Waubonsee Announces 2026 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member

Each year, Waubonsee Community College names an Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member. This award recognizes faculty who exemplify the college’s mission by enriching lives through learning, fostering curiosity, and promoting a culture of inclusion and community engagement. This year’s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member is Holly Schmidt, Adjunct Faculty in Arts and Humanities. Schmidt has served Waubonsee as an adjunct since 2010.

Inside the ensemble course studios in Von Ohlen Hall on the Sugar Grove Campus, Schmidt has spent the last 16 years making sure no one feels like a stranger. For Schmidt, music education and community are synonymous with her entire life story.

"If students just come to choir and leave without even knowing the person sitting next to them, that would be sad to me," said Schmidt. "I like the community-building aspect of it. Whether students are music majors or not, the goal is for them to build confidence, learn to work together, and come away with an appreciation for music that stays with them for life."

 An Aurora native and West Aurora High School graduate, Schmidt grew up surrounded by musicians and educators in her family. Her whole family sang together at church and in the community, a foundation that inspired her to pursue music education professionally. She earned a Bachelor of Music from Valparaiso University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Concordia University, and a Master of Music from Northern Illinois University. After teaching middle and high school choirs in Rhode Island and Illinois, she joined Waubonsee in the summer of 2010 to teach a single piano class while raising her young family. Over the next decade and a half, that single class blossomed into leading applied voice lessons, teaching Basic Elements of Music, and directing both the Waubonsee Chorale and the Chamber Choir. Because many of her students balance busy lives, jobs, and families, Schmidt uses music as an anchor to ground them in their college journey.

"I inspire my students by choosing a variety of repertoires that challenge them musically and intellectually," Schmidt says. "I encourage them to step outside their comfort zones, believing in them and helping them strive to do their best."

Under Schmidt's direction, Waubonsee’s Chorale and Chamber have performed for dozens of campus and community events. The Waubonsee Chorale welcomes not only traditional students but also faculty, staff, and local community members, performing traditional choral pieces, spirituals, and madrigals at campus events, community celebrations, and local concerts.

 Schmidt’s presence in the community has had a full-time impact. Through regional partnerships, Schmidt has enabled Waubonsee students to perform alongside the Fox Valley Orchestra Chorus, present pre-show performances at the Paramount Theatre, and participate in the Latin American Music Festival at the University of Illinois Chicago. Her choirs are also a staple at local civic events, including annual performances for the Association for Individual Development (AID), and Kane County Cougars games. New this year, in honor of Waubonsee’s 60th Anniversary, the Waubonsee Chorale will perform at the "Back –to School, Back –to Cool" celebration on August 22. 

Schmidt also views her role as a vital bridge toward future academic and professional opportunities. By organizing joint performances with like Northern Illinois University and Aurora University, she introduces her students to bachelor’s degree programs and maintains strong connections with former students who have transitioned into professional music careers.

Whether she is running the Chicago Marathon, volunteering during Waubonsee's Day of Service, or singing in philanthropic choirs for breast cancer awareness, Schmidt lives the values of lifelong learning. She believes Waubonsee offers every student flexibility and versatility so that they can take classes and lead their day-to-day lives. “I continue to be so impressed with all that Waubonsee offers students,” Schmidt said. “We have great educators at Waubonsee who go out of their way to make learning innovative and continue to provide amazing opportunities for our students.”

Schmidt will be recognized during Waubonsee's Fall Faculty Development Day and honored at the August Board of Trustees meeting.  "I am very honored to receive this award," said Schmidt. "I strive to be the best teacher I can be, both inside and outside of the classroom.”