College Of Lake County Announces Scholarship

From the College Of Lake County:

October 4 2019

CLC announces L.A. Williams Endowed Promise Scholarship

The College of Lake County Foundation is pleased to announce that it has received a generous gift of $30,000 from Wilverlyn “Joye” Williams, a CLC graduate and U.S. Navy veteran.

The Foundation’s latest gift, known as the L.A. Williams Endowed Promise Scholarship, is named after her three youngest grandchildren: Legend Arman, Legacy Arsean and Loyal Andre Williams (each grandchild has the initials L.A.). The funding, to be donated to the CLC Foundation over the next five years, will create a $25,000 endowment. In order to begin awarding the scholarship immediately, $5,000 is used to fund the scholarship over the next five years, while the endowment interest and investment revenues build for scholarships in the long term, according to Tim Radke, CLC Foundation development associate.

The scholarship, available beginning in Fall Semester 2019, provides a $500 award per semester to be used for tuition, fees, books and any other educational expense. Eligible applicants must be male, African American residents of either Waukegan, North Chicago or Zion. In addition to demonstrating financial need, the students must possess a high-school diploma or equivalent and pursue a degree or certificate in any program of study. To apply, visit www.clcillinois.edu/scholarships and complete the online application.

A Waukegan resident, Williams works as an ombudsman paralegal with Legal Aid Chicago, a nonprofit that provides free legal services to economically disadvantaged residents of Cook County. Her passion for public service stems from a family tradition of serving others. Her uncle, Rev. Dr. Samuel Woodrow Williams, marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. and was his professor of religion and philosophy at Morehouse College.

Joye Williams also has also put the goal of serving others into action through education. She earned a B.A. from the University of Illinois-Springfield in 2004. Later, after obtaining a certificate in paralegal studies from CLC in 2014, she earned a master’s degree in legal studies from UIS in 2018, at age 64. In addition to donating the CLC scholarship, Williams created an endowed fund at UIS.

“The Bible teaches that to whom much is given, much is required,” Williams said. “I have been very blessed in my life, so giving back is mandatory. I cannot repay those who helped me, but I am able to pay it forward.”

This press release was produced by the College Of Lake County. The views expressed here are the author’s own.