Opening Doors to Opportunity: Jacksonville Promise and Lincoln Land Community College
Our Prairie Creek Solar Project in Morgan County, Illinois, reflects our vision that renewable energy projects should generate lasting community benefits. Our Impact partners, now a year into their funding, create local jobs, support education, and strengthen the future workforce. Two of our impact partners, Jacksonville Promise and Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC), are helping turn that vision into reality by making higher education more accessible for local students.
One of those students is Addy Blimling, a second-year LLCC student and Jacksonville Promise scholar from Murrayville, IL. A graduate of Jacksonville High School and former volleyball player, Addy is exploring her passion for communications through an internship with her local electric cooperative—an experience that reflects the many ways renewable energy projects like Prairie Creek contribute to opportunity and career growth within the region’s energy economy. There, she supports member services and social media efforts—including managing their TikTok page and assisting with graphic design projects. After completing her associate’s degree at Lincoln Land, she plans to transfer to a four-year college to study Marketing.
For Addy, the Jacksonville Promise scholarship has been truly transformational.
“College can be so expensive, and this scholarship lifted a huge financial burden,” she said. “It’s allowed me to focus more on my studies and my future instead of worrying about how to pay for school.”
Through the support of Jacksonville Promise and LLCC, Addy has been able to stay local, pursue her degree affordably, and explore career paths that connect her education to her work experience.
“Lincoln Land gave me the chance to explore my options and make smart financial decisions,” she shared. “After graduation, I want to stay in this area and give back to the programs that have supported me.”
By expanding access to higher education and workforce training, Jacksonville Promise and Lincoln Land Community College are helping shape the future of Jacksonville, IL. Sol Systems is proud to support their efforts to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to build a stronger, more resilient region.