Lake Forest College News

I would like to extend my greatest appreciation for the donors who established the Duane A. Lisowski ’90 Annual Scholarship that was awarded to me this year. Without your generous gift, my experience at Lake Forest College would not have been what it is today.

I come from Bartlett, Illinois, and I am currently a senior at Lake Forest College. I attended Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison, Illinois, and was a ten-year company member at Dance Motions Dance Studio in my hometown. Since at Lake Forest, I have been able to grow as a leader and an individual through my experiences in over a dozen clubs, my student-worker employment at the Gates Center for Leadership and Personal Growth, and through my membership in Alpha Phi Fraternity.

I am an English-writing major and women’s and gender studies and American studies double minor. I’m also vice president of the programming board of our e-Team, coordinator of the New Student Orientation Program called “Forester Guides,” an executive board member for Alpha Phi and representative for Panhellenic Council, former editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Stentor, and former captain of the Lake Forest College Dance Team.

I chose to attend Lake Forest College after visiting on a very harsh winter day my sophomore year in high school. I knew that if I thought the College was wonderful in the winter, it would have to be just as great all year round.  And what a great choice I made! I have built life-long friendships and networking connections through the students, faculty, and staff I have come to spend my time with here. I would not trade my experience at Lake Forest College for anything. The facilities and people here have opened my eyes to so many new opportunities I never even imagined having, to the point where now I am completely torn in what I will be doing after graduation in May. (Life was much simpler as a freshman!)

Of all of my experiences at Lake Forest College, the one I hold closest to my heart is learning what it takes to build a community. For the past two years, I have earned the “Community Builder of the Year” award at the Gates Center Leadership Ceremony. I have learned how a community can bring students together and help out when someone needs an extra friend. I have also learned this lesson of community building through my interactions with generous people. Donations to this school are inspiring. Donors’ selflessness and understanding of the importance of helping those around is the best model students like me can possibly receive. This scholarship is one that has allowed me to be the student I am today.