JJC Faculty Union Awards $6,000 in Scholarships

Joliet Junior College’s Faculty Union has awarded a total of $6,000 scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year. 

“The JJC full-time Faculty Union is very happy to play a small role in supporting students in their higher education goals,” said union president Bob Marcink. “As teachers, we know that education provides a strong foundation for the future, whether it is through the arts and sciences or through career and technical training.” 

The following seven students received scholarships ranging from $500 to $1,000: 

• Heather Chlebana of Plainfield: $500 

• Ethan Kimbarovsky of Shorewood: $1.000 

• Ryan Hochhalter of Manhattan: $1,000 

• Jenna Laken of Joliet: $750 

• Ian Moreno of Yorkville: $750 

• Emily Reppy of Yorkville: $500 

• Sydney Reppy of Yorkville: $500 

Students must apply to be considered for a scholarship. They receive points on criteria such as grades, college and community service and an essay about their academic goals. 

Emily and Sydney Reppy were also awarded the Pete Neff Memorial Scholarship. The JJC Faculty Union awards the $500 memorial scholarship to students who are part of the JJC Honors Program, which was founded by Pete Neff. 

“We are very pleased to award the Pete Neff Memorial Scholarship to two outstanding honors students, Emily and Sydney Reppy,” Marcink said. “Professor Neff, a longtime instructor in English at JJC, would applaud their selection.” 

Neff was highly involved with the faculty union and founded the Honors Program during his time at JJC where he taught for over 30 years. The Pete Neff Memorial Scholarship is funded by Pete Neff’s widow, Pat Neff, and the JJC Faculty Union. 

The union has awarded scholarships annually since 1996. 

For media inquiries, please contact Media and Communications Manager, Katherine Smith, at katherine.smith@jjc.edu or 815-280-2844.