Illinois e-News Release

August 5, 2025

Contact: Lynne Baker 

847.831.8024 

CHICAGO – The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC), the state's college access and financial aid agency, is excited to announce its participation in the Illinois State Fair, from August 7 – 17, 2025 in Springfield, Illinois and the Du Quoin State Fair August 22-September 1. Housed in the Governor’s Tent, Booth D, ISAC’s interactive experience booth will explore Quantum Futures, The Moments that Moved Us Forward. The exhibit will offer a blend of storytelling, interactivity, and visual learning to highlight how small, pivotal moments – “quantum leaps” – can shift the trajectory of a student’s life. Students, educators, and professionals can share their stories; hear others speak to their “quantum moments;” learn more about the Illinois PaCE Framework, ISAC financial aid programs, and outreach and support services; and engage with ISAC staff who can help them explore next steps on their educational path.

 

The exhibit was designed through the lens of  the Illinois PaCE Framework, which provides guidance to students, families, and educators on what types of experiences and information a student should have, beginning in 6th grade and continuing through high school, to make the most informed decisions about college and career planning. All school districts in Illinois are required to develop and implement career exploration and career development activities in accordance with a PaCE Framework for grades 6 to 12.

“Every student’s journey is unique and shaped by moments that might seem small but can be extremely powerful,” said ISAC Executive Director Eric Zarnikow. “As they participate in our Quantum Futures experience, fairgoers can explore and share their experiences about how these moments –along with the right resources and connections -- can have a profoundly positive impact on a student’s future path.”

The exhibit’s centerpiece will display milestone icons tied to the Illinois PaCE Framework's middle school and high school categories, so individuals can visualize where they are on their postsecondary planning journey.

Interactive parts of the exhibit include an interactive story booth called “Your Quantum Moment,” where fairgoers can take a Polaroid photo and share their experiences about a moment that changed everything for them and/or what made them believe college was possible. Responses are added to the live story wall and the fairgoer can opt to have their story included in a digital archive.

The exhibit’s “Quantum Moments Wall” will feature brief stories from individuals across Illinois who have experienced pivotal moments in their educational or career journeys. Each “quantum” moment captures a point of transformation—when a person discovered a new direction, made a bold decision, or found clarity in their path. The display will reflect a variety of career pathways and personal experiences.

Finally, the booth will include resources about ISAC’s offerings: financial aid application completion support, scholarship search, postsecondary planning tools, career exploration, free one-on-one live and virtual support in communities across Illinois, and more.

ISAC staff, including ISACorps near-peer mentors, will be ready to answer questions and direct attendees to next steps.

For more information about the Illinois State Fair and to view the schedule of events, visit https://statefair.illinois.gov/. To learn more about ISAC, its programs, and services, visit https://www.isac.org.