Going to school full-time while holding a job is expected, but add a leadership position and a high grade point average to that and you’ve tapped into Roberto Bento’s life. Bento, a senior economics major, is a house leader for the University Honors Program. He also tutors 20 hours per week in Douglas Hall, where he is the supervisor.

He does this while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. It’s not hard to see why he is this year’s Student Lincoln Laureate.

The Lincoln Laureate award is given out by the Lincoln Academy to the top senior of every four-year university in Illinois, Bento said. Carl Campbell, assistant chair of the economics department and an associate professor, nominated Bento for the award.

Bento said nine students were interviewed for the award. After his interview on a Friday in October, he got a call the next Monday telling him he won.

He and the other Student Lincoln Laureates were honored Nov. 1 at the Old State Capitol in Springfield. Bento said the governor was supposed to attend, but couldn’t make it. Instead, Brenda Holmes, deputy chief of staff for education, gave the seniors their medals and certificates.

Bento said 50 students were honored, and they each received a $150 check to cover the cost of the trip to Springfield.

This was the second time Bento was nominated for the award; he was nominated previously while at Rock Valley College. That he was nominated a second time and actually won meant a lot to him, he said.

“It gives you the motivation to continue working hard, not only after graduation and academically, but in extracurricular activities,” Bento said.

Bento first came to the United States from Brazil as an exchange student in 1996. He stayed with a host family in Rockford and attended Rockford Guilford High School.

He returned to the United States in 1999 and attended Rock Valley College for three years before transferring to NIU as a junior.

Bento said he chose to major in economics because it gives people a great way to think about situations.

“You learn to always look at how to make social issues better, and how to make everything more efficient,” he said. “It gives you a progressive way of thinking.”

Bento said he plans to go to graduate school and get a Ph.D. in economics. He said he also would like to get involved in politics.

“One day – I don’t know when – I’m going to go back to Brazil because I dream of getting into politics there,” he said.

Bento said many exchange students who come to the United States don’t go back to their countries.

However, Bento said he wants to return to Brazil.

“I feel like I have something to give back,” he said.