Gary Johansen has always enjoyed solving problems. It’s one of the reasons he pursued an engineering career and has been successful in the field for almost four decades. Now he’s solving financial hardships for future engineers. Gary established two $2,500 scholarships at his alma matter for male and female students pursuing STEM careers at South Suburban College. “I would not…
When Opportunity Knocks…
Denise Hutton says the old adage is true, when one door closes, another door opens. Six years ago, Denise made a bold choice to unlock her future. She had just lost her job working as an administrative assistant in the city of Chicago. She worried about what her options would look like at 56 years old. She knew her lifetime…
A Free Ride from Lansing to Urbana
Amy Watson, of Lansing, had a difficult decision to make. Stay home to pursue her goals at Columbia College of Chicago, or to move away to attend the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. Unlike many students making choices about their academic future, Amy was fortunate that hers would not be dictated by finances because of the success she achieved attending…
First Generation, Lasting Impact
Like many students anxiously navigating the college enrollment process for the first time learning about financial aid, counseling, and simply finding her way around campus, Lorena Diaz, had the added pressure of being the first in her family to pursue her college degree. There she was, a first generation United States born student living in Harvey, Illinois, pursuing not just…