ICC Scholarship Leads Kyle to Success

Kyle, an Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Scholarship recipient, has overcome many obstacles. He says, “No one in my family has ever graduated college, but I want to break that cycle.”

I can firmly say that when you are a student at ICC, you are not just a number, you are family. When it comes to making sure students have everything they need to get the best education possible, the faculty and staff stop at nothing to make sure they go above and beyond.

Kyle, ICC Student

After becoming a father at age 18, Kyle knew he needed to find a way to provide for his child quickly. He ended up working back-breaking manual labor jobs, which led him to skilled trade work. He eventually earned an HVAC credential from a local technical institute but was only able to utilize his new training for a few years before a traumatic injury at age 31 changed his life forever.

In July 2023, Kyle was injured in a car accident that left him unable to return to his physically demanding job as an Industrial Maintenance Technician. To avoid wasting the experience and education he had already obtained, Kyle wanted to come to ICC to build on his knowledge by learning how to be a manager in his field rather than a laborer, but he was worried about money he owed to the College after dropping classes a decade earlier.

Enrollment Specialists at ICC helped him work out a payment plan, apply for scholarships, and register for classes all on the same day. After graduating from the ICC Industrial Electrical Technology Program, he hopes to return to a fulfilling career.

Kyle is passionate about helping homeless individuals and giving back to his community. In fact, he has big ideas about how to do that, but without the ability to work, Kyle has no way of accomplishing his goals. Receiving a scholarship from ICC allowed Kyle to start re-building his life and planning his new future so he can put his plans into action someday.