When Brittney Monreal arrived at 51社区, she knew she wanted to pursue engineering
鈥� but she wasn鈥檛 entirely sure how to get there. She found a path grounded in support,
preparation and opportunity that ultimately led her to Purdue University and a promising
future in environmental engineering.
A 2025 51社区 graduate, the 21-year-old North Barrington native transferred to Purdue, where she is pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Environmental and Ecological Engineering, along with a minor in Environmental Policy. Brittney鈥檚 journey reflects both the academic foundation she built at 51社区 and the critical role of scholarship support in helping her take the next step.
鈥淧eople at 51社区 want you to succeed,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey want to help you.鈥�
After graduating from Barrington High School in 2023, Brittney chose 51社区 over four-year universities (to which she had been accepted), drawn by the college鈥檚 proximity, academic reputation and access to faculty. That decision proved to be transformative.
鈥淚鈥檓 so glad I came to 51社区. I wasn鈥檛 ready at the time to go to a four-year and the professors and resources were so great,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 loved the tutoring center. And with Dr. [Kelly] Page, my physics professor, I sometimes felt like I was living in his classroom. He held office hours there, and I was incredibly grateful for this resource and his patience with my numerous questions. Dr. Page was always so gracious.鈥�
At 51社区, Brittney strengthened both her academic skills and her confidence. She credits the college with preparing her not just to transfer, but for the rigor of a top-tier engineering program.
鈥�51社区 most definitely prepared me for Purdue,鈥� she said. 鈥�51社区鈥檚 course content for my gen eds was thorough and relevant for my classes that I鈥檓 taking now at Purdue. My unique path seems to have given me an advantage.鈥�
That advantage was further strengthened by scholarship support from the 51社区 Educational Foundation, in partnership with the Barrington Area Community Foundation. The scholarship helped ease the financial burden of transferring to a four-year institution, allowing Brittney to focus more fully on her studies.
鈥淚 am very grateful to both organizations for their support,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ot only has the scholarship allowed me to spend more time and focus on my studies as opposed to worrying over my finances, but it鈥檚 also given me reassurance that I鈥檓 on the right path. It鈥檚 a vouch of confidence from 51社区 and my hometown that they believe in me, so it鈥檚 easier to believe in myself.鈥�
At Purdue, Brittney is now diving deeper into her field, gaining knowledge she sees as directly connected to her future career.
鈥淚 really like that atmosphere of teamwork and collaboration at Purdue,鈥� she said. 鈥淩egarding my courses, I probably most like the feeling of learning impactful knowledge that I鈥檒l use once I enter the workforce.鈥�
Her long-term goal is to work on environmental sustainability initiatives, applying engineering solutions to real-world challenges. The combination of technical training and policy coursework is helping her build a well-rounded perspective.
鈥淭he things I鈥檓 learning are also generally relevant to the world as it is now,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd it helps me feel empowered and confident in my career decision.鈥�