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Nine Waubonsee Community College students and alumni were awarded scholarships at the 19th Annual Hispanic Pioneer Breakfast hosted by 2nd Ward Alderwoman Juany Garza on Thursday, Sept. 12, in Aurora.

Each year, the Waubonsee Community College Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to an outstanding graduate of Waubonsee Community College. Awardees have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession, have documented evidence of contribution and service to their community, and demonstrated a continued interest in lifelong education. One of this year's Distinguished Alumni is Shannon Kennedy, President of BMO U.S. Wealth Management.

Each year, the Waubonsee Community College Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to an outstanding graduate of Waubonsee Community College. Awardees have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession, have documented evidence of contribution and service to their community, and demonstrated a continued interest in lifelong education. One of this year's Distinguished Alumni is Cynthia Gamboa, President and Chief Experience Officer at CamMi Photo Booth, LLC.

Nominations are currently being accepted for Waubonsee Community College’s 2024 Distinguished Alumnus. Nominations must be received by Wednesday, Jan. 31 to be considered for this year.

Each year, the Waubonsee Community College Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to an outstanding graduate of Waubonsee Community College. Awardees have distinguished themselves in their chosen profession, have documented evidence of contribution and service to their community, and demonstrated a continued interest in lifelong education. This year's Distinguished Alumnus is Dr. Scott Mertes, Provost at Mid Michigan College. 

Waubonsee Community College’s updated mission statement describes how the college provides exceptional learning and is committed to enriching the lives of students, employees, and community by working together to discover new passions, share knowledge, and embrace diversity. 

Here at Waubonsee, the spring semester has come to an end. To every student who has successfully completed all their coursework or has graduated and is now moving on to the next chapter in their lives, I want to sincerely congratulate you on your accomplishment; mission accomplished, you did it! 

A Waubonsee Community College alumnus has been recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Dr. Indigo Debra Triplett, a Waubonsee alumna and Waubonsee’s 2021 Distinguished Alumnus, was recognized as one of three 2022 Outstanding Alumni Award winners by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). Entrepreneur, consultant, and author, Dr. Indigo, was recognized May 3 during the Outstanding Alumni Celebration at AACC Annual in New York City.

During her time as a student, Mozelle Kempiak, of Marseilles, earned a reputation as a compassionate competitor as the Waubonsee Women’s Basketball Team Captain leading the team to a 2017-2018 Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) Co-Champion Conference Title her sophomore year. 

According to a 2019 report by Excelencia in Education's Latinos in Higher Education: Compilation of Fast Facts, half of all Latinos in the U.S. (44%) were the first in their family to attend college as compared to any other ethnic group. It is not that Latino culture or Latino families do not value education; the vast majority do. Often, the lack of college-going role models in working Latino families is the first challenge among several multi-layered factors preventing student success, including socio-economic disadvantages, clashes between cultural norms, and familial expectations. This leads to a lack of support for most first-generation Latino students who may enroll in college courses but lack the guidance and resources to finish a degree.