Kishwaukee College recognized two students during its May Board of Trustees meeting, naming Woodfin Billingsly as the 2026 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest winner and Alanna Nelson as the 2026 Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship recipient.
Billingsly, a Cortland resident, was selected as Kish’s Paul Simon Student Essay Contest winner for their essay, “How my community college changed my life.” As part of the recognition, Billingsly received a scholarship for the Spring 2026 semester and was recognized with a certificate of achievement.
In their essay, Billingsly chronicles their journey through health issues and how Kishwaukee College provided support and resources to help advance their education and discover a career path.
“Through Kish, I learned how to advocate for myself and my disabilities, what interests me in the world, and how to love life again,” Billingsly wrote in their essay. “I’ve met many people who have become friends and a part of my community, which I never would have been able to have without attending Kishwaukee College.”
Billingsly said the essay's prompt was relatable and a way to express that it is never too late to make a change for the better.
“The Paul Simon Student Essay Contest had a subject that I felt I could strongly answer without exaggerating my viewpoint or feeling boxed in,” Billingsly said. “Community college has genuinely changed my life in an irrevocable way.”
Billingsly plans to graduate from Kish in Spring 2027 with an Associate in Science degree. Following Kish, they plan to transfer to Northern Illinois University to pursue a bachelor's degree in environmental studies.
Nelson, a DeKalb resident, was selected as Kish’s 2026 Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship winner after submitting an essay outlining ways to address hate and discrimination, using examples of the nonviolent practices of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Nelson also received a scholarship for the Spring 2026 semester and was recognized with a certificate of achievement.
In her essay, Nelson proposed creating structured campus gatherings where students meet to discuss and build understanding of different points of view.
“As a community, we have more in common than we sometimes realize. If we intentionally create spaces where we teach respectful engagement, the campus can become an example of what nonviolent leadership looks like. In a divided nation, that example matters,” Nelson wrote in the essay.
Drawing on her time as a student at Kish, Nelson said she felt the essay’s prompt was closely related to experiences she has had inside and outside the classroom.
“As a nontraditional student, I have had the opportunity to interact with people from many backgrounds, age groups, and perspectives,” Nelson said. “The prompt felt real to me, not just theoretical, and I wanted to speak on that from a place of lived experience.”
Nelson is currently pursuing an Associate in Science degree and will join Kish’s Nursing program in Fall 2026. Following her time at Kish, she plans to work as a Registered Nurse and potentially pursue further education.
Both essays were forwarded to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) for inclusion in the statewide Paul Simon Student Essay Contest and Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship competition, respectively. The full essays are available at kish.edu/iccta
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