Tessa Wiles is the new director of dual credit and honors experience at Lake Land College (LLC). She started at LLC about two and a half years ago and was formerly the dual credit program assistant, and also served as an academic services specialist. 

Wiles is a Lovington, Illinois native and now resides in Shelbyville, Illinois. She graduated from LLC in 2005 and Eastern Illinois University (EIU) in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in business management. She stated that she had a desire to pursue business management because she enjoyed being an overseer and being the responsible party in situations. 

“I am a very do-it-myself-person,” Wiles noted.

Wiles explained her return to LLC as an employee by saying, “I liked the big, open opportunity for a career here and I really liked my time here.” She also mentioned that she liked the feeling of belonging to an organization that had such an influence on the local community. 

Before returning to LLC, Wiles worked for C.E.F.S., a nonprofit organization that assists those experiencing homelessness and helps people with meeting their living expenses. She worked as a housing counselor and energy assistant. 

Wiles’s favorite thing about her position is getting to help with dual credit because it helps students get a head start on their education and get a taste for college before they are thrown into it, especially at such a low cost comparatively. 

Concerning the honors experience, Wiles monitors who is admitted and also is the advisor for LLC’s honors society, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). 

In her free time, Wiles enjoys traveling with her husband and nine-year-old daughter in their camper. She said her favorite place they have visited is Yellowstone National Park.