Each year at graduation, Spoon River College recognizes one transfer student and one career education student who have shown initiative, personal growth, and progress toward their academic and personal goals, as well as active participation and success in extracurricular activities.
The recipient of this year’s Transfer Degree Student Achievement Award was Samantha Sensor of Macomb, Ill, who has demonstrated consistent academic excellence and a strong commitment to student life at Spoon River College. She not only maintained outstanding grades but has also been a dedicated and involved member of the campus community.
Samantha completed her associate degree at SRC and plans to transfer to Western Illinois University to continue her studies with a focus on broad-based, interdisciplinary learning.
While at SRC, Samantha balanced her roles as a wife and mother of five while staying highly engaged on campus. She was an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and the Student Government Association, volunteered with the SRC Adult Education program, and has served as a TRIO peer tutor and co-editor of the student-run literary and visual arts journal, Kaleidoscope.
The Career and Technical Student Achievement Award was presented to nursing student Carrington Troxel of Edwards, lll. She is known for consistently offering support and encouragement to classmates and teammates and is a resource for others.
Alongside her academic demands, Carrington maintained an intense commitment outside the classroom as a member of the Spoon River College softball team. Practices, conditioning, games, and travel were constant, yet Carrington continued to meet expectations with perseverance and discipline.
She has worked hard to build her nursing knowledge and experience to best serve her patients and meet her dreams of becoming a registered nurse.
In addition, three Pay It Forward scholarships for up to $5,000 each were awarded to Jack Godsil (Victoria, Ill), Alicia Lasley (Macomb, Ill) and Tiffany Wilson (Edmond, Okla). These awards were introduced in 2024 courtesy of an anonymous donor to empower SRC students in achieving their academic and career goals, encouraging a spirit of giving back to local communities and developing a culture of “paying it forward” to the next generation of SRC students.