Jillian Niles
West Mecklenburg High School - 1999

Catawba College, B.A. - 2003

Gardner-Webb University, M.B.A. - 2005

“My CIS Site Coordinators were absolutely awesome.”

Jillian Niles is a proud graduate of West Mecklenburg High School, and she gives much of the credit to Communities In Schools. Jillian claims that CIS opened the door to many opportunities for her, but she reserves the most praise for the CIS Site Coordinators who guided her along the way.

       
“My CIS Site Coordinators were absolutely awesome,” says Jillian. “They were diligent, caring, and friendly staff who gave excellent counsel and academic advice. I really admired and respected them, and still today am so appreciative of their time and support.”

While at West Mecklenburg, Jillian’s shy nature gained confidence and blossomed with the support of her CIS advisors.  She even participated in the annual CIS Speaking Contest, and won First Place and a $1,000 scholarship for college. She attended Rowan-Cabarrus Community College for two years, and then transferred to Catawba College, where she received her degree in English in 2003. But her pursuit of higher education did not end there - she is currently enrolled in the M.B.A. program at Gardner-Webb University and expects to graduate in December 2005.

“My dream is to become an attorney and help children and teenagers in some way,” says Jillian.  “I want to give back and help young people succeed, just as my CIS advisors did for me.  They are my inspiration.”