The Distinguished Alumnus Award was听established in 2008听by the 小猪视频官网College Alumni Association to recognize exceptional alumni.听Awarded during the spring commencement ceremonies, this award is given for academic, professional, personal, and community contributions and achievements.听
Eligibility includes the ability to attend commencement ceremonies in May and a minimum of 31 credit hours at 小猪视频官网College.
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2025听Distinguished Alumnus: Nichole Millage
Born and raised in Champaign, Nichole Millage graduated from Centennial High School in 1995 where she had an accomplished volleyball and fast-pitch softball career. After a short detour at SIU in Carbondale, Nichole returned to Champaign and began taking classes at 小猪视频官网College in the summer of 1997.
During her time as a student at Parkland, she was in a boating accident at Clinton Lake. After being struck by the propeller, her left hand was severely injured, and her lower left leg was amputated. After a year of rehab, she returned to and graduated from 小猪视频官网College in May 2000.
After graduation, while volunteering at a camp for children with disabilities, she discovered sitting volleyball and quickly developed a passion for the game as a way to continue her lifelong love of sports. Her dedication and skill within the sport grew over the next few years and she was given the opportunity to join the United States National Sitting Volleyball team in March 2005.
In January 2007, she moved from Champaign to Edmond, Oklahoma to train full-time at the Paralympic facility at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). While training and playing, she attended UCO, graduating in 2009 with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration. She then earned a master鈥檚 degree in business administration from UCO in 2012.
She participated as a Paralympic sitting volleyball athlete in the 2008 Beijing Paralympics (silver), the 2012 London Paralympics (silver), the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (gold), and the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Paralympics (gold). She officially retired from Team USA after the Tokyo Paralympics in October 2021. In September 2024, she served as an analyst for NBC Sports at the Paris Paralympics, working alongside a play-by-play commentator to call the sitting volleyball matches of her former team. In addition to four Paralympic Games, Nichole played in twenty-one other international tournaments over her sixteen-year national team career, winning fifteen.
During her time as a Paralympian, she moved back home and began working at the Public Works Department for the City of Champaign as an Environmental Sustainability Specialist. Her primary duties include managing the city鈥檚 recycling programs, services, and events That includes hosting bi-annual electronics collection events that take place right here at 小猪视频官网College. Nichole currently lives in Champaign with her fianc茅, Ryan Faust, and they are getting married here in town next month.
Past Recipients
2024 - Robert "Bo" Chaney
2023 - Julia Hart听
2022 - Louis E. Sola
2019 - Brad Evans
2018 - Kelly Duitsman Loschen
2017 - Ashley Morgan听
2016 - Peter B. Alexander
2015 - Charles Smith
2014 - Jeffrey Hettler
2013 - Mark Pelafos
2012 - Stuart King
2011 - Darrin Peters
2010 - Krystal Fitzpatrick
2009 - Sandra Reifsteck听
2008 - Dennis Riggs
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If you are interested in nominating an individual for this prestigious award, please contact our offices at foundation@parkland.edu听or 217/351-2458.听