$6 million gift expands opportunity and student success

For many community college students, the path to a degree is not defined by ability or ambition—it is defined by affordability. A modest financial gap can become an insurmountable barrier, forcing students to choose between staying enrolled and stepping away from the future they are working so hard to build.

Students balance jobs, family responsibilities, housing costs, and transportation challenges while pursuing their education. For these students, even a few hundred dollars can determine whether they cross the finish line or pause their dreams indefinitely.

Public funding and financial aid remain critical, but philanthropy plays a uniquely powerful role: it moves swiftly, meets students where they are and removes obstacles before they derail progress. Philanthropic investment makes the difference between potential unrealized and promise fulfilled.

That belief is at the heart of a transformational commitment from Schreiber Philanthropy, whose extraordinary investment is strengthening student persistence and academic attainment. Last December, Schreiber Philanthropy committed $6.065 million to the CLC Foundation, the largest single philanthropic gift in the college’s history. More than a milestone, this commitment represents confidence in the institution, its students and the power of education to transform lives and communities.

While historic in scale, the investment is grounded in purpose: to eliminate the financial barriers that too often stand between students and their degrees, empowering them to focus on learning, complete their education, and pursue meaningful careers.

“This investment reflects our shared belief that education transforms lives,” said Leigh Ann Jacobson, CFRE, executive director of the College of Lake County Foundation. “Support of this magnitude allows the college and the Foundation to strengthen programs that help students persist, graduate and build better futures.”

Schreiber Philanthropy has been a valued CLC partner for years, supporting initiatives that expand access, workforce readiness and economic mobility. That partnership has deepened through conversations centered on opportunity—how community colleges serve as engines of growth for individuals, families and the region they call home.

This new commitment marks the next chapter of that partnership, dramatically expanding the resources available to students and setting a bold example for what is possible through philanthropic leadership.

“This gift reflects a strong belief in the role community colleges play in opening doors,” said Bethany Williams, portfolio manager with Schreiber Philanthropy. “CLC provides pathways for students from many backgrounds, and we are proud to support efforts that help them continue their education and achieve their goals.”

At the heart of the investment is the Schreiber Scholars Endowment, a pooled scholarship endowment designed to provide sustainable, long-term support to students facing financial barriers that threaten their progress.

Endowment funds are invested to generate annual scholarship support in perpetuity. Each year, a portion of investment earnings is awarded directly to students while the principal remains invested, creating a lasting source of opportunity for generations to come.

Importantly, the Schreiber Scholars Endowment was designed to be a catalyst for collective impact. It invites additional donors to invest alongside Schreiber Philanthropy, amplifying its reach and extending its life-changing support to even more students over time.

While Schreiber Philanthropy launched the endowment with a transformational lead investment, their vision extends further: to inspire individuals, families and organizations to join in building a permanent foundation of student support.

“When donors invest in students, they invest in possibility,” Jacobson added. “Through the pooled Schreiber Scholars Endowment, that possibility becomes permanent and invites our community to invest together in a future where access to education endures for generations.”

Together, contributors to the Schreiber Scholars Endowment help ensure that financial hardship does not interrupt education—and that determination, not circumstance, defines a student’s future.

For Schreiber Philanthropy, this investment reflects a deep belief in education as a force for transformation. For the CLC Foundation, it represents a powerful step forward in expanding access, advancing equity, and strengthening the region through student success.

The CLC Foundation invites the broader community to be part of this impact. By investing in the Schreiber Scholars Endowment, donors can help remove barriers, open doors, and ensure that students have the support they need to persist, graduate, and thrive.

To learn more about the Schreiber Scholars Endowment and how you can help shape the future for CLC students, contact the CLC Foundation at foundation@clcillinois.edu or (847) 543-2091.

This story is from the summer 2026 edition of the CLC Connects Magazine. Published twice a year, CLC Connects shares the stories, people and impact behind College of Lake County. The magazine helps connect with our community by highlighting student success, innovative programs, partnerships and the many ways CLC is transforming lives across Lake County.