Illinois Central College

Illinois Central College Recognized with Statewide ICCTA Awards

by Amanda Lewis

East Peoria, IL (06/23/2026) — Illinois Central College alumna Dr. Jazmine Stubblefield has received the 2026 Pacesetter Award from the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA), earning statewide recognition as an outstanding recent graduate of an Illinois community college.

The award was presented during the ICCTA's annual Awards Banquet on June 5 in Lombard, Illinois. The event celebrates the students, alumni, trustees, faculty, staff and leaders whose work advances the mission and impact of community colleges across the state.

Dr. Stubblefield, ICC's 2025 Alumnus of the Last Decade, earned her degree from Illinois Central College in 2015 and has built an exceptional academic and professional record marked by perseverance, service, and distinction. After beginning her college journey at ICC, she earned a bachelor's degree in biology with a minor in chemistry, a master's degree in biomolecular science with a concentration in cancer biology, and a doctoral degree in dental surgery from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry, graduating second in her class. She is currently completing advanced specialty training as a pediatric dentistry resident at Yale University.

Dr. Stubblefield's achievements include the National Health Service Corps Scholarship and the Dental Health Public Service Award, honors that recognize both scholastic excellence and a commitment to serving communities with limited access to care. Her service has included volunteer work through Give Kids a Smile Day, Hygiene for the Homeless, Team Smile, and international outreach programs in Jamaica and Guatemala.

ICC President Emerita Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey was also honored with an ICCTA Certificate of Merit, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the ICCTA, the Illinois community college system, or an individual member college. Dr. Quirk-Bailey retired in 2025 after nearly four decades of service in higher education, including nearly 10 years as president of Illinois Central College.

During her tenure, ICC advanced major initiatives focused on student success, workforce innovation, and regional economic impact, including the Workforce Empowerment Initiative, the IT Workforce Accelerator, and the first prison education program in the country funded by federal Pell Grants.

The ICCTA also recognized students Tapriece Bell, a nominee for the Lifelong Learner Award, and Jessica Deininger, a finalist for the Paul Simon Essay Scholarship.

"Dr. Stubblefield's recognition is a proud moment for Illinois Central College," said ICC Interim President Bruce Budde. "Her journey reflects the strength of a community college foundation and the determination of a student who used that foundation to achieve at the highest levels. We are also grateful to see Dr. Quirk-Bailey recognized for her service to ICC and the Illinois community college system, and we congratulate all ICC honorees who represented the College so exceptionally."

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Illinois Central College is a two-year community college with campuses in East Peoria, Peoria, and Pekin, Illinois, providing a high-quality, affordable education to prepare students to enter the workforce or to transfer to a four-year institution. ICC is the 2020 awardee of the National Community College Charles Kennedy Equity Award from ACCT, a 2022 and 2025 EDA Good Job Challenge Institution, and the Lead College for the state of Illinois' Workforce Empowerment Initiative. ICC also conducts original research in agricultural fields, including water quality and soil conservation. For more information, visit icc.edu.