CLC student intern receives national achievement award
Baydaa Hasan, a College of Lake County graduate, recently received the Two-Year College Student Achievement Award from the national Cooperative Education and Internship Association for her outstanding work during her internship at the Lake Forest-based Packaging Corporation of America (PCA), where she now works in a technical support position within the information technology department.
"The internship at the PCA provided me with a hands-on exposure to careers in information technology," Hasan said. "It helped me understand real-world scenarios, work more productively, build my self-confidence and clarify my career goals. I've also had the opportunity to interact with a more diverse group of people than I have ever experienced. I am very grateful to CLC's Career and Job Placement Center as well as the professional staff at PCA for being supportive and guiding me through this journey."
Hasan earned her A.A.S. in computer information systems with emphasis in web programming from CLC last December. After immigrating from Iraq to the U.S. in 2014, along with her husband and young son, Hasan began taking English as a Second Language classes at the college. "The ESL instructors at CLC saw something in me that I didn't see-namely, how ambitious and focused I was as a student," Hasan recalled. "They encouraged me and supported me to start college at CLC after finishing my ESL. I was always passionate about computer science, so I decided to pursue an associate degree in web programing. The attention and support from my professors helped me to keep going and do my best. I got straight As in all of my classes and was on the honor list for achievement every semester. It was a great experience for me, and I was lucky to be a student at such a great college like CLC."
Sylvia Johnson Jones, executive director of the Career and Job Placement Center at CLC, said Hasan excelled as student, English learner and intern. "She was determined and motivated to begin ongoing learning as a college student after she completed her ESL courses, leading to her completion of an A.A.S. degree," Johnson Jones said. "Also, as an intern, she was highly regarded at PCA, and the position lead to her into full-time employment there."
Founded in 1963, the Cooperative Education and Internship Association is a nonprofit that provides professional development and resources to the field of cooperative education. CEIA recognizes distinguished achievement and excellence by annually recognizing students, educators and employers who have excelled in or made significant impact in work-integrated learning.
About College of Lake County:
The 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. The College of Lake County is the only higher-education institution ranked among the top 15 best places to work in Illinois by Forbes and is a national leader in many areas, including sustainability and conservation. For details, visit www.clcillinois.edu or call (847) 543-2000.