Summer 2025 ISACorps™ Alumni E-Newsletter

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 Digital Yearbook, and read more about ISACorps alumni updates and announcements. 

ISACorps Alumni Recognition

This summer, we had the privilege of sitting down with six incredible ISACorps alumni who generously shared their stories, reflections, and wisdom from their time in the Corps. Spanning over a decade of service from 2009 through 2021, their journeys highlight the lasting impact of the ISACorps on communities and on their personal and professional lives.

Meet the alumni who brought their experiences to life:

• Jakendra Williams (2009)
• Patrick Wildman (2012)
• Denise Delgado (2015)
• Redell Hendricks (2016)
• Melissa Van (2020)
• Davon Maxey (2021)

Each alum shared unique memories of serving students and families, the challenges they overcame, and the ways their ISACorps experience continues to influence their careers today. Their stories remind us of the power of service, mentorship, and community — values that continue to shape ISACorps year after year.

Watch the full alumni video here!

We are grateful for these alumni who continue to inspire the next generation of Corps members. Their dedication and impact live on in the students they served and in the work they carry forward.

Love reading your fellow alumni highlights? Share your awards and leadership roles with us to be featured in the next newsletter!

News & Announcements

2025 College Changes Everything^® Conference

Full-Circle Moments at CorpsCon 2025

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing ISACorps alumni Alyssa D. Humbles, Denise Delgado, Alexander Skarr M.A., FAAC®, and Danielle Long who joined us for Move-In Day at CorpsCon 2025 this past Monday!

From helping with check-in to sharing laughs, memories, and advice during dinner and throughout the day, your presence was felt and appreciated. Your willingness to simply show up, walk the campus, and engage in organic, meaningful conversations reminded us what community looks like in action.

Being back in the lecture halls and strolling Benedictine’s campus brought back so many full-circle moments. Thank you for continuing to make space for the next generation of Corps members while staying rooted in your own journey. Once a Corps member, always a Corps member. 

New Corps Members Received Welcome Letters from Alumni!

On the last day of CorpsCon training, 40 first-year Corps members individually received personalized, heartfelt welcome letters from alumni. Our team made every effort to pair each alum with a new Corps member from the community college district our alum had previously served. The letters were filled with words of encouragement and support—a welcome embrace from the ISACorps community. As they read the messages, the Corps members' excitement and anticipation for their journey grew. Our alums’ experience and advice help provide a sense of connection and belonging. ISACorps members said that the welcome letters left them feeling motivated and ready to embark on their new roles. Thank you again to the following alumni who submitted welcome letters! Your commitment to the Corps is truly appreciated.

Shifting Roles: Seeing CorpsCon in a New Light – Nicole Boyd (2023)

Having just joined the training team, this was Nicole’s first CorpsCon that she did not attend as a Corps member! She shared that it was interesting to see all the work that goes into CorpsCon behind the scenes. Nicole was excited to jump right into her new role and support the other members of the team however she could. From a training team perspective, she especially enjoyed watching Corps members from different regions build relationships and seeing first-year Corps members have those “lightbulb moments” where it was clear they understood difficult concepts.

Skip the Stress and Click into College with One Click College Admit!

Please share with your network! One Click College Admit is an initiative of the State of Illinois and is the state’s quick and stress-free direct admissions program into state public universities and community colleges. Through this program, all eligible high school seniors automatically receive offers of general admission to state public universities and to their local community college. No application fees, essays, or letters of recommendation! The only requirement to be considered for admission into most of the state’s universities is your GPA.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education, Illinois Student Assistance Commission, and Common App invite high school counselors and other college access professionals to learn about this unique program for all Illinois high school students!

The upcoming webinar will be held on Friday, September 12 from 9 - 10 am.

Join the webinar to learn more about the program. We’ll share:

• A list of participating Illinois public universities and community colleges
• Student eligibility criteria
• The in-app student experience
• Resources to support students and families

The webinars will be recorded and will be made available on the One Click College Admit website, oneclickadmit.org



Alumni Opening Their Doors for Region Coordinator Meetings

We’re excited to share that ISACorps alumni have begun responding to our call to host space for Region Coordinator meetings across Illinois this year! This initiative gives alumni an opportunity to stay engaged with the Corps while supporting the important work happening in communities statewide.

We’re proud to highlight Dominque Thomas-Green (2012), who recently hosted the Region 3 (Chicago) meeting at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Education. She spoke with representatives about her career journey: why she chose ISAC, how she navigated her career afterward, and the value of ISAC’s professional network. She highlighted how FAFSA knowledge carries into other roles, the unique opportunities ISAC provides beyond being a Financial Aid Advisor, her grad school experience, and offered life and career guidance for first-generation students and people of color.

Thank you, Dominque, for your generosity and commitment to giving back! If you are interested in hosting a future meeting in your region, we’d love to hear from you — stay tuned for more details on how to get involved.

ISAC’s First Up Podcast – 
Season 3 Coming This Fall

We’re happy to announce that Season 3 of ISAC’s First Up podcast will be releasing new episodes starting this fall! If you’d like to listen or share, please visit: https://isacfirstgen.podbean.com. Interested in hearing certain stories or topics covered? Email us your creative ideas at [email protected].

Stay Connected with ISACorps Alumni Text Messaging

Never miss an update! Sign up for the ISACorps Alumni text messaging service to receive monthly reminders and invitations to special alumni events.

To join, simply text your first and last name to: (708) 577-1494.

Job Opportunities and One-On-One Career Coaching!

Looking for a new job? Check out these positions!

If you are looking to advance your career, make a career change, find more balance in your current position, and/or assess your job satisfaction, then check out our career coaching program. Our alumni coordinator can help you develop a roadmap and specific plans to help you meet your career goals. This program is free to all our ISACorps™ alumni! Get started today by scheduling an appointment with our career coach. Fill out on the ISACorps Alumni Career Coaching interest form and we will get back to you to schedule! We are here to help!

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 [email protected]. 

Upcoming ISAC Professional Development: In-Person and Virtual Trainings

To assist you in helping your students and families with the college-going and financial aid process, ISAC offers free trainings to school counselors, college and career staff, college admission counselors, and other education professionals. 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 Professional Development page.

Illinois College Access Network (IllinoisCAN) Upcoming Meeting

Please join the next IllinoisCAN meeting on Wednesday, September 17 from 8:30 - 10:00 am. This virtual meeting is for colleagues across the state who are passionate about and dedicated to helping students prepare for life after high school. Please use this link to join the meeting. If you have questions about the upcoming meeting, reach out to Ana Moya at [email protected].  

Family Action Network (FAN) Events

ISAC is pleased to continue sponsorship of select FAN events. FAN is a non-profit organization that curates a high-quality speaker series. FAN’s accessible and dynamic events create common ground and provide the latest insights on education, psychology, social change, relationships, and well-being. All FAN programs are free and open to the public. Check out their upcoming and past events today. Feel free to share this information with your colleagues and network.

What We Are Reading and Listening To…

• Higher education pays off in Illinois, but economic barriers persist, study says by Kate Armanini, 3-minute read
• The Happiness Files by Arthur C. Brooks
• HBR IdeaCast Podcast, Episode 1029: What Leaders Get Wrong About Listening – 35 minutes
• Illinois 1st state to require universal mental health screenings at schools by Anna Merod 3-minute read
• Longtime environmental educators prep Illinois teachers for new climate education requirement by Jess Savage- 3 minute read
• Back to school in Chicago 2024: new students, a new school board, and a new teachers contract? by Becky Vevea, 5-minute read
• Stanford University data report: Experiences of material hardship have ripple effects on young children’s development

Other Webinars and Workshops

• To&Through Spotlight: Sparking Engagement in the Middle Grades Tuesday, September 9, 3 – 4 pm CST
• Unapologetically Working for Change: Moving Forward as an Early-Career Professional Tuesday, September 9, 1pm CST
• State of Young Illinois 2025 Thursday, September 11, 9 am – 4 pm CST at Roosevelt University
• Chronicle Festival 2025: Innovation Amid Uncertainty hosted by The Chronicle of Higher Education September 16-18, 2025
• To&Through’s 100th Data Collaborative Tuesday, September 16, 2 – 3 pm CST
• To&Through Milestones Tool 101 Workshop Tuesday, September 23, 2 - 3:30pm CST (in-person)

Don't forget to update your contact information to receive recent job postings, our quarterly e-newsletter, the latest PD opportunities, alumni event invitations, and more.

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Subscribe to our e-Messaging listserv to receive information about the latest ISAC-related programs and services, and ISAC-hosted events and symposiums. 

If you have any questions regarding this e-Message, please send an email to the Alumni Relations division at  [email protected].

© 2025 Illinois Student Assistance Commission