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Public Relations and Marketing | Published Mar 13, 2023
Scholarships are available for College of Lake County Students pursuing careers as alcohol and drug counselors through $50,000 the Collegiate Lancer Endowment for Addiction and Recovery (CLEAR) grant from the Healthcare Foundation of Northern Lake County.
Veronica Rivas, who is taking classes at CLC as a career changer after spending time in the communications field, is a recipient of the CLEAR scholarship. She decided to go back to school once her kids were off at college, as she and her husband took that time to rethink their careers. Together, they opened up Lighthouse Residences, a not-for-profit sober home in Deerfield.
Though Rivas is already running her business, she decided to study alcohol and drug counseling at CLC after hearing how great the program was to improve her skillset.
Rivas started at CLC in fall 2020, and during the first round of CLEAR, heard about the chance from Human Services Chair and Instructor Mick Cullen.
“It was a big help knowing my semester’s expenses were covered,” Rivas said. “There were no financial concerns. I didn’t have to sweat it.”
With what she’s learned so far, Rivas hopes to expand the services available at Lighthouse Residences.
Students pursuing a degree or certificate in addiction counseling and trauma counseling and recovery are eligible for the scholarship, which can be up to a student’s full tuition and books. The college had previously received $15,000 in 2021, and after having success, received a larger amount this time around.
“This scholarship enables more students to afford their education to pursue a career that’s in demand and a big help to the community,” said Cullen. “People come to me looking for CLC graduates. There’s a real need for people to work.”
About College of Lake County
College of Lake County is a comprehensive community college committed to equitable high-quality education, cultural enrichment and partnerships to advance the diverse communities it serves in northeastern Illinois. Offered at three campuses in Grayslake, Vernon Hills and Waukegan or online, college classes are affordable and accessible to help each student achieve academic, career and personal goals. More than 70,000 students graduated with degrees and certificates since the college opened in 1969. College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes in 2019 and is a national leader in many areas, including campus internationalization, sustainability and conservation.