BHC student wins top scholar award

female student wearing cap, gown and regaliaBlack Hawk College student Shanda Robb of Davenport recently was named a 2020 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar, the only student in Illinois to win the award.

Robb will receive a $1,250 scholarship, sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation with additional support provided by Phi Theta Kappa, the official honor society for two-year colleges.

Her selection was based on the score she earned in the All-USA Academic Team competition. Nominees must demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and significant campus and community engagement.

The competition received more than 2,000 applications from two-year college students. Robb was the top scoring student from an Illinois school.

She graduated magna cum laude in May with an Associate in Applied Science degree in computer information technology plus PC application programmer and web developer certificates.

Robb currently works full-time as a web developer but eventually would like to return to school to pursue a bachelor’s degree in applied management studies at St. Ambrose University.

The Davenport West High School graduate and mother of four was president of three Black Hawk College student organizations – Phi Theta Kappa, Sigma Kappa Delta English honor society and BITS (Black Hawk College IT Society). She also was a member of Alpha Beta Gamma business honor society and a student worker in the college’s Perkins Career Program Support Services office.

As a New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar, Robb will be honored this fall during the Association of Community College Trustees 2020 Leadership Congress in Chicago.