The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest award presented to an alumnus by the
Kishwaukee College Foundation. The award recognizes an alumnus or alumna who has brought
recognition to the College through professional achievements, affiliations, leadership
and community impact.
Nominations must be submitted by August 1, 2025, and will be reviewed by a subcommittee
of the Foundation Board.
Nomination eligiblity
A nominee is eligible to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award if they have received
a degree, certificate of completion, or completed 45+ credit hoursfrom Kishwaukee College. Selection may include the following criteria:
Established in their profession and/or community.
Demonstrated outstanding contributions at Kish College and/or in the community.
Support Kish College through any of the following:
Involvement with or at College events
Providing internships for Kish students
Philanthropic contributions
Be a person of high integrity.
An individual is ineligible to receive the award if:
They are currently a candidate for any public office.
They are a member of the award selection committee.
They are a previous recipient of the award.
They are a member of the Kishwaukee College Foundation Board of Directors or Kishwaukee
College Board of Trustees.
They are employed by the Kishwaukee College Foundation.
The Aspen Institute named Kishwaukee College as one of the 200 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The 200 colleges were selected based on their student outcomes data, including retention, completion, transfer and bachelor’s degree attainment rates. Started in 2010, this is the ninth cycle of the Aspen Prize.
Kishwaukee College will offer five Short-Term programs during the Spring 2026 semester. Kish Short-Term programs provide students with the expertise needed to meet local workforce demands. The programs range from 11-15 weeks, allowing students to start a career immediately or build on skills with additional training.