Celebrating a promise fulfilled through your generosity
Since 2005, thousands of Illinois Promise Scholars have left their mark not only on our campus, but on their peers and society. We are thrilled to invite you to hear from this year's Illinois Promise award winners as they express how meaningful this program has been during their time at Illinois, including this year's Richard and Susan Herman Senior Essay Award winner, Vanessa Rogers.
Nya Williamson
Division of General Studies
Joseph Pedott Illinois Promise Spirit Award Winner
I-Promise gave me a lot of hope for my future and obviously relieved me of the financial burden, but the program also showed me all the possibilities that are to come. I was nervous about leaving my family at home, but I’ve found that Illinois Promise has really been my family too. Being a young black woman in poverty, I felt like a lot of odds were against me at times, but I came to Illinois with a lot of resources like OMSA, I-Promise, and other organizations that try to mitigate that feeling as much as possible. I really appreciate this school and the overwhelming number of resources in place to support students like me.
Kaylee Janakos
Information Sciences
Rising Star Award Winner
Being given this opportunity to dedicate my time to learning has changed my life. Illinois Promise has allowed the opportunity to focus on my academics and not worry about the other stressors in my life. It's been really nice to focus on myself and my education, and I am currently looking at a graduate program focusing on data science within communities and using that information to understand social issues.
Cade Wharton
Graphic Design
Joseph Pedott Illinois Promise Spirit Award Winner
Illinois Promise means opportunity that wouldn’t have been presented to me otherwise: to graduate, get a degree, find the job of my dreams, and study something that I really have a passion for. A lot of people are scared to study abroad because of the cost, but Illinois Promise assisted with funding, and my mentor helped me immensely to get on the study abroad list. It’s something I wish everybody could experience.
Aminah Adebayo
Accountancy
Rising Star Award Winner
Illinois Promise has meant the opportunity to come to college and be calm and be happy in a new place that I wouldn’t have been able to come to if it weren’t for this program. There are so many resources around me and a lot of amazing opportunities to be myself and to be around people that have helped me grow and learn. I’ve been challenged academically and socially, just by being in new environments that I wouldn’t have gone for before.
Jasmine Finley
Sociology
Rising Star Award Winner
Illinois Promise has allowed me to attend an amazing university that I would have otherwise not been able to attend. Illinois Promise has been my home away from home when I need guidance and reassurance. After graduation, I plan on attending graduate school to further my studies of sociology focusing on economy and society. I hope to obtain a master's degree and then proceed to teach abroad! I have high hopes to travel around the world afterward.
