2026 JJC Alumna Receives Full-Tuition Scholarship to North Central College

Joanna Corduan, a 2026 Joliet Junior College (JJC) Associate in Science graduate, has been awarded the North Central College Community College Honors Scholarship for JJC students.

"When I got the phone call that I received the scholarship, I was relieved and felt so grateful for this opportunity," Corduan said. "This scholarship will offer me a lot of flexibility in choosing my extracurricular, volunteer and work opportunities. It will also make pursuing graduate school much easier, particularly given recent changes to student loans."

The scholarship covers standard fees and tuition for up to six semesters, allowing the student recipient to complete their bachelor's degree.

North Central and JJC partnered to develop this scholarship to assist high achieving students. To be eligible, applicants had to meet a number of criteria, including Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) membership at JJC or completion of JJC's honors program and a minimum GPA of 3.25.

Like the 2025 scholarship recipient, Corduan served as the vice president of leadership for JJC's Alpha Lambda Phi PTK chapter.

"PTK was the perfect place for me to connect with other like-minded honors students," the high honors graduate said.

"I became close with many of the other members and really appreciated my two advisors. I became the VP of leadership, which allowed me to gain leadership experience while also helping my fellow members discover new positions. Some of my favorite memories were working together to plan and execute a book drive at the trunk or treat this past fall."

Corduan's time at JJC not only gave her leadership opportunities but the chance to discover and take classes in various academic fields.

"While I have always loved learning, I initially felt unprepared to commit myself to a particular program as I had little insight into what I would enjoy or excel at the most," Corduan said. "JJC allowed me to explore subjects before deciding what major to choose, without any debt. The smaller class sizes meant that I got to know many of my professors extremely well."

She said the highlight of her JJC career, though, was participating in undergraduate research through the SEA-PHAGES grant. At North Central, Corduan plans to continue undergraduate research while pursuing a bachelor's degree in neuroscience on the molecular track.

As she prepares for a new chapter at North Central, Corduan will carry her JJC experience with her.

"One thing I have appreciated is that learning how to learn at the college level is challenging, but it has been the most rewarding experience of the past two years," she said. "When the workload began to feel overwhelming, my professors gave me the tools I needed, and I channeled the energy I needed to adapt. In the end, I truly felt like I was mastering the content, rather than scraping by to get an A on my transcript. I am so incredibly blessed to have received this scholarship, and it would have not been possible without the support of the JJC community."