NIU and Waubonsee Community College expand collaboration to offer new Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship - NIU Today

Available to eligible students this spring, the Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship provides even more incentive for students to continue their education at NIU.
The new agreement between WCC and NIU guarantees that Gustafson Scholars who graduate with associate’s degrees from WCC with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 will be eligible to receive a Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship from NIU in the amount of $2,000 per year for a maximum of two consecutive years. The students must enroll at NIU in the academic term following their WCC graduation.

2024 Gustafson Scholars. Photo courtesy of WCC
The scholarship furthers an already well-worn pathway from WCC to NIU.
“Through numerous programs and partnerships, we have a long history of working closely with Waubonsee Community College and a shared vision to provide a smooth transfer experience and clear pathways to personal growth, professional development and career success,” NIU President Lisa Freeman said. “We’re proud to offer the Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship as an added benefit and opportunity for some of the top students at WCC to continue their education and succeed at NIU.”
Gustafson Scholars, high-achieving students with strong scholastic achievements, receive full scholarships at Waubonsee in honor of Dr. Lucile Gustafson, a founding Waubonsee trustee. Since 1979, this scholarship has transformed thousands of lives, with scholars actively serving their community and developing their leadership abilities.
“The Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship extends Dr. Gustafson’s legacy and the power of education and philanthropy in our community,” said Dr. Scott Peska, assistant provost of Student Services at WCC. “This partnership will further help remove financial barriers for our scholars whose desired educational goals are to transfer and earn a bachelor’s degree.”
WCC selects Gustafson scholars from its in-district high schools based on scholastic achievement, leadership and citizenship characteristics. The Gustafson Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition for two academic years, along with activity and service fees.
The Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship program will continue to remove financial barriers and provide valuable resources, including University Honors opportunities, for these scholars as they pursue high-quality bachelor’s degrees.
“The Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship embodies our dedication to helping students succeed and communities thrive,” Waubonsee President Dr. Brian Knetl said. “It will encourage some of our best and brightest students to continue their education locally, ensuring that our community continues to benefit from their sizable skills and talents.”
The Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship agreement further establishes NIU as a premier university in Illinois focused on facilitating transfer pathways. Growing partnerships with community colleges have driven a surge in transfers at NIU. Enrollment of new transfer students increased nearly 17% from fall 2022 to fall 2024.
“Our hope is that news of the Waubonsee Excellence Scholarship reaches not only students at WCC, but also high school students and incentivizes them to include NIU in their four-year plans,” said Sol Jensen, vice president for Enrollment Management, Marketing and Communications. “We’re excited about this new path and the opportunity it will provide these hard-working, talented students. We look forward to welcoming Gustafson Scholars into our proud Huskie family and helping them thrive and graduate.”
Along with earning scholarships, Gustafson Scholars will receive individual, tailored guidance and support from a dedicated transfer advisor at NIU. They also will be encouraged to apply for NIU’s University Honors Program, which will provide enrichment experiences for Gustafson Scholars before they transfer.
To serve transfer students who have pursued enrichment paths at their transfer institutions, NIU’s University Honors Program takes into consideration co-curricular experiences and a certain number of honors courses earned at community colleges. Gustafson Scholars will have the added benefit of an automatic Honors Engaged experience, which will count toward graduating with University Honors credentials at NIU.
“The NIU University Honors Program makes it a priority to acknowledge and give credit for honors courses and co-curricular experiences students bring with them from transfer institutions,” said Andrea Radasanu, Ph.D., director of NIU’s University Honors Program. “We are thrilled to provide additional recognition to Gustafson Scholars, who gain such rich experiences at Waubonsee Community College, and we are eager to begin working with these students even before they arrive at NIU.”