Northern Illinois University student Arlene Elias, of Woodstock, was one of five students chosen this year to receive the Forward, Together Forward Scholarship. The scholarships honor the five students lost at NIU on Feb. 14, 2008. Recipients are chosen through a competitive process that seeks to find individuals who not only succeed in the classroom, but also serve as leaders on campus and beyond. Elias was attracted to Northern Illinois University because of its dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion. “From the moment I stepped on campus I saw reflections of myself everywhere – first-generation students, women of color and members of the LGBT community.