Faculty Union Awards $9,500 in Student Scholarships

The Joliet Junior College Faculty Union has awarded $9,500 in scholarships to assist local students.

Gifts as high as $600 were awarded to 21 students who are either preparing to take classes at JJC or transferring to a four-year school. Applicants submitted a short essay about their future plans.

"In a year when a once-in-a-century pandemic has disrupted all of our lives, we are very pleased that we could offer some assistance to 21 students through the JJC Full-time Faculty Union Scholarship,” said Bob Marcink, JJC Fulltime Faculty Union president. “Whether they are pursuing degrees at JJC or moving on to other institutions of higher ed, we hope these awards help alleviate some of the stress of the times."

The union has been awarding scholarships annually since 1996. This year’s recipients included the following:

Frimpong Boateng of Joliet, IL: $325
Jiyan Cen of Chicago, IL: $400
Royce Chandler of Joliet, IL: $325
Hayden Crymes of Channahon, IL: $325
Lily Hochhalter of Manhattan, IL: $500
Jamie Kaiser of Lisle, IL: $500
Mandy Kaiser of Lisle, IL: $500
Rebecca Keller of Homer Glen, IL: $500
Bryson Laken of Joliet, IL: $500
David Lozano of Joliet, IL: $600
Daniel McNulty of New Lenox, IL: $500
Guadalupe Medina of Joliet, IL: $325
Brandon Mszal of Bolingbrook, IL: $325
Payton Mszal of Bolingbrook, IL: $325
Kendra Neill of Joliet, IL: $325
Nicole Nelson of New Lenox, IL: $400
Olivia Palumbo of Lockport, IL: $400
Pauline Robinson-Stevens of Morris, IL: $500
Simone Robinson-Stevens of Morris, IL: $500
Elaine Segundino of Romeoville, IL: $325
Graciana Trillo-Ruggles of Bolingbrook, IL: $500

Royce Chandler also received an additional $600 for the Pete Neff Memorial Scholarship, which the union awards to a JJC Honors Program student. Neff, the program’s founder, who was very involved in the union during his more than 30 years as a JJC English professor.  Nearly half of the funding for this scholarship was provided by Pete Neff's widow Patricia.

For media inquiries, contact Communications and Media Coordinator Scott Harvey at sharvey@jjc.edu.