress enough how much that experience has prepared me for graduate school, conducting my own research and becoming a better critical thinker.”

Kellen is pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at Saint Louis University. After finishing his studies, he plans to have a research-based practice where he can pursue the scientific aspects of psychology while providing clinical treatment to people with addictive behaviors, especially athletes facing those challenges.

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Psychology

Major

Psychology

Radricka Kelly-Olden ’22

emily.titsworth — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:38:07 +0000

Radricka Kelly-Olden ’22

Radricka

emily.titsworth Thu, 04/11/2024 - 09:38

Kelly-Olden

From feelings of self-doubt to acceptance at three top veterinary medicine programs, Radricka Kelly-Olden ’22 found what she needed to grow and succeed at Illinois College.

As a first-generation student coming from what she described as a severely underserved community, Radricka said she had feelings of self-doubt and some challenges when she arrived at IC for her first year. But that soon started to ease.

“In my experience, the classroom has been a safe and brave space where I can share my experiences and voice my concerns without being judged. The same goes for my professors’ offices. IC’s community-oriented atmosphere made my transition to college smooth and helped me perform at my full potential.

“It was very important for me to feel comfortable at whatever school I chose and I felt that when I visited IC. Everyone that I’ve come into contact with since my first campus visit has been so open, helpful and invested in my success.”

IC’s small campus and small class sizes offered Radricka, a biology major, the best possible learning environment for her as a learner. She also hoped IC would offer more chances to get hands-on learning experiences, which is exactly what happened. She had an on-campus internship taking care of a frog colony in the lab of Associate Professor of Biology Paul Hamilton ’09. Her internship gave her animal care and animal ethics experience and led to a research opportunity in the lab, as well.

“Doing research with Professor Hamilton has taught me the importance of perseverance. In research, there’s never a clear answer and sometimes you have to take a shot in the dark. While you might not always get the result you’re hoping for, there’s a lesson to be taken from the failure.”

Scholarship support allowed Radricka to focus on her studies in the classroom and experiences outside of the classroom without worry. In addition to her research and involvement in student organizations like the Black Student Union and the Animal Career Association, she participated in service learning through Alternative Spring Break. She also worked on campus as a tutor and supplemental instructor, which helped her “grow tremendously” and “burst out of my comfort zone and tap into creativity that I didn’t know I had.”

Radricka found many supporters and mentors on campus, and Hamilton did more than instill knowledge and guide her through her research. When she needed to hear it most, he listed the reasons not to doubt herself or give up on her dream of becoming a veterinarian.

“Here at Illinois College, I have had the opportunity to grow toward the person I’ve always wanted to be, but I cannot say that I’ve done that work alone. I have become this person because of the outstanding faculty I’ve had to support me.”

Radricka was accepted by three top, competitive veterinary programs and is pursuing her DVM at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Primary Department

Graduate Ready

Department

Biology

Major

Biology