JACKSONVILLE, IL (12/13/2011)(readMedia)-- Taylor Brien, of Bettendorf, is one of 332 new fall semester students at Illinois College in Jacksonville. She is a graduate of Bettendorf High School.
Brien, the daughter of Barbara Mansholt of Bettendorf, joins a class defined by its strong academic ability and diversity. Full-time, first-year students total 284, with transfer students boosting the number to 332 new students on the hilltop campus. Total undergraduate fall semester enrollment at Illinois College has increased more than six percent from the last academic year.
The Illinois College Class of 2015 includes 17 valedictorians and five salutatorians. Ninety-one of the new students were members of their high school's National Honor Society, 64 were members of student council and 27 were elected officials of their high school class. Ten students entered Illinois College as Eagle Scouts or Gold Award winners.
The new Illinois College students display a wide range of interests - from dance and music to science and athletics. They have been awarded over $3.5 million in scholarships and, at the start of the academic year, had already collectively logged nearly 1,000 hours of community service.
Founded in 1829, Illinois College is a residential liberal arts college fostering academic excellence rooted in opportunities for experiential learning while preparing students for lifelong success. Students at Illinois College come from all over the world with 20 countries and 29 states being represented on campus.
