Matching dreams

It didn’t take long for the retired IBM sales representative to realize he wouldn’t be getting the highest grade in his Spanish class. A homeschooled student was picking up the language effortlessly, and Neil Styczynski was humbled by Kate Norcross.

Although she was working her way through school, Kate was always prepared for class and attacked her lessons. The father of four was impressed.

“Here was someone who was highly motivated and I thought, ‘How do you develop that? How do you reward it?’”

On breaks they’d sit at a table and chat, and he found out she planned to transfer to Illinois State to study education. She planned to finance it through student loans and two jobs, one as a Spanish tutor. Styczynski talked to his wife, Joan, about how they might help such students. The couple decided to establish an Illinois State scholarship for transfer students who wanted to teach and demonstrated financial need. The second year it was awarded, Norcross received it.

“It was very clear to me Kate not only had what it took, but had something special,” he said. “I don’t think she knows what her limits are, and I was looking for that kind of student. One of the things I wanted the scholarship to do was to bear fruit, not just develop one person but to develop a person who will open doors for other people. There are lots of deserving young people who need a chance, who have a passion for learning and a passion for teaching.”

Norcross recently started graduate school and said the scholarship made that possible by giving her the freedom to focus on school and service work, which built her academic resume. She may become a college professor.

“A gift like this makes every difference in the lives of students like me, who may be big on dreams but small on funds to realize those dreams,” she said. “It helps students go into service professions like teaching without having the burden of debt. But it also gives scholarship recipients a real burden of responsibility. Realizing that these people believe in us and they want us to go out and help others really is an encouragement to stay the course, even when we encounter challenges.”

The Styczynskis also credit their employers, IBM and State Farm Insurance Companies, with making the scholarship happen through matching gifts.

“When Kate looks at it, she’s looking at full tuition. When I look at it, I’m looking at my donation, State Farm’s donation, IBM’s donation, and a small percentage of Uncle Sam’s because of the tax benefit,” he said. “That brings it down to it’s not just rich people who can give. It’s people who work for companies who have generous matching gift programs.”

Norcross won’t forget what that gift means.

“I’m really hoping that once I become an established teacher with more of an established income that I’ll be able to someday financially help students that I might have,” she said.

And Styczynski, who has a love of learning languages, also hopes to run into her again in another classroom.

“Someday she will be teaching me, and I look forward to that day,” he said. Although she was working her way through school, Kate was always prepared for class and attacked her lessons. The father of four was impressed.

“Here was someone who was highly motivated and I thought, ‘How do you develop that? How do you reward it?’”

On breaks they’d sit at a table and chat, and he found out she planned to transfer to Illinois State to study education. She planned to finance it through student loans and two jobs, one as a Spanish tutor. Styczynski talked to his wife, Joan, about how they might help such students. The couple decided to establish an Illinois State scholarship for transfer students who wanted to teach and demonstrated financial need. The second year it was awarded, Norcross received it.

“It was very clear to me Kate not only had what it took, but had something special,” he said. “I don’t think she knows what her limits are, and I was looking for that kind of student. One of the things I wanted the scholarship to do was to bear fruit, not just develop one person but to develop a person who will open doors for other people. There are lots of deserving young people who need a chance, who have a passion for learning and a passion for teaching.”

Norcross recently started graduate school and said the scholarship made that possible by giving her the freedom to focus on school and service work, which built her academic resume. She may become a college professor.

“A gift like this makes every difference in the lives of students like me, who may be big on dreams but small on funds to realize those dreams,” she said. “It helps students go into service professions like teaching without having the burden of debt. But it also gives scholarship recipients a real burden of responsibility. Realizing that these people believe in us and they want us to go out and help others really is an encouragement to stay the course, even when we encounter challenges.”

The Styczynskis also credit their employers, IBM and State Farm Insurance Companies, with making the scholarship happen through matching gifts.

“When Kate looks at it, she’s looking at full tuition. When I look at it, I’m looking at my donation, State Farm’s donation, IBM’s donation, and a small percentage of Uncle Sam’s because of the tax benefit,” he said. “That brings it down to it’s not just rich people who can give. It’s people who work for companies who have generous matching gift programs.”

Norcross won’t forget what that gift means.

“I’m really hoping that once I become an established teacher with more of an established income that I’ll be able to someday financially help students that I might have,” she said.

And Styczynski, who has a love of learning languages, also hopes to run into her again in another classroom.

“Someday she will be teaching me, and I look forward to that day,” he said. Although she was working her way through school, Kate was always prepared for class and attacked her lessons. The father of four was impressed.

“Here was someone who was highly motivated and I thought, ‘How do you develop that? How do you reward it?’”

On breaks they’d sit at a table and chat, and he found out she planned to transfer to Illinois State to study education. She planned to finance it through student loans and two jobs, one as a Spanish tutor. Styczynski talked to his wife, Joan, about how they might help such students. The couple decided to establish an Illinois State scholarship for transfer students who wanted to teach and demonstrated financial need. The second year it was awarded, Norcross received it.

“It was very clear to me Kate not only had what it took, but had something special,” he said. “I don’t think she knows what her limits are, and I was looking for that kind of student. One of the things I wanted the scholarship to do was to bear fruit, not just develop one person but to develop a person who will open doors for other people. There are lots of deserving young people who need a chance, who have a passion for learning and a passion for teaching.”

Norcross recently started graduate school and said the scholarship made that possible by giving her the freedom to focus on school and service work, which built her academic resume. She may become a college professor.

“A gift like this makes every difference in the lives of students like me, who may be big on dreams but small on funds to realize those dreams,” she said. “It helps students go into service professions like teaching without having the burden of debt. But it also gives scholarship recipients a real burden of responsibility. Realizing that these people believe in us and they want us to go out and help others really is an encouragement to stay the course, even when we encounter challenges.”

The Styczynskis also credit their employers, IBM and State Farm Insurance Companies, with making the scholarship happen through matching gifts.

“When Kate looks at it, she’s looking at full tuition. When I look at it, I’m looking at my donation, State Farm’s donation, IBM’s donation, and a small percentage of Uncle Sam’s because of the tax benefit,” he said. “That brings it down to it’s not just rich people who can give. It’s people who work for companies who have generous matching gift programs.”

Norcross won’t forget what that gift means.

“I’m really hoping that once I become an established teacher with more of an established income that I’ll be able to someday financially help students that I might have,” she said.

And Styczynski, who has a love of learning languages, also hopes to run into her again in another classroom.

“Someday she will be teaching me, and I look forward to that day,” he said.