The Kishwaukee College Foundation’s newest scholarship grew from inspiring stories of Kish students and alumni.
As part of the 2021 Spring Virtual Donor Appreciation Event, the Foundation profiled scholarship recipient, Jessica Espinoza, and donor, Steve Irving, whose paths crossed based on the importance of scholarship support for student success. Their stories led to the creation of the new Pay It Forward Scholarship.
A NURSING STUDENT IN NEED
Jessica Espinoza, a Kish nursing student, applied for scholarships through the Kishwaukee College Foundation. As a mother of five going through a separation, she shared her need for tuition support to earn her nursing degree and achieve her goals. Her story immediately stood out to Steve and T.J. Irving, who help award the Stephen P. Irving Family Scholarship every year. Espinoza’s story resonated so much that the Irvings didn’t just award her the scholarship but paid for all her college expenses — tuition, fees, books and supplies.
AN ‘AVERAGE STUDENT’ GIVES BACK
Irving described himself as an “average student” during his time at Kishwaukee College. But with initiative and financial support from the College, Irving was able to find his true calling in construction. As a student in 1970, he and a partner presented a plan to the Kish Board of Trustees to remodel an old barn into a theater. The Board unanimously approved the project and awarded funds for the renovation.
“That was a very satisfying period in my life. I would have to congratulate Kish for helping set up the roots right from the beginning for my career,” Irving said.
Years after graduating from Kish and running a successful local business, Irving established the Stephen P. Irving Family Scholarship to benefit students who need a helping hand in meeting their goals.
A VIEWER IS INSPIRED
Being vulnerable can be tough, especially on camera for an audience. Espinoza grappled with how much to share during the application process but decided transparency would not only help her but sharing her story with a larger audience might help future students.
“That was when I realized that what I was doing was nothing to be embarrassed of. And people were interested. People were curious, and they wanted to help. They felt for me. They felt for my children,” Espinoza said.
After watching the donor appreciation event, Mary Foland was inspired by Irving’s generosity and moved by Espinoza’s story.
“It struck me because I was a young mother once. And it is not always easy,” Foland said. “I just could not shake her story. I felt compelled to do something for her.”
Since the Irvings were already taking care of her educational expenses, Foland wanted to see what additional support Espinoza needed to be successful. The Foundation helped connect Foland and Espinoza, and Foland was able to contribute gift cards for groceries and the children's school supplies. The two continued to stay in touch through Espinoza’s graduation.
“Jessica was so appreciative, but she expressed a desire to do the giving too,” Foland said. “She asked, ‘How can I pay you back?’ I said, ‘You don’t need to. But you can pay it forward.’”
Like Irving using his experience at Kish to help a new generation of students, Foland and Espinoza continued the idea for the Pay It Forward Scholarship. Foland and her husband Doug helped establish the scholarship, which will award $500 each semester to students in financial need overcoming life’s challenges. In each selection process, previous Foundation scholarship recipients will be able to take part in choosing the next recipient, providing them an opportunity to give back to the next generation of students. Jessica Espinoza helped select the first recipient, Lauren Lieser, for the Spring 2022 semester.
“I just can’t say enough about how this all came about because people were willing to share stories of their struggles. It’s not an easy place to ask for help,” Foland said. “But there are so many people that have been there before that are willing to offer help.”
One anonymous donor has already contributed $10,000 to the endowment to keep Pay It Forward scholarships available far into the future.
To learn more about the Kishwaukee College Foundation or to contribute, visit www.kish.edu/foundation.