Oakton Student Receives ICCTA’s Gigi Campbell Award

(June 25, 2019) Oakton Community College student John “Jack” Timperley (Park Ridge, Maine South High School) was named the winner of the 2019 Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s Gigi Campbell Student Trustee Excellence Award at the organization’s June 7 banquet in Itasca.

The honor recognizes an outstanding ICCTA student leader and provides a $500 scholarship for fall 2019 educational expenses. Timperley was selected from seven nominations statewide.

“As an advocate for students, our college and community, I have learned the value of speaking for not only myself, but for others who may feel as though they don’t have a voice,” Timperley says.

At Oakton, Timperley served as editor for the college’s award-winning newspaper, student orientation leader, an officer of the college chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society (PTK) and president of DECA, the competitive business team. Additionally, he was the master of ceremonies at the college’s recent speaker showcase, a vehicle for students to present their public speaking talents.

Timperley graduated from Oakton in May and plans on transferring to Northeastern Illinois University, where he plans to double major in philosophy and business administration. Timperley’s long term goal is to teach philosophy at a university.

ICCTA President Fritz Larsen commended Timperley for his achievements: “Jack has been a highly visible leader on campus, using his role as a student trustee to encourage student involvement, share college news, discuss ideas and gain valuable feedback to understand what his peers look for in their Oakton experience.”

Criteria for the Gigi Campbell Student Trustee Excellence Award include:

• making notable efforts to communicate with students and providing a viable means for feedback from the student body;
• being an active, participating member of the board of trustees;
• exhibiting acts in the best interest of the students, college and community college system; and
• reporting on the problems and accomplishments of students and student organizations at board meetings.