2011 Elmhurst College Senior of the Year

Genesis Jelkes of Chicago, a member of the Elmhurst College Class of 2011, has been named the College’s Senior of the Year, a prestigious and highly sought-after award among the student body.

The winner of the award, selected annually by a special committee of the College’s Alumni Association, was announced during Elmhurst’s annual Founders Honors Convocation.

Jelkes, an urban studies major, says she is committed to “scholarship, diversity and service.”

She was a four-year member of the softball team and also played a leadership role in campus organizations, serving as co-captain of the Jay Lightz Dance Team and secretary of the Black Student Union.

She also maintained a strong dedication academically, not only to her major but also to her minors, in Spanish and intercultural studies.

“I have worked tirelessly to be a role model in the classroom to not only my peers, but to those prospective students who see a college degree as an unreachable goal,” she said.

Jelkes is the daughter of Edrika Fulfod-Jelkes of Chicago, and is a graduate of Saint Francis De Sales High School.