Attending CLC definitely has been one of the best choices that I’ve made. It has helped set up my future to be really bright, because I’m now a more prepared and well-rounded student than when I started. CLC also is affordable and has allowed me to live at home, because I just wasn’t yet ready to move away. But the college also has great professors. Many have taught at very prestigious four-year colleges and universities, and I get to tap their knowledge while paying community college tuition.
The Honors program, as well as the Scholars program, has been very enriching. I also liked the dedication shown by the students and instructors in Honors classes, such as speech, English composition and history. And I really enjoyed the seminar-type atmosphere in the classes, which were smaller than traditional classes, with less structure, fewer PowerPoint presentations and more discussions. The structure has allowed me to get to know classmates and instructors, such as English professors Jenny Lee, James Crizer and Nick Schevera. Additionally, the atmosphere helped me clarify what I wanted in four-year school.
Through the Scholars program, which combines rigorous courses and a part-time job on campus, I was able to help finance my education through a scholarship. This has allowed me to spend less time on outside jobs and more time studying.
One memorable course is social psychology taught by Ken Kikuchi. To reinforce concepts, he had the students do hands-on exercises, such as intentionally dropping a book in a busy hallway to gauge how many people stop to help. The class also discussed practical topics such as the nature vs. nurture debate, as in how much human behavior is determined by heredity and how much of it is learned.
Overall, CLC instructors have been amazingly helpful and always open to meeting with me outside of class.
Besides academic growth, I’ve developed my physical and emotional health at the college. After taking a yoga class, I fell in love with it and have been doing yoga ever since. It helps me release tension and feel better.
The new Science Building, along with Café Willow and renovated wings at CLC, is gorgeous. It’s great to see energy-saving technology such as motion detectors that shut off room lights when no one is present. My favorite spot on the Grayslake Campus is the first-floor lounge by the library, overlooking the beautiful Japanese Garden.
After earning a master’s degree in psychology, I plan to attend law school and then become an attorney in either corporate or international law. CLC has definitely helped shape me to be more self-confident and independent, and those qualities will serve me well in my career and personal life.