SPRINGFIELD – Eastern Illinois senior Cole Hoover has been selected as a 2020 Lincoln Student Laureate Award Winner.   The top students representing Illinois' colleges and universities will be honored via a pre-recorded Zoom production by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois. The ceremony to recognize the Student Laureates of The Lincoln Academy is historically held every fall at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield, but is going virtual this year due to COVID-19 restrictions on large in-person gatherings.
 
Hoover was this year's selection for Eastern Illinois as the offensive lineman has been a two-year starter on the Panthers football team playing all three offensive line positions (center, guard & tackle).  Hoover is from Charleston, Ill, and is majoring in Early Childhood Special Education where he holds a 3.83 grade point average. 
 
The 46th annual Lincoln Academy Student Laureate virtual ceremony will recognize excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by seniors from each of the state's four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities, and one student from the community colleges in Illinois. It will be available November 10 at www.thelincolnacademyofillinois.org. 
 
The Zoom production will include a congratulatory statement by Governor J. B. Pritzker, the President of the Lincoln Academy. Academy Vice Chancellor, The Honorable Ron Spears, will give the invocation and Chancellor Frank Clark will make welcoming remarks. Four Laureates of The Lincoln Academy will speak to each of the four recognized pillars Abraham Lincoln's leadership, and these include: Courage, 2012 Lincoln Laureate and 1990 Student Laureate Jean Driscoll; empathy, 2005 Lincoln Laureate and past Academy Chancellor Stephanie Pace Marshall, PhD; honesty, 2019 Laureate George Will; and integrity, 2014 Laureate Michael 'Coach K' Krzyzewski.
 
Student Laureates will receive a letter and certificate of merit signed by Gov. Pritzker, a Lincoln medallion, a challenge coin, and a $500 check from The Lincoln Academy. Student Laureates are selected by their individual schools. Those to be honored as Class of 2020 Student Laureates include:

Student Laureate                              Institution                                                       Hometown
Alek Jacob                                           Augustana College                                          Rockford, IL
Basma Outhman                                 Aurora University                                            Aurora, IL
Brittany Lynn Chally                            Benedictine University                                    Algonquin, IL
Jacob D. McGiles                                Bradley University                                          Jacksonville, IL
Jason B. Jones                                     Chicago State University                                 Chicago, IL
Anthony Fuentes                                 Columbia College Chicago                             Sterling Heights, MI
Gerardo Medina                                  Concordia University Chicago                         Cicero, IL
Gisselle M. Cervantes                         DePaul University                                           Darien, IL
Carlos Benitez                                     Dominican University                                     Chicago, IL
Esther Jimenez                                    East-West University                                       Chicago, IL
Cole D. Hoover                                    Eastern Illinois University                               Charleston, IL
Christopher Michael Binder               Elmhurst University                                        Frankfort, IL
Madison Loger                                    Eureka College                                                LaSalle, IL
Jeanine Latrice Koger                         Governors State University                              Harvey, IL                   
Sidney Rose Webster                          Greenville University                                      Effingham, IL
Olivia R. Jordan                                   Illinois College                                                Moweaqua, IL
Diana Silvas                                         Illinois Institute of Technology                        Chicago, IL
Kathryn J. Bruce                                  Illinois State University                                   Bensenville, IL
Meghan Lehmann                               Illinois Wesleyan University                            Peoria, IL
Rebecca Marie Johnson                      Judson University                                            Mount Prospect, IL
Isaac S. Hughes                                   Knox College                                                   Vashon, WA
Uchechi Okeke                                    Lake Forest College                                         Rockford, IL
Grace Ann Crumbaugh                       Lewis University                                              Joliet, IL
Seth Alan Webster                              Lincoln Christian University                            Bath, IN
Melissa Joy Benson                             Lincoln College                                               Morris, IL
Camille Jackson                                  Loyola University Chicago                              Chicago, IL
Caleb Reid Shipley                              McKendree University                                    Centralia, IL
Justin N. Craig                                     Millikin University                                           Naperville, IL
Joseph Coan Botte Doner                   Monmouth College                                         Arlington Heights, IL
Vontain Cornelius Wray                      National Louis University                                Lake Beach, IL
Emma L. Nelson                                  North Central College                                     Newark, IL
Jessica Torres                                      North Park University                                     Chicago, IL
Obsmara Ulloa                                    Northeastern Illinois University                      Chicago, IL
Jill Elizabeth Belluomini                      Northern Illinois University                             Cary, IL
Femke Munting                                   Northwestern University                     Amsterdam, Noord Holland, The Netherlands
Lily A. Jarzabkowski                             Olivet Nazarene University                             Wheaton, IL
Tara Marie Adhikari                           Principia College                                             Lewisville, TX
Jacob Flynn                                          Quincy University                                            Sterling, IL
Tanner Elliott                                      Rockford University                                        Loves Park, IL
Kaitlyn N. Greenholt                           Roosevelt University                                       Chicago Ridge, IL
Yasmine Zavala                                   Saint Xavier University                                    Chicago, IL
Anavi Bhushan Nugyal                        School of the Art Institute of Chicago             Malad West, Mumbai
Maryam Makhdoom                           Southern Illinois University Carbondale         Carbondale, IL
Tessa Renee Walker                            Southern Illinois University Edwardsville       Glen Carbon, IL
Firouz Jon Niazi                                   The University of Chicago                               Evanston, IL
Ross Michael Barz                              Trinity Christian College                                 Zeeland, MI
Justin Chu                                            Trinity International University                       Brookfield, WI
Wasan Mani Kumar                            University of Illinois at Chicago                      Skokie, IL
Kodi J. Smith                                        University of Illinois Springfield                      Taylorville, IL
Isabella "Issy" Rose Marquez             University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign       Chicago, IL
Alysa Ann Kline                                   University of St. Francis                                  Joliet, IL
Ashley Barajas-Galan                          VanderCook College of Music                        Chicago, IL
Paula A. Ramirez                                Western Illinois University                              Roselle, IL
Matteson 'Tess' Aliece DePretis         Wheaton College                                            Pleasanton, IL
Samiha Syed                                        IICB. College of DuPage                                  Addison, IL

In addition to honoring the state's Student Laureates, Illinois is unique in the United States in selecting present or former citizens who have made outstanding contributions toward the progress and betterment of humanity to be honored as Laureates of the Lincoln Academy and receive the "Order of Lincoln" from the Governor, a process that has been in place since 1964.
 
Proceeds from the spring Laureate Convocation are used to support the Student Laureate program each fall. For more information visit www.TheLincolnAcademyOfIllinois.org or The Lincoln Academy's social media sites.