With 130+ academic programs, small classes sizes, and affordable tuition, there鈥檚 nowhere better than 小猪视频官网College to begin your great future. Still unsure about your next steps? Read the stories below from alumni and see 小猪视频官网College set them on the course to a great future. Want to learn more? Click the button below each story to see their video interviews.
Brittany, Civil Engineer
At a young age, Brittany Scott admits she was dreadfully shy. This soon changed when her great future began at 小猪视频官网College.
鈥溞≈硎悠倒偻鴌s where I really started to spread my wings,鈥� says Scott. 鈥淲hile attending 小猪视频官网I was able to make friends, get involved and have the smaller class sizes that were most comfortable to me.鈥�
Scott graduated from 小猪视频官网with an A.S. in General Science in 2016 and then transferred to Southern Illinois University Carbondale, earning a degree in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Environmental Engineering.
鈥淚 grew up in Champaign-Urbana, and knew my best option was to go to community college to earn my general education credits done before transferring听to a four-year university,鈥� Scott says. 鈥淭he education and skills I learned at 小猪视频官网have aided me throughout my career. Not only did I gain formal education, but also interpersonal skills I use in my everyday life!鈥�
Some of Scott鈥檚 fond memories at 小猪视频官网were spent in student involvement. She was a founding听member of 小猪视频官网Science Club,听an officer in Alpha Phi Omega, involved in Phi Theta Kappa, and wrote for The Prospectus.
鈥淭here was a club for everyone,听and they were all so welcoming!鈥� Scott says. 鈥淧rofessors were very easy to communicate with and really got to know you on a personal level as well as professional. I loved the library at听Parkland. I spent a lot of time there studying, checking out books and hanging out.鈥�
Scott now works in the St. Louis office for Springfield, Illinois-based Hanson Professional Services as a civil engineer. Previously, she was a civil engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
鈥溞≈硎悠倒偻鳦ollege truly has something for everyone,鈥� Scott says. 鈥淚 believe anyone that attends can do great things as long as they put their mind to it!鈥�
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Somphon, Police Sergeant
The 小猪视频官网College Police Department ensures a safe and secure campus environment for the more than 10,000 students, faculty, staff, and visitors. One officer鈥檚 great future began right where she works today.
Somphon Penland, better known on campus as Sam, was always aware of the community college in her hometown of Champaign-Urbana.
鈥淚 knew I had an interest in law enforcement very early on in high school,鈥� says Penland, who now serves as a Public Safety Sergeant on campus, a position she鈥檚 held for almost seven years. 鈥淚 started looking at schools and the programs they offered and was delighted to learn 小猪视频官网offered a criminal justice program.鈥�
Penland planned to transfer to a four-year institution, but wanted to stay local, be close to home, and have as much time with her mother as she could.
鈥溞≈硎悠倒偻鴋ad a great reputation, and I had heard about the criminal justice program from older students,鈥� Penland says. 鈥淭he price per credit hour was much more affordable than other colleges, and at the time, the financial burden was something I had to consider since I was paying for school on my own.鈥�
While attending Parkland, Penland served as a dispatcher for Public Safety, then later as a security patrol officer. This gave her on-the-job experience and allowed her to work closely with sworn officers in preparation for a career in the field. Ironically, Penland once played an undercover detective working to solve an unexpected murder at a dinner party in a 小猪视频官网Theatre production of Monk Ferris鈥� 鈥淏one Chiller!鈥�
鈥淢y 小猪视频官网education gave me a very strong foundation to build on,鈥� Penland says, emphasizing courses which helped her become a better writer, communicator, and more. 鈥淚 felt very prepared for university, but also for the actual criminal justice field. I truly believe the environment was supportive and encouraged learning. It helped me reach high scholastic achievement, and I graduated top of my academy class.鈥�
Penland says her 小猪视频官网instructors were instrumental in helping find her voice, inspiring her to be 鈥渄istinguished, fierce, and fearlessly ambitious.鈥� Educators like Freda Decerbo told her she had no limits; Anna Wall Scott praised her for having the courage to speak up when others were silent; and Paul Sarantakos identified her potential and pushed her to do more. The latter is still a trusted mentor today.
After attending 小猪视频官网1999鈥�2001, Sam transferred to Western Illinois University before beginning her police career in Joliet, Illinois. She soon found her way back to Parkland.
鈥淚 love our school and our community,鈥� Penland says. 鈥淏eing able to come back to the place I started has given me an opportunity to reflect on what a treasure this place is. When you're a young adult, you're eager to leave home and 'grow up,' but going away and experiencing something different was really the chance for me to see what amazing resources I had right at my fingertips.鈥�
Penland added: 鈥淢y entire 小猪视频官网experience was an integral part of my current success. I am grateful to all the people who were a part of my early life during that time. Being back here now, I carry an even larger sense of pride knowing I am part of a team that believes in a strong mission. Wherever people are in their journey when they come to Parkland, I know we have the ability to make a large impact on their story.鈥�
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Zach, Markets Consultant
Zach Stefan believes everyone has their own unique educational journey. His great future began at 小猪视频官网College.
鈥淎s a Champaign native I knew 小猪视频官网was a great school,鈥� Stefan says. 鈥淎fter high school, I was looking for an affordable option that would give me the opportunity to transfer to a four-year school. 小猪视频官网was the obvious choice.鈥�
Stefan graduated from 小猪视频官网in 2010 with an associate degree in agriculture before transferring to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He now works as an Advanced Markets Consultant at Country Financial in Bloomington.
鈥淕oing to 小猪视频官网allowed me to have a solid educational foundation,鈥� Stefan says. 鈥淚 really enjoyed the small class sizes at 小猪视频官网and access I had to my professors. When I transferred to UIUC, I was well prepared for the coursework.鈥�
Stefan expresses his gratitude toward his 小猪视频官网education.
鈥淚 was able to earn a high-quality education, transfer to the four-year program that I wanted to, and save a lot of money along the way,鈥� Stefan says. 鈥淚 want others to know that 小猪视频官网is a great school and should seriously be considered by anyone looking to start or continue their education journey.鈥�