At left, TRIO Student Support Services Advisor Faisal Tariq presents the TRIO Student of the Year Award to Jasmine Gast, Charleston, at the 2025 Lake Land College TRIO Student Support Services banquet. Photo submitted by Lake Land College
For Immediate Release – June 9, 2025
Lake Land College TRIO students honored at banquet
Lake Land College TRIO students were recently honored at an annual banquet. During the event, several students received awards.
The Leadership Award was presented to Emma Skowronski, Sullivan, for leading student involvement and serving as a TRIO ambassador. Katherine Carlson, Shumway; Jasmine Gast, Charleston; Eric Stanley, Charleston; and Aleah Wallis, Shelbyville, also received recognition as nominees for the Leadership Award.
The Above and Beyond Award was presented to Susie Holley, Mattoon, for exceptional representation of TRIO values. Drew Damery, Mattoon; Kailyn Tracy, Mattoon; and Aleah Wallis, Shelbyville, also received recognition as nominees for the Above and Beyond Award.
The TRIO Life Experience Award was presented to Adelina O’Connell, Sullivan, for determination in overcoming obstacles to achieve success. Jessica Jones, Charleston; Brookelyn Kraus, Altamont; and Eric Stanley, Charleston, also received recognition as nominees for the Life Experience Award.
The Perseverance Award was presented to Amber Lilley, Effingham, for consistently overcoming obstacles and achieving success. Katherine Carlson, Shumway; Georgia Firnhaber, Shelbyville; and Austin Sexson, Findlay, also received recognition as nominees for the Perseverance Award.
The TRIO Student of the Year Award was presented to Jasmine Gast, Charleston, for involvement in TRIO and campus activities while exceling in the classroom. Holly Cornell, Montrose; Natasha Dziesinski, Effingham; and Emma Skowronski, Sullivan, also received recognition as nominees for the TRIO Student of the Year Award.
The following students also received the Visionary Award in recognition of their commitment to future success and educational goals.
| Name | Hometown |
| Alyssa Andrews | Urbana |
| Nicole Belles | Mattoon |
| Holly Cornell | Montrose |
| Nathaniel Carlin | Mattoon |
| Katherine Carlson | Shumway |
| Madison Carter | Pana |
| Katie Cox | Mattoon |
| Caitlin Debault | Toledo |
| Drew Damery | Mattoon |
| Emily Davidson | Charleston |
| Natasha Dziesinski | Effingham |
| Georgia Firnhaber | Shelbyville |
| Jasmine Gast | Charleston |
| Allen Hoefft | Watson |
| Susie Holley | Mattoon |
| Boman Johnson | Mattoon |
| Jessica Jones | Charleston |
| Emily Kaurin | Charleston |
| Willow Koontz | Charleston |
| Brookelyn Kraus | Altamont |
| Jennifer Landreth | Mattoon |
| Amber Lilley | Effingham |
| Soule Mattox | Mattoon |
| Adelina O’Connell | Sullivan |
| Anyssa Petak | Mattoon |
| Chris Savage | Casey |
| Emma Scott | Paris |
| Austin Sexson | Findlay |
| Emma Skowronksi | Sullivan |
| Eric Stanley | Charleston |
| Imogene Stidham | Mattoon |
| Kailyn Tracy | Mattoon |
| Sarah Waldrop | Charleston |
| Aleah Wallis | Shelbyville |
Several students were also recognized for maintaining a high GPA. The students recognized for academic excellence were as follows.
| Name | Hometown |
| Abigail Adams | Effingham |
| Zoe Adams | Westfield |
| Ashley Albright | Charleston |
| Victoria Bates | Effingham |
| Emily Bock | Pana |
| Mitchell Brauer | St. Peter |
| Olivia Brauer | St. Peter |
| Logan Brinkman | Sullivan |
| Brooklyn Brown | Effingham |
| Ann Camren | Sullivan |
| Nathaniel Carlin | Mattoon |
| Katherine Carlson | Shumway |
| Madison Carter | Pana |
| Zuleyma Castillo | Charleston |
| Deanna Clark | Bethany |
| Rachael Cochran | Newton |
| Naomi Comer | Casey |
| Holly Cornell | Montrose |
| Sean Creal | Charleston |
| Sarah Creel | Mattoon |
| Kadence Crowley | Sibley |
| Drew Damery | Mattoon |
| Emily Davidson | Charleston |
| Kathy Dilley | Pana |
| Kirsten Drake | Charleston |
| Lilian Drum | Casey |
| Joshua Duke | Sigel |
| Zachary Duke | Sigel |
| Anna Durdel | Sullivan |
| Natasha Dziesinski | Effingham |
| Paul Evans | Effingham |
| Jasmine Gast | Charleston |
| Melaney Gentry | Effingham |
| Lisa Golden | Saint Elmo |
| Ethan Grant | Mattoon |
| Daniela Haslett | Beecher City |
| Dakota Haworth | Mattoon |
| Allen Hoefft | Watson |
| Susie Holley | Mattoon |
| Peyton Isaacs | Sullivan |
| Boman Johnson | Mattoon |
| Mallory Jones | Farina |
| Jocelyn Jordan | Mattoon |
| McKenzie Justice | Effingham |
| Emily Kaurin | Charleston |
| Cooper Kessel | Effingham |
| Michael Kirby | Paris |
| Marlee Kocher | Newton |
| Haven Kohrs | Mattoon |
| Brookelyn Kraus | Altamont |
| Willow Koontz | Charleston |
| Jennifer Landreth | Mattoon |
| MacGregor Levin | Effingham |
| Amber Lilley | Effingham |
| Alyssa Loveall | Charleston |
| Brandon Lutes | Mattoon |
| Breana Manley | Humboldt |
| Jerika Morgan | Mattoon |
| Mark Naroze | Charleston |
| Madison Nichols | Lerna |
| Adelina O’Connell | Sullivan |
| Elias Ozier | Greenup |
| Makenzie Pedigo | Sullivan |
| Avery Pepple | Iola |
| Anyssa Petak | Mattoon |
| Taylor Quandt | Effingham |
| Madison Reeder | Trilla |
| Amber Roan | Toledo |
| Ellen Ronk | Charleston |
| Chris Savage | Casey |
| Emma Scott | Paris |
| Parker Selby | Sullivan |
| Alyssa Shriver | Sullivan |
| Parker Sidwell | Kinmundy |
| Emma Skowronski | Sullivan |
| Clayton Stanley | Lovington |
| Eric Stanley | Charleston |
| Calista Stewart | Sullivan |
| Imogene Stidham | Mattoon |
| Kailyn Tracy | Mattoon |
| Patience Vanatta | Charleston |
| Sarah Waldrop | Charleston |
| Aleah Wallis | Shelbyville |
| Peyton Whitacre | Effingham |
| Alec Williams | Effingham |
| Krayten Willison | Oakland |
| Vanessa Zuber | Marshall |
TRIO Student Support Services is funded by the U.S. Department of Education to help students complete their academic goals and graduate from Lake Land College. Counselors and advisors work with each student individually, providing and connecting students with a wide variety of support services. TRIO provides one-on-one meetings with staff, informative workshops and access to educational, social and cultural opportunities available only to TRIO participants. All TRIO services are free to eligible students.
To learn more about TRIO at Lake Land College, contact Director of TRIO Programs Lori Ohnesorge at 217-234-5007 or lohnesor@lakelandcollege.edu.
Comments