Annually, Lake Land College, and other community colleges in the area, submit a student written essay, based upon a topic. This year, the topic was “What Community College Means To Me.” Many students from around campus submitted excellent essays that fit this year’s theme, but, in the end, Vice President for Academic Services, Ike Nwosu, along with others, chose the essay, entitled, “How Lake Land Community College Changed My Life,” by Allison Powell, of Charleston, IL, as this year’s entry. Powell’s entry was submitted to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, where it is undergoing the judging process.
Read “How Lake Land Community College Changed My Life” by Allison Powell below. (Edited for clarity. Some details have been removed for privacy concerns.)
Lake Land Community College (LLC) is an institution that promotes core values such as community, innovation, and excellence. I have experienced firsthand how transformative the impact an education from [LLC] has on the success of an individual’s personal and educational development. If not for the instruction and resources made available to me by [LLC], I would not have been empowered to expand my knowledge or social and cultural understandings.
Prior to the start of my academic career at [LLC], I was not exposed to an environment conducive to preparation for educational or professional success. Once I started to fall behind in high school, I gave up on myself. I had no college prospects, my grades were subpar, and there was no trusted, reliable adult in my life to guide me in a direction towards success. However, [LLC] gave me the courage to take a chance on myself and continue my education.
Once I began my journey at [LLC], I was able to obtain resources and receive aid which improved not only my financial situation, but my confidence and intelligence began to thrive. Instructors recognized my abilities, supported my efforts, and poured into my potential. Due to [LLC’s] devotion to the success of its students, I have evolved into a more intelligent, confident, and secure version of myself. I have fostered relationships with not only instructors, but like-minded individuals from all over the world, and I have experienced the unwavering dedication to students’ success, which in turn has led me to attain a 4.0 grade point average, improving how my competence and intelligence are perceived in the professional realm.
Since the beginning of my academic journey at [LLC], I have experienced an environment where I felt genuinely cared about, supported, and prepared for success. As I continue, I intend to transfer what I have learned into pursuing an education and career in public policy and law. [LLC] has given me and countless others who are exposed to similar experiences, the tools and resources necessary to thrive as intellectuals, professionals, and individuals. When I felt counted out, [LLC] gave me the opportunity to prove my significance. The growth that has transpired within myself has rendered me a more focused, dedicated individual. I have been allowed to improve my education, increase my social and cultural understandings, and lay a foundation to build upon a socially mobile, successful, and stable future. With appreciation to [LLC], I, and so many others are able to move forward into the next phase of personal excellence.
-Allison Powell, 2024
