Hawks Making a Difference

Student Volunteers and Leaders Engaging with the Community

Core to our mission at Heartland Community College is supporting our students so they can succeed. This extends beyond the classroom, with tutoring, financial aid, counseling services, and student clubs and organizations all playing an important part in helping students feel empowered to learn and grow.

One of the most amazing byproducts of creating this environment is when we see students thrive in helping each other.

“I volunteered from a young age with my grandparents,” Ella said. “We did Toys for Tots when I was really young. We did the delivery of gifts, and just seeing the reaction on people’s faces was so lovely. That lit my volunteer heart on fire.”

During her freshman year at Heartland, a classmate invited her to get involved with Student Leaders in Community Engagement (SLiCE).

“I was looking for more ways to get involved and make friends,” Ella said. “I thought that was a good opportunity. Being in student engagement in general is a good way to make friends because I got involved with the student leaders in other clubs and organizations.”

In her second year at Heartland, Ella took on the role of Executive Director of SLiCE, where she participated in and organized multiple community service events, including volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity, Midwest Food Bank, and Lifelong Access, a non-profit that helps children and adults with disabilities.

"Organizations like SLiCE and SGA give students real opportunities to step into leadership and make an impact,” said Sarah Tipton, Heartland’s Director of Student Engagement.

Founded by Heartland alumnus Chad Pregracke, Living Lands and Waters is a 501(c)(3) environmental organization that aids in the protection, preservation, and restoration of the nation’s major rivers and watersheds.

“We worked on the McKeller Lake, which leads into the Mississippi River, and helped pick up 60,000 pounds of trash, which is absolutely incredible,” said Ella.

This volunteer project truly showed the commitment of the volunteers. The Alternative Spring Break students collected garbage from the banks of the lake, sometimes by hand, and packed thousands of trash bags. The volunteers created a mountain of trash bags and loaded them on the Living Lands and Waters barge. It was a muddy, dirty job. And one that Ella says was also rewarding.

“The impact we all have on the environment is crazy,” Ella added. “It made me rethink everything I do every day.”

Ella received her Associate of Arts degree from Heartland in December 2025. She is thinking of a career where she can work with college students and provide the kind of support she experienced at Heartland. The projects she was a big part of, such as the annual Alternative Spring Break and the ongoing Hawks Food Drive, continue.

“Ella is an incredible leader who consistently went above and beyond during her time at Heartland,” said Sarah Tipton. “She didn’t just show up; she helped build initiatives that will continue to make a difference on campus and in our community.”

Hawks helping Hawks
Student Food Drive tackles food insecurity.

This support became particularly important when Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were suspended for over a month due to a prolonged federal government shutdown that ran from October 1 until about November 12, 2025.

“Access to basic resources like food is fundamental to student success and Heartland is committed to supporting our fellow Hawks in need,” explained Aemun Lopeyok, the 2025-2026 SGA Student Trustee. “Through the Hawks Food Drive, the SGA is dedicated to fighting food insecurity, promoting awareness, and increasing access to this essential resource. We are grateful for the unwavering support of our faculty, staff, and students who continue to make this initiative a success.”

“When the Hawk Shop was first discussed, we focused on how we could make access to a variety of food for our students, bigger and better,” said Springer. “One of the important features was to have freezer and refrigerator space. This addition has been a dream come true for us. Recent conversations with Rader Farms and our agricultural department for fresh food have the potential to be a game changer for the variety we can offer.”

Student Counseling and Wellness Services served 635 households with food assistance in 2025. That assistance is just one of several supports available to Heartland students, which include mental health counseling, a stress reduction center, and even Wi-Fi hot spots. Not all students are in need of these services, but for those who utilize them, even once, they can be a difference-maker for their success.