Waubonsee Community College receives $50K donation from community member

Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove recently received a $50,000 donation to support students enrolled in the college's Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Program.

On Dec. 12, Worth Hill, a former resident of North Aurora and part-time Waubonsee adjunct faculty member, contacted the Waubonsee Foundation to donate to the college's HVAC Program.

Hill says the gift is to celebrate the fond memory of a friend who started his career at Waubonsee and to help students pursue a career in HVAC.

During his career as a real estate agent, Hill relied heavily upon HVAC professionals to keep his business growing. Unfortunately, many HVAC specialists that Hill contacted for emergency jobs were not trained properly or certified through a reputable body.

"I attributed my friend's success to what he learned at Waubonsee. Along the way, my friend also helped me succeed in my real estate business," Hill said. "I will never forget that."

Hill, now retired, remains connected to the Waubonsee community and hopes that his gift will inspire young people to start a gainful career in HVAC.

"If you put in 21-semester hours, you can become a fully certified HVAC professional at Waubonsee. I hope my gift helps young people who are thinking about a career in HVAC to consider Waubonsee," Hill said. "It's a good-paying career."

A $25,000 donation will be awarded beginning this spring and subsequent semesters to support students enrolled in HVAC.

"Our donor came to us unexpectedly, but we are so grateful that he remembered his time at Waubonsee fondly and continues to think about our HVAC students' success," said Dr. Melinda Tejada, vice president of student development and executive director of the foundation.

Any student enrolled in Waubonsee's HVAC Program for the spring is eligible to apply for the $25,000 scholarship.

The priority deadline is Feb. 7, 2022.

To learn more and to apply, visit waubonsee.edu/scholarship or call (630) 466-5774.