Kishwaukee College students earn essay contest accolades

MALTA – Kishwaukee College recently named Tanisha Jones-Robinson as the winner of the college’s 2025 Paul Simon Student Essay Contest and Hilda Osei as the 2025 Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship recipient.

The students were awarded scholarships for the spring semester and certificates of achievement during the Board of Trustees’ April meeting.

Jones-Robinson’s essay, titled “How Kishwaukee College Changed My Life,” reflects on the various support levels she received from the college’s staff and faculty. She also acknowledged the college’s affordability.

“Paying for school was a huge factor in my decision to get a degree, but Kishwaukee College made it so accessible that I did not have to let financial barriers stand in my way. Scholarships, financial aid and reasonable tuition costs have made it possible for me to pursue my education without the constant stress of overwhelming debt,” Jones-Robinson wrote in the essay.

When crafting the essay, Jones-Robinson said it was a good opportunity to explain how attending Kish is helping rewrite her future.

“What interested me in the Paul Simon Essay Contest was the chance to write about and share my experience of going back to school,” Jones-Robinson said in a news release. “What I hope people will take from my essay is that it’s never too late to make your dreams a reality. Yes, school is hard, but it’s also exciting and rewarding. You can do it, and there are schools like Kish that will help you every step of the way.”

Her essay was forwarded to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association to be entered into the statewide Paul Simon Student Essay competition.

Jones-Robinson intends on graduating with an Associate in Science degree during the summer semester. She will transfer to a four-year university and attend additional Kishwaukee College classes.

Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship participants wrote an essay outlining a nonviolent response plan to discrimination and hate based on the teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

Osei’s essay focused on awareness, open dialogue and actions based on peace and conflict resolution. Her essay was submitted to the Illinois Community College Trustees Association to be entered in the statewide Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship competition.

“The peaceful messages of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have profoundly influenced my approach to conflict resolution,” Osei wrote in the essay. “Both leaders advocated for nonviolence as the most effective means of confronting hate and discrimination. They understood that violence only breeds more violence, while peace and dialogue pave the way for lasting solutions.”

Osei said the essay was relatable.

“I appreciated the peaceful message that comes through conflict resolution. People should learn to choose peace as far as it is dependent on you,” Osei said.

Osei plans on graduating with an Associate in Arts degree in spring 2026. She intends on earning a master’s degree in forensic science or criminal justice.

To read the essays, visit kish.edu/iccta.