When Julie Corman of Liberty Township got an email from the organization, Sigma Chi Eta, naming her its Student of the Year, she didn’t know what to think.

“I was completely surprised,” said Corman, the mother of four and a recent graduate of Warren County Community College. “I contacted Karen Hillyer (Professor of Communications at WCCC) and had to ask her what it was all about.”

Hillyer, in fact, nominated Corman for the award. Sigma Chi Eta is the official community college honor society of the National Communication Association and based on Corman’s academics and other key factors and information provided by Hillyer, she clearly earned the award. Corman was officially announced as the winner at the organization’s annual convention in Utah in early November. Corman, due to other commitments, could not make the event, but she was honored with the award at the WCCC Board of Trustees meeting in December.   

Board Chair Dr. Phil Linfante offered congratulations on behalf of the trustees: “We are very proud of you. What a great achievement.”

“Julie is a non-traditional student who took her participation to another level,” noted Hillyer. “And with her life experience, it all came together. She is an amazing person, everything that you would want in a student. A real group leader.” 

Corman gave “the credit” to Hillyer for helping her attain her goals. “I took my classes seriously,” she said.  “I do what’s expected of me (as a student), what I am supposed to do.”

Corman says that she took a couple of courses three years ago to get started, then added a few more, and then more, until graduating last May with an Associates in Liberal Arts, Communication. All this while tending to family matters. She has four children, three boys and a girl ranging from 14 to 26, including her youngest, a 14-year old son who is developmentally disabled. 

“I am very lucky that I have an amazing husband and amazing kids,” said Corman, who becomes the third WCCC student to be so honored by the national organization. “I’ve learned that you have to take care of your kids regardless of what’s thrown at you. You brace yourself and go with the flow of it, which is also how I approached being a student.”

Photo: WCCC Communications Professor Karen Hillyer (left) presents Julie Corman with the Sigma Chi Eta Student of the Year award.