Alumni awards

Distinguished Alumni Award nominees are reviewed according to the following criteria:

• Completed a recognized program of instruction or attended at least 30 semester hours at an ICCTA member college (Sandburg).
• Has shown outstanding success and distinction in chosen field.
• Has humanitarian service that has proven greatly beneficial to society.
• Possesses continued interest in and support of education and community colleges.
• Demonstrated overcoming life's obstacles.

Pacesetter nominees are reviewed according to the following criteria:

• Completed a recognized program of instruction (including dual-credit courses) or attended at least 30 semester hours at an ICCTA member college (Sandburg) after June 30, 2016.
• Has shown outstanding promise and distinction in chosen career/field of study.
• Has humanitarian service that has proven greatly beneficial to society.
• Possesses continued interest in and support of education and community colleges.
• Demonstrated overcoming life's obstacles (especially those who were non-traditional students).

Direct any questions about the ICCTA Alumni Awards nomination process to alumni@sandburg.edu at 309.341.5330.

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Victor Dantas '18

2026 Pacesetter Award

Victor Dantas embodies the true spirit of a pacesetter. A first-generation college student, Dantas arrived in the United States with limited English proficiency. Through remarkable determination and self-discipline, he taught himself the language and pursued his education goals.

Dantas graduated from Sandburg in 2018 with an associate in arts and later transferred to Western Illinois University, where he earned his bachelor’s in supply chain management. Since then, he’s built a career defined by notable success in marketing and entrepreneurship.

As the co-owner of Clear Profits Digital Marketing in Monmouth, Dantas has helped generate over $80 million in results for businesses across a wide range of industries. The campaigns and brands Dantas has guided have produced over 1 billion organic video views and impressions nationwide, most notably with Judy’s Family Café. His work has elevated brand exposure and garnered recognition across major media platforms, including The New York Times, CBS News, WGN, nationally syndicated radio and podcast networks and even “The Jennifer Hudson Show.”

“I came to the United States from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on a six-month tourist visa,” Dantas said. “My only goal was to learn English. But as a tourist, I wasn’t allowed to take classes — so I taught myself. I learned by talking to people, making friends and spending hours in the Sandburg library reading everything I could get my hands on.

“During that time, I tried out for the Sandburg soccer team. I had just one month left before my visa expired and had to return to Brazil. Everything I hoped for depended on the TOEFL test.

“I passed it in my final month.

“Sandburg gave me more than a degree. Soccer gave me structure. The classroom gave me confidence. For the first time since coming to America, I felt like I had a home. That changed everything. I earned my bachelor's degree at Western Illinois University, built multiple businesses, coached student-athletes and have given back to the places that gave so much to me. Today, my work has helped create jobs, bring tourists from across the country and put Galesburg on national television, newspapers and podcasts.

“And this is just the beginning.

"I am proud to be from Galesburg. I am proud to be a Sandburg Charger. This city and this college gave me my start, and I plan to spend the rest of my career making sure the world knows what kind of people and opportunities come from here.”