$100,000 Endowed Scholarship Established at JJC to Support Non‑Traditional Education Majors

Joliet Junior College (JJC) is honored to announce the Polly R. Fisk Yaguchi scholarship, a $100,000 endowed scholarship created by Polly and Duke Yaguchi. The scholarship will support non-traditional students pursuing careers in education. The endowed fund reflects the couple's desire to give back in a way that would create a meaningful and lasting impact for learners whose paths mirror Polly's.

"I wanted the scholarship name to honor where I came from and the people who helped me along the way - my grandmother, my Fisk roots in the Joliet community and my husband Duke and his family, whose generosity supported my education," said Polly.

Neither of Polly's parents attended college. Her late father, George Fisk, built a successful career - eventually becoming publisher of the Joliet Herald News - without earning a degree. As a result, college was not viewed as essential at the time, and no formal college fund was established for Polly or her siblings. Still, Polly carried a long-held goal of pursuing higher education.

After working full-time immediately following high school, Polly later found the opportunity to pursue that dream and began her higher-education journey at JJC. As a non-traditional student, she balanced full-time work with part-time coursework, determined to prepare for a second career in education. She completed her associate degree in less than three years before continuing on to the University of St. Francis (USF).

At USF, Polly attended classes full-time while working part-time, earning her bachelor's degree in education. On her 45th birthday, she completed her academic journey by graduating with a master's degree in education.

Polly went on to build a teaching career in public school districts in Illinois, Florida and Georgia, ultimately retiring in 2020. Her final nine years were spent teaching English as a second language, a role that inspired a key component of the new scholarship.

"We have been very blessed, and we wanted to create a way to give back," she said. "We believe that contributing to JJC would have a significant impact because of the access, affordability and flexibility JJC provided me. I knew JJC was the right place to support future educators."

The endowed scholarship will support non-traditional education majors who demonstrate financial need, with additional preference for students whose first language is not English and for residents of Will County. To ensure student interest, the donors first piloted the award with a $1,000 one-semester scholarship. In the first year, the scholarship received 15 applications, affirming the need for this type of support.

"Endowed scholarships like this one change lives far beyond a single semester," said Amanda Quinn, executive director of the Joliet Junior College Foundation. "Polly and Duke's generosity ensures that non-traditional education majors, especially those navigating language and financial challenges, have sustained support as they prepare to serve classrooms and communities for years to come.

Endowed scholarships are funded by donations from individuals where the principal amount donated is then invested. A portion of the investment, or interest earned, is then used to fund subsequent scholarships year after year. This allows the scholarship to exist in perpetuity, providing financial assistance to students for generations to come.

The Polly R. Fisk Yaguchi Endowed Scholarship adds to the Foundation's continued growth in student support, which reached more than $1.2 million in donor-funded scholarships in 2024-25, surpassing the $1 million awarded the year before. Those wishing to make a similar impact through an endowed scholarship are invited to connect with the JJC Foundation.