Illinois State University student Matthew Huisman has been named one of this year’s outstanding college students by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.
Each fall, an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award. Bestowed by the governor, students earning the award become Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. In the spirit of Lincoln, student laureates are honored for their leadership and service in the pursuit of the betterment of humanity and for overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities.
Huisman has been selected to receive the Illinois State University Student Laureate Award from The Lincoln Academy of Illinois due to his overall success as an engaged student, active citizen, and scholar.
He will be presented the award by President Terri Goss Kinzy at the next meeting of the Illinois State University Board of Trustees meeting.
Huisman will graduate with honors from Illinois State University in May of 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in geology. As an ROTC member since freshman year, Huisman will be commissioned as a second lieutenant in the aviation branch of the army.
Earlier this year, Huisman received the most prestigious university-wide honor bestowed on undergraduate students, the Bone Scholarship, named in honor of the late Robert G. Bone, president of Illinois State University from 1956-1967. This award is presented to undergraduate students who combine excellent academic achievement and community engagement activities on and off-campus with exceptional qualities of character and leadership. The competition for this scholarship is rigorous and Huisman was one of the few students to receive this award for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Huisman is an Illinois State Geology Club ambassador, a paraprofessional for CUSD #8, and gives time to restore prairie lands in Illinois. He is also working to create a new HAM Radio registered student organization on campus. Additionally, Huisman’s research is contributing to work with rare earth element deposits, which are needed as raw materials to develop sustainable sources of energy and combatting the accumulation of atmospheric CO2 and associated global warming.
