IWU Scholar Recognized as Outstanding First-Year Student

Illinois Wesleyan University Posse Scholar Shaela Phillips was named “Outstanding First-Year Student” by the Student Senate’s Civic Engagement Committee, acknowledging her work across a range of campus organizations.

The rising sophomore was recognized at a year-end banquet that celebrated members of the Illinois Wesleyan community making notable contributions to the campus and in the Bloomington-Normal area.

Shaela was a stand-out nominee for the award, thanks to her engagement in the Student Senate, Financial Advisory Board, Model United Nations, and College Democrats. She was also a First-Year Humanities Fellow and a Peace Fellow during the academic year.

“It taught me a lot about myself and who I want to become.”

The “Outstanding First-Year Student” recognition was an unexpected but welcome cap to a year that Shaela said was at times stressful but also rewarding and fun.

“My first year at Illinois Wesleyan was transformative, to say the least,” she says. “It was filled with a lot of wins and losses that really taught me a lot about myself and who I want to become.”

The recognition from the Civic Engagement Committee is just the start of what she hopes will lead to a career in government and policy. Shaela spent the summer interning with Illinois JusticeCorps, training and serving as a guide to make courts less intimidating for people without lawyers.

Shaela hopes to eventually complete a law degree or a graduate degree in public policy.