Kishwaukee College selected Tanisha Jones-Robinson as the 2025 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest winner and Hilda Osei as the 2025 Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship winner.
Paul Simon Student Essay Contest
Jones-Robinson, a DeKalb resident, described "how Kishwaukee College changed my life" in her winning entry. She received a scholarship for the Spring 2025 semester and was recognized with a certificate of achievement at the April Board of Trustees meeting. Jones-Robinson's essay was forwarded to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) for entry into the statewide Paul Simon Student Essay Contest. In her essay, Jones-Robinson reflects on the various levels of support she has received from faculty and staff at Kish while acknowledging the College's affordability.
"Paying for school was a huge factor in my decision to get a degree, but Kishwaukee College made it so accessible that I did not have to let financial barriers stand in my way. Scholarships, financial aid, and reasonable tuition costs have made it possible for me to pursue my education without the constant stress of overwhelming debt," Jones-Robinson wrote in her essay.
When crafting her essay, Jones-Robinson said it was a good opportunity to explain how attending Kish is helping rewrite her future.
"What interested me in the Paul Simon Essay Contest was the chance to write about and share my experience of going back to school. What I hope people will take from my essay is that it's never too late to make your dreams a reality. Yes, school is hard, but it's also exciting and rewarding. You can do it, and there are schools like Kish that will help you every step of the way," Jones-Robinson said.
Jones-Robinson plans to graduate from Kish in Summer 2025 with an Associate in Science degree. She plans to transfer to a four-year college or university and possibly take additional classes at Kish.
Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship
Hilda, a DeKalb resident, was selected as the Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship winner after submitting an essay where contestants outlined a plan to address hate and discrimination while utilizing examples of the nonviolent practices of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She received a scholarship for the Spring 2025 semester and was recognized with a certificate of achievement at the April Board of Trustees meeting. Her entry was forwarded to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) for consideration in the statewide Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship competition.
In her essay, Hilda focused on awareness, open dialogue and concrete actions based on peace and conflict resolution.
"The peaceful messages of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. have profoundly influenced my approach to conflict resolution. Both leaders advocated for nonviolence as the most effective means of confronting hate and discrimination. They understood that violence only breeds more violence, while peace and dialogue pave the way for lasting solutions," Hilda wrote in her essay.
To identify with the essay topic, Hilda drew upon her experiences in Ghana and expressed how peace programs can help prevent violence.
"The essay was relatable. I appreciated the peaceful message that comes through conflict resolution. People should learn to choose peace as far as it is dependent on you," Hilda said.
Hilda is pursuing an Associate in Arts degree and plans to graduate in Spring 2026. Following her time at Kish, she plans to continue her education to earn a master's degree in criminal justice or forensic science.
Read the complete essays at kish.edu/iccta.