Former Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson has established a scholarship for students studying criminal justice at LLCC. The scholarship will award $1,000 to a student each academic year.

An LLCC alum, Williamson says, “I don’t think I would have gone to college if I didn’t have the opportunity to attend LLCC. I didn’t feel fully prepared to go away to college and wasn’t sure I would fit in. My experience at LLCC gave me the confidence to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement and pursue my dream of becoming a police officer. I want to help give students the same opportunity.”

The importance of education was evident throughout Williamson’s career. As a police officer in Springfield, he was the coordinator of Crime Stoppers and spent much of his time educating the public about crime fighting and prevention. As the Sangamon County sheriff, he increased the minimum education requirements for deputies to at least two years of college and eventually required deputies to have four years of college or an equivalent. Williamson also served on the LLCC Foundation Board from 2015-2018, helping improve educational opportunities for students through tools, technology and resources.