Winter 2024 ISACorps Alumni E-Newsletter
Be Informed. Food for Thought. Resources.
|
|
In this Issue
• ISACorps Alumni Recognition
• News & Announcements
• What We Are Reading and Listening To…
• 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
|
|
|
|
|
Meet Dustin and Kimberly Zimmerman, who met serving in the first ISACorps cohort in 2009, began dating in 2011, and were married in 2015!
Kimberly was recently promoted to Assistant Vice President of Admissions at Knox College and Dustin was recently promoted to Director of Financial Aid at Carl Sandburg College. This makes them, says Dustin, the higher education power couple of Galesburg, Illinois! Kimberly oversees Knox’s admissions department, including a team of 20 people. Currently, Kimberly and her team are working on plans to fulfill larger college strategic goals to grow enrollment, including additional geographic diversity, while remaining committed to supporting and enrolling low-income and first-generation college students. Two years ago, Kimberly helped launch the Prairie Promise Program at Knox, which is Knox’s commitment to meet full financial need for all Illinois residents.
Dustin's team in the Carl Sandburg College Financial Aid Office is training new staff and preparing for 2024-2025 processing with the changes to the 2024-25 FAFSA. The office is also coordinating workshops and presentations for the campus and district community to promote FAFSA completion. Dustin also serves on the board as Vice President of Community Colleges for the Illinois Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (ILASFAA).
Kudos to Kimberly and Dustin on their personal and professional achievements—we look forward to hearing more from this power couple in the future!
They have two daughters: a five-year-old who they are very proud of for starting kindergarten and beginning to read, and a one-year-old who now keeps them on their toes constantly while walking and running through the house. Kimberly received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English-Writing from Illinois Wesleyan University and her Master’s in Leadership Studies in Higher Education from North Central College. Dustin received his Associate of Science degree from Waubonsee Community College and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio-Television from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
|
|
|
|
|
Share your stories with us here https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3787739
All Corp members who submit their stories will receive an ISACorps Alumni mug!
|
|
|
|
Alums in Leadership Awards, Appointments, & More: Beyond the Workplace in Higher Education
|
|
|
James Yost (2014) In November, James successfully defended his doctoral dissertation. He is now officially Dr. James Yost! He said that he owes part of that educational journey to ISACorps. He earned his EdD in Organizational Leadership from Franklin University.
|
|
|
|
|
Share your awards and leadership roles with us https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3787739!
|
|
|
|
|
We recently hosted the 5th annual ISAC FAFSA Symposium at Illinois Central College and Moraine Valley Community College. Thank you to Illinois Central College and Moraine Valley Community College for their partnership! The symposium provided an opportunity for attendees to hear from presenters on how their schools and districts support students and families with financial aid applications. It was great seeing several of our alums there as well. Click here to see the presentations from the symposium.
|
|
Join our ISACorps Alumni Steering Committee!
|
|
|
We are seeking alums who are interested in helping the ISACorps Alumni Network grow by connecting with other alumni and improving alumni engagement. The committee will consist of 8-10 members serving a one-year or two-year term. Members can renew their terms if desired. The committee will meet virtually three to four times per year to provide recommendations on all alumni initiatives.
This is a great opportunity for you to:
- Enhance your resume.
- Expand and strengthen your personal and professional network.
- Establish yourself as a thought leader.
- Gain practical experience and develop leadership and other skills to advance your career.
- Inspire current and the next generation of Corps members.
Interested applicants are invited to complete the application by Friday, January 19, 2024: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2TNQBGR
|
|
November’s Alumni Panel Series
|
|
|
|
|
During the month of November, we hosted three powerful alumni conversations virtually on WebEx. Seven alums spoke to the Corps about their experiences on various topics. All conversations were recorded, so be sure to click the links below and check them out!
We are grateful to our alums for their commitment to giving back to the Corps. Stay tuned for more conversations next year on topics like “Entrepreneurship,” “Service and Community Building,” “Balancing Family Life and Work,” and more.
|
|
ISACorps Externship Opportunity
|
|
|
Looking to fill a role in your organization in the future? Interested in mentoring? Then consider hosting an ISACorps extern next spring! Get the passion and skills of an ISACorps member in your organization, while giving them a chance to gain additional professional experience.
As part of the professional development opportunities available to ISACorps members, ISAC is offering them an externship program. An externship is a short-term job shadow experience. The length of time and dates are to be negotiated between the extern and the host. The days do not need to be consecutive – for example, it might be once per week for a month. If you would be interested in hosting an ISACorps extern, please complete the form at https://forms.office.com/g/g8n4TpaJHG. Expectations are included in the form as well. Questions can be directed to Renee.Martinez@illinois.gov.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
November 8th marked the celebration of First-Generation College Student Day. Starting in 2017, this date was chosen to commemorate the signing of the Higher Education Act in 1965. As conversations advance regarding the importance of highlighting the stories and experiences of first gen students, ISAC is doing its part to be a leader on this topic. In observance of First Gen Day, we were happy to officially introduce our First-Gen oriented podcast, First Up.
A lot of work has gone into this project from several team members in the College Access and Outreach (CAO) and Capacity Development and Training (CDT) divisions. We hope that listeners will find it both entertaining and useful in highlighting the experiences of Illinois first-gen students. The podcast is published on Wednesdays and available on Spotify, Buzzsprout, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and other podcast platforms. Any questions or comments about the podcast can be sent to Brian White Brian.White2@Illinois.gov or Matthew Montez Matthew.Montez@illinois.gov.
|
|
|
|
|
ISAC is excited to announce its first First Gen Symposium! The First Gen Symposium will provide an opportunity for participants to share and learn best practices for supporting first-generation students in postsecondary planning. Call for proposals, registration, and more will be available in Spring 2024. If you are interested in presenting and sharing your best practices, experiences, or resources for supporting first gen students, we encourage you to submit a session proposal when it’s available next year. To receive the latest updates about the First Gen Symposium, join ISAC's e-Messaging service! For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
|
|
FAN (Family Action Network) Events
|
|
|
ISAC is pleased to continue sponsorship of selected Family Action Network (FAN) events. FAN’s accessible and dynamic events create common ground and provide the latest insights on education, psychology, social change, relationships, and well-being. Family Action Network (FAN) is a 501(c)(3) organization that curates a high-quality speaker series. All FAN programs are free and open to the public. You can visit FAN’s website to view upcoming and past events at https://www.familyactionnetwork.net/. Feel free to share this information with your colleagues and network.
|
|
|
|
|
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? Contact ISAC.CorpsAlumni@illinois.gov to set up an appointment.
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.
|
|
Upcoming ISAC Outreach Events
|
|
|
With the delay of the launch of the new 2024-25 FAFSA, ISAC and its partners will be providing extra support to students and families with completing financial aid applications throughout the winter and spring. Encourage your students tocheck out our upcoming college planning and financial aid events on the website.
ISAC is still partnering with schools and community-based organizations to provide free financial aid application completion workshops statewide for our College Changes Everything Campaign®. If you’re interested in hosting a financial aid application completion workshop now through the end of February, please complete our outreach request form. Learn more and sign up today at https://www.collegechangeseverything.org/campaign/.
|
|
Upcoming ISAC PD In-Person Trainings
|
|
|
We are excited to announce the return of ISAC’s Half-Day Financial Aid trainings! To assist you in helping your students with financial aid applications, ISAC offers half-day trainings to school counselors, college and career staff, college admission counselors, and everyone who supports students and families through the financial aid process. Professional Development (PD) hours and Continuing Education (CE) credits will be available for attendees at the rate of one unit per contact hour. For more information and registration details, visit ISAC's Financial Aid Trainings page.
ISAC PD Webinars
Check out our free live webinars in December! For more information and registration details, visit ISAC's Webinars page. Please share these offerings with your colleagues and partners! Professional Development hours and Continuing Education credits are available. For questions, contact isac.outreachtraining@illinois.gov.
Other Webinars and Conferences
|
|
|
If you have any questions regarding this e-Message, please send an email to the ISACorps Alumni Network division at ISAC.CorpsAlumni@illinois.gov.
|
|
|
|
|
© 2023 Illinois Student Assistance Commission
|
|
|
|
|
