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Winter 2023 ISACorps Alumni E-Newsletter

Be Informed. Food for Thought. Resources.

In this Issue

ISACorps Alumni Recognition
News & Announcements
Upcoming Webinars

Welcome to the ISACorps Alumni quarterly e-newsletter! Visit the ISACorps Alumni webpage to access the newsletter, join the ISACorps Alumni directory, and read more about ISACorps alumni updates and announcements.

ISACorps Alumni Recognition

Brianna Kuramitsu (Lambrecht)

In June 2022, Brianna became Program Manager at Lion's Pride Mentoring Inc. – a non-profit organization that aims to empower youth leaders to guide ninth grade students to reach their fullest potential. Lion’s Pride trains high-performing upper-level students to mentor first-year students in achieving academic excellence and social-emotional aptitude. Ultimately, the organization seeks to change Chicago's educational landscape by helping more students graduate from high school and attend the college of their choice. Brianna gained a passion for working with students through her work as an ISACorps member, and she is motivated to coordinate an equity-based program that helps students gain the skills and supports they need to thrive after high school.

Brianna served in the ISACorps from 2015 to 2017 in the Moraine Valley Community College District. She has experience in community organizing, advocacy, and research in addition to her work at Lion's Pride. She received her Bachelor of Science in Marketing at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and then her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Illinois Chicago, with a concentration in Organizational and Community Practice.

Lion's Pride Mentoring is an organization that really puts people first, and supported Brianna in her desire to take her 3-year delayed honeymoon (due to the pandemic). Brianna and her spouse traveled to East Africa.

Redell Hendricks

Redell is the Community Relations Coordinator for Washington University’s Department of Government and Community Relations. In this role, she works to make sure the university and its students are good neighbors to St. Louis residents near the University’s campuses. A significant number of Washington University students live off campus with non-student neighbors.

The values and priorities of the students and their neighbors don’t always align, and it is Redell’s job to serve as a liaison between the students, neighbors, and the university. This work includes sending out communications to neighbors about high traffic dates like commencement, and monitoring student activity to reduce the impact on neighbors. She also works with the local government on issues like refuse and lighting in the neighborhoods bordering campus. It takes a special person to successfully communicate with various constituents in the way Redell does!

Redell served as a Corps member in the Lewis and Clark Community College District from 2016-2017 and the Region 4 Coordinator from 2017-2020. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from McKendree University and her Master of Science in Education with an emphasis on Diversity and Equity in Education from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

Share your stories with us here h ttps://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3787739

or email us at ISAC.CorpsAlumni@illinois.gov

News & Announcements

November 18^th Career Planning Webinar: Life After the ISACorps

Before the Thanksgiving break, nine alumni from various career sectors shared career advice with our second and third year Corps members. We are thrilled to have had the largest participation of our alumni for this particular virtual panel discussion! A big THANK YOU to Daena Ramos (2010), Kayla DeCant (2015), Joe Strabala-Bright (2013), James Patrick Yost (2014), Samia Cooperider (2012), Dominque Thomas- Green (2012), Melissa Van (2020), Alexander Skarr (2017), and Demetrius Upchurch (2009)!

One-on-One Chats with ISACorps Alums

This past January, 39 alumni volunteered their time to discuss their current roles and past experiences as an ISACorps member with current Corps members. 23 ISACorps members connected one-on-one with an alum to discuss their plans after their service with the ISACorps.

After their conversation, one ISACorps member shared that: “Even if you are not going into a career directly related to the work done within the ISACorps, the skills and knowledge that are being developed are versatile and will assist in many careers.”

Join the ISACorps!

We’re hiring for the ISACorps for locations across Illinois. If you know any recent college graduates interested in a public service career helping the next generation on their path to higher education, please share this link to our ISACorps recruiting page https://www.isac.org/jointheISACorps.

Join IllinoisCAN!

The mission of the Illinois College Attainment Network (IllinoisCAN) is to improve postsecondary access and success for low-income and first-generation college students in Illinois. IllinoisCAN helps build the capacity and effectiveness of college access organizations and supports local initiatives that provide student advisement and financial aid, in order to help students reach their goals. It does so by providing tools and information to access professionals who deal daily with students – inside schools, after school programs, institutions, and organizations.

Find us on Facebook:

· Like and Follow Illinois College Access Network page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089315187032

· IllinoisCAN group for members to connect and collaborate: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3474024206189402

Join IllinoisCAN and let your colleagues know about it so we can expand and improve our impact as a truly statewide network. https://illinoiscan.org/join-illinoiscan/

Get News and Announcements Via SMS Messaging

ISAC now offers alumni more ways to receive information about future events, job postings, our e-newsletters and more, via text message. To use the service simply text your first and last name to (708) 577-1494 today!

SAVE THE DATES: Engage and Entertain

Illinois Education and Career Success Network Annual Conference: March 8^th

The 2023 conference of the Illinois Education and Career Success Network, themed Accelerating Equitable Success, will deliver an array of high-quality content and interactive, hands-on opportunities centered on advancing equitable postsecondary attainment. Join us in person as we celebrate our tenth anniversary as a Network, honoring the work our Leadership Communities have accomplished this past decade and looking toward a shared vision for the future. Learn more about the conference - https://ilsuccessnetwork.org/2023-conference/.

ILASFAA Annual Conference: March 13^th-15^th

The 2023 Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA) Annual Conference will be held Monday, March 13^th to Wednesday, March 15^th, 2023, at the iHotel Illinois Conference Center in Champaign, IL. For more details about the conference, visit https://www.ilasfaa.org/2023_ilasfaa_annual_conference.php

ISAC will host a networking event March 13^th from 5 pm to 7 pm for prospective employers to meet ISACorps members completing their service with ISAC in May, and with ISACorps alumni who are ready to make a career move. More details coming soon!

If you are planning to attend the event, please accept the Outlook invite that you should have received in your email.

Illinois PaCE Symposium: April 20^th

ISAC’s second annual Illinois Postsecondary and Career Expectations (PaCE) Symposium is taking place in-person on Thursday, April 20, 2023, in Springfield, Illinois! Registration information and a symposium agenda will available this spring. Visit https://www.isac.org/pace/Illinois-PaCE-Symposium/ to find out more.

The PaCE Symposium will bring together professionals from across Illinois to share and learn how schools, districts, and communities are collaborating and advancing postsecondary and career readiness efforts through the Illinois PaCE Framework. During the symposium, attendees will:

· Learn about what PaCE is and how it can strengthen postsecondary readiness efforts

· Hear from a variety of schools and districts that have implemented a PaCE framework

· Learn about the PaCE implementation process

· Hear about the latest state updates for the Illinois PaCE Framework

IACAC Annual Conference: April 26^th-28^th

The Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (IACAC) Annual Conference will be held Wednesday, April 26^th to Friday, April 28^th, 2023, at the Crown Plaza-Springfield in Springfield, IL. We will also be planning a career networking event at this conference. Stay tuned for more details on the ISACorps alumni event. For more information on the conference, visit https://www.iacac.org/conference/.

Job Opportunities!

Looking for a new job? Check out these positions! ISACorps Alumni Job Postings List.xlsx Are you looking to change careers or looking for career coaching? Need assistance with your resume or cover letter? If you know of any job opportunities in your area and would like to share them with your fellow ISACorps alumni or current ISACorps members, please email ISAC.CorpsAlumni@illinois.gov.

Lunch and Learn: Alumni Connections

Join our monthly Alumni Connection event to network with your fellow ISACorps alums, old and new. Think of this as an informal mid-week gathering to reconnect with former colleagues, create new relationships, meet partners in various industries, and grow your professional network. All virtual chats will be held on the last Wednesday of the month from 12 pm to 12:30 pm CST. Please visit the alumni homepage to RSVP.

March 29, 2023

April 26, 2023

May 24, 2023 (the last Wednesday is a holiday)

ISAC’s PD Webinars

Illinois PaCE: Planning for College and Career Readiness

All webinars are available at no cost to school counselors, college and career staff, and school/district administrators. To learn more and register, visit the PaCE Webinars page at www.isac.org/pace/Webinars/.

Additional PD Opportunities and Webinars

Building Your Data Story: To & Through Tool Workshop

To & Through Data Collaborative: Cristo Rey Network

To & Through Data Collaborative: CPS Alumni Support Initiative

Application of Walk-Throughs to Schools Focusing on Explicit Instruction Practices

Grief-Informed Best Practices: Supporting Students Who are Grieving

Don't forget to join the alumni directory to update your contact information to receive recent job postings, our quarterly e-newsletter, the latest PD opportunities, alumni event invitations, and more. https://www.isac.org/students/before-college/isacorps/isacorps-alumni-directory.html Want a new alum t-shirt? Fill out this form! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VLWPWVJ

Lastly, subscribe to our e-Messaging listserv to receive information about the latest ISAC-related programs and services, and ISAC-hosted events and symposiums. https://www.isac.org/emessaging/

If you have any questions regarding this e-Message, please contact Alumni Relations by sending an e-mail message to ISAC.CorpsAlumni@illinois.gov.