Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Job Fair March 17 at Donaldson Center in Canton
A job fair will be held on Friday, March 17 from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at the Wallace Park Donaldson Center, located at 250 South Ave. D in Canton.
Job seekers are encouraged to bring their resumes and be prepared to talk with employers on site. In advance of the job fair, a resume workshop will be held Thursday, March 9, in the Spoon River College Conference Center PC Lab at 1 p.m. on the Canton Campus.
Event sponsors are Spoon River College, Spoon River College Office of Community Outreach, Canton Park District, and CareerLink. For more information, call 309-649-4645.
Employers registered to attend at press time include the following: Mosaic — Canton and Macomb; Serenity Point Hospice LLC — Canton; Illinois Department of Children and Family Services — Springfield; Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology — Springfield; Prairieland FS, Inc. — Jacksonville; Help at Home — Canton; Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety — Macomb; Graham Health System — Canton; Royal Publishing — Peoria; Yetter Manufacturing Co., Inc. — Macomb; Illinois Department of Corrections — Springfield; Renaissance Care Center — Canton; Spoon River College — Canton, Macomb, Rushville and Havana; Sarah D Culbertson Memorial Hospital — Rushville; Heat and Control Inc. — Galesburg; Sedona Staffing — Peoria; Courtyard Estates of Canton — Canton; State Farm — Bloomington; Illinois State Police — Springfield; Center for Prevention of Abuse — Peoria; Western Illinois Home Health Care — Canton; Caterpillar, Inc. — East Peoria, Mapleton, Pontiac, Mossville; M and K Parties — Farmington; State of Illinois/Illinois Dept. of Central Management Services (CMS), Springfield; Fulton County Health Department, Canton; Western Grain Marketing — Adair; and Mason City Area Nursing Home — Mason City.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on College Visit Day Featuring Career Programs March 7 at Spoon River College
Spoon River College is hosting a College Visit Day that focuses on career and technical education programs on Tuesday, March 7, from 9 – 11 a.m. on the Canton Campus.
Programs being featured include Agriculture, Commercial Driver Training, Computer Information Systems, Diesel and Power Systems Technology, Healthcare Career programs, Medical Laboratory Technician, Nursing, Rail Transportation and Power System Technology, and Welding.
Information will be available about the application process, tuition, financial aid, and student life, with college staff on hand to answer questions. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the campus and the Snapper Villas, and all will receive a free t-shirt. Those interested can RSVP online for College Visit Day or by calling 309-649-6264.
This event is for people of all ages who are interested in learning about the career education programs at Spoon River College. High school students should inquire with their school about using a college visit day, and letters from the College confirming their attendance at the event will be provided to those students if needed.
The Canton Campus is located at 23235 N County Hwy. 22.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on SRC Enrollments Trending Upward for Spring 2023
College enrollments took a dive during and following the COVID 19 pandemic, but a new report from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) Research Center has college and university officials hopeful that better days are ahead. Enrollment numbers for Spring 2023 appear to be stabilizing and, in some cases, increasing.
Community colleges saw the biggest gains and Spoon River College was one of them, with a 2.3% increase in credit hours compared to last spring.
“We are thrilled to see so many students are selecting Spoon River College and creating this significant increase in the Spring 2023 enrollment,” said President Oldfield. “Our college-wide enrollment growth was fueled by a large growth at the Canton campus, and an increase of students taking college classes while still in high school.”
“In addition to enrollment growth on the Canton Campus, the Macomb Campus as well as our Havana and Rushville centers all saw a stable to slightly higher enrollment, although we did see a slight decline of online enrollment,” Oldfield said.
The college also experienced a 6% decline in full-time students, but it was offset by a 22% increase in part-time students for an overall 9% gain. “Many of our students—both full-time and part-time—work or have other outside commitments, which impacts the number of classes they can take at one time,” said Missy Wilkinson, dean of student services.
“Being aware of that, we make it a point to provide flexibility and convenience in course scheduling to better meet their needs. We also increased our retention of current students, an indicator of how well our students are performing and enjoying their experience at Spoon River College.”
In the area of dual credit enrollment (high school students taking college classes), enrollment was up almost 35% from last spring, resulting in an 44% increase in those credit hours.
This uptick was the result of an Illinois Community College Board Bridge Grant, written by Holly Norton, vice president of educational and student services at Spoon River College. It granted all dual credit students enrolled with Spoon River College a full scholarship for tuition and fees for the 2022-2023 academic year.
“This grant provided a great opportunity for high school students to get an early start on college courses. We are elated that so many took advantage of this opportunity and are hopeful they will want to continue their journey with Spoon River College,” Norton said.
Wilkinson added that providing support services to meet the needs of all students would remain a high priority. “We’re excited to welcome new students and help them succeed.”
Oldfield recognized that recovering from the pandemic had been challenging, but is hopeful that the upward trend will continue. “Everyone at Spoon River College has been very focused on student success, student retention and new student recruitment. I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our faculty and staff.”
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Spoon River College Announces Fall 2022 Graduates
Spoon River College congratulates the following individuals who completed degrees and/or certificates during the Fall 2022 semester at Spoon River College.
Blandinsville: Samuel Cagle, Associate in Arts
Bushnell: Mark Louis Morrell, Basic Commercial Driver Training
Cambridge: Rodney Beam, Commercial Driver Training
Canton: Jacob Breese, Basic Commercial Driver Training; Amber Burnett, Computer and Network Technician, Computer User Support Specialist, Enterprise Computer Network Specialist; Daniel Burnett, Computer and Network Technician, Computer User Support Specialist, Enterprise Computer Network Specialist; Joel Claybaugh, Associate in Arts; April Davidson, Associate in Arts; Allie Diefendorf, Associate in Arts; Gavin Eddy, Basic Commercial Driver Training; William J. Eddy, Early Childhood Education; Destiny S. Evans, Associate in Arts; Lydia A. Malott, Nursing Assistant; Dylan Austin Martin, Welding Operator; Sydney J. Matthews, Associate in Arts; Joshua O’Donnal, Computer Information Technology, Cyber Security, and Enterprise Computer Network Specialist; Chelsea Olson, Associate in Arts; Trey Passmore, Associate in Arts; Noah R. Quick, Basic Commercial Driver Training; Justin Rollet, Associate in Arts; Zachary Stremmel, Associate in Arts; Wesley T. Swise, Associate in Arts; Andrew T. Tarvin, Welding Operator; Mark Tarvin, Basic Commercial Driver Training; Sheldon N. Toft, Welding Operator and Advanced Welding; Sarah Ward, Associate in Science; Ryleigh Watson, Nursing Assistant; Jacob A. Wood, Basic Commercial Driver Training; Hannah Elizabeth Zimmerman, Associate in Arts; Brady Sprout, Associate in Arts;
Cuba: MaKaila Cooper, Nursing Assistant; Kyla Hughes, Associate in Arts;
Dunfermline: Shelby Vaughn, Nursing Assistant;
Ellisville: Chloe Moulton, Nursing Assistant;
Fairview: Holly L. Henry, Medical Coding, Medical Insurance/Billing, and Medical Records; Johnathon T. Lock, Basic Commercial Driver Training; Bradley McCone, Basic Commercial Driver Training;
Farmington: Jacob Smith, Basic Commercial Driver Training;
Galesburg: Justin H. Jarvis, Basic Commercial Driver Training;
Glasford: Jared Michael Ray, Basic Commercial Driver Training
Good Hope: Alexis Loren Ebey, Associate in Arts;
Hanna City: Shelby Van Dyke, Nursing Assistant;
Havana: Patience R. Goben, Associate in Science; Dalton Lowe, Computer User Support Specialist; Alexa LaClare Marshall, Associate in Science; Tara Rose McCausland, Associate in Arts; Kaley Rayne Meyer, Associate in Science; Raegan Victoria Moore, Nursing Assistant; Tiffiny Marie Ranes, Associate in General Studies; Hannah Elizabeth Smith, Associate in General Studies; Shyler Don White, Associate in Science;
Industry: Jason Bradley Eskridge, Basic Commercial Driver Training;
Lewistown: Maddison Marie Brown, Associate in Applied Science/Health Information Management and certificates in Medical Assistant, Medical Insurance/Billing, and Medical Records; Curtis Bump, Computer Information Technology, Cyber Security, Enterprise Computer Network Specialist; Wesley Micklus, Associate in Science; Kyle Smith, Associate in Science; Ethan Yaste, Computer User Support Specialist;
Littleton: Timothy Walpole, Welding Operator;
Macomb: Quintin Adler, Associate in Arts; Karlye Jean Allen, Associate in General Studies; Douglas Allen Davis, Associate in Arts; Diana Hanks, Associate in Arts; Irene Kapting’ei, Nursing Assistant; Lance Klinedinst, Basic Commercial Driver Training; Shandess W. Matteson, Nursing Assistant; Ebony Polk, Medical Assistant; John Smilnak, Basic Commercial Driver Training;
Punta Gorda, FL: Olivia Grace Manock, Associate in Science;
Rushville: Isaac Andrew Goodrich, Associate in Arts; Austin Lindsey, Associate in Arts; Amy Logsdon, Associate in Arts; Henry N. Mordiva, Cyber Security; Madison G. Stewart, Associate in Arts; Sherilyn A. Unphryes, Medical Transcription; Sabrina Vining, Associate in Science;
Smithfield: Keeara Virag, Associate in Arts;
Springfield; Olivia Aushaé Oliver, Associate in Arts;
Topeka: Madalynn Richardson, Associate in Science;
Vermont: Chloe Sue Cracraft, Associate in Applied Science/Health Information Management and certificates in Medical Coding, Medical Insurance/Billing, and Medical Records.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Kim Gillespie Joins Full-time Biology Faculty at SRC
Spoon River College welcomes Kim Gillespie as a new full-time faculty member. She previously taught part-time at the college and will be teaching anatomy and physiology.
Originally from northern Illinois, Gillespie earned her associate degree at Sauk Valley Community College before transferring to Western Illinois University, where she received both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in biology.
“I got hooked on teaching as a grad student at WIU and I loved it. Preparing labs, breaking down complicated topics into smaller pieces, everything,” said Gillespie. “I like to instill my love of biology to others.”
Gillespie is passionate about her discipline, and it was while she was a grad student that she found the area of biology that excited her the most. “My focus was parasites found in fish. I dissected over 200 bluegill and counted each of their parasites. Being able to get in there and get your hands dirty is awesome! I’m big on dissections, so A & P is perfect for me!”
Gillespie is also passionate about community colleges. “I wasn’t ready to move away from home. I loved going to a community college, where students can really interact with their instructors. Sometimes it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle when you have a roster that’s 200 students long.”
“I’m happy to be back at Spoon River College. I’ve had some really great professors since I’ve been in school, and my hope is that my students will think the same about me.”
Gillespie and her husband Neil currently reside at the Kibbe Field Station in Warsaw (a research facility associated with WIU that her husband manages), along with their 2 ½ year-old son Tom and their pets, “an old black lab named Murphy and a new golden doodle puppy named Molly. They keep me on my toes!”
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Tonja Huff Joins Nursing Education Team as Full-Time Faculty
Canton native Tonja Huff has joined the Nursing Education Team at Spoon River College as full-time faculty member after teaching part-time since the fall semester.
“The love of learning led me into teaching, and I’m excited to be a full-time member of this team,” Huff said.
Huff started her nursing career as an LPN through the nursing program at Spoon River College and then earned a Diploma in Nursing at the Graham Hospital School of Nursing. After 12 years working on the floor, she received a Bachelor’s of Science and then a Master of Science in Nursing Education.
Huff’s nursing experience includes surgery, obstetrics, and geriatric care. “Nursing has provided me an amazing opportunity to not only take care of a client’s medical needs, but also have the chance to make them feel safe, cared for, and heard.”
“My nursing career started with learning at Spoon River College. I have fond memories of participating in a Habitat for Humanity project that included a 24 Hours of Homelessness event, where I slept on the campus lawn in a refrigerator box.”
Huff resides outside of Hanna City with her husband of 35 years, Curtis. They have “two beautiful daughters who have given us four grandsons,” and Huff enjoys spending as much time as possible with those grandsons, Curtis, 7, and Justin, 5, who live close by.
The Nursing and Allied Health department at Spoon River College offers an Associate Degree in Nursing, a Practical Nurse Certificate, and a Nurse Assistant Certificate and is accredited by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on February Recognized as Career and Technical Education Month
February is recognized as Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, and Spoon River College joins other Illinois community colleges in celebrating the valuable role they play in preparing the workforce for in-demand jobs.
“For more than 60 years, Spoon River College has been providing career and technical education programs that lead to employment in high-demand and high-wage careers such as nursing, agriculture, and computer technology,” said Brad O’Brien, dean of career and technical education at Spoon River College. “This benefits our students, our communities, and our regional employers.”
CTE programs offer a cost-effective way for individuals to pursue their career goals, and are designed to prepare students for immediate employment once they successfully complete the course work. Many offer short-term certificates, which can typically be completed in a year or less.
“Certificates within a program can stand-alone, or a student can complete all the certificates within the program and earn an associate in applied science. It’s a great way to get quick skills training and get started in a particular field,” O’Brien said.
According to the Association for Career and Technical Education, Illinois is currently experiencing a skills gap; 52% of jobs in Illinois require skills training, but only 41% of Illinois workers are trained at this level. Key Illinois industries experiencing this gap include agriculture and food production, energy, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences and biotechnology. In 2020, CTE degrees and certificates made up 53% of all awards conferred by the Illinois community college system.
CTE programs offered by Spoon River College include Advanced Manufacturing, Agricultural Business Management, Computer Information Systems, Diesel and Power Systems Technology, Health Information Management, and Nursing. For more information, visit www.src.edu.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Seeking Nominations for SRC Faculty Awards – Deadline February 24
Every year Spoon River College honors three current faculty members (two full-time, one part-time) who have displayed excellence in the teaching profession by awarding them with the H. Truman Standard Award, and the Illinois Community College Trustees Association Outstanding Full-Time and Part-Time awards.
All citizens of the college district, including current and former students, are encouraged to submit a nomination for the teacher they feel deserves special recognition. The nominations will then be used to select the recipients.
The nominations must be received by February 24, 2023, and any nominations received after the deadline will be applied to the following year’s nomination pool.
Faculty members may only be given the H. Truman Standard Award once in a seven-year period. Faculty who are not eligible this year are Laura Bandy, Dr. Win Htwe, Dr. Andrew Kirk, Becky Leverette, and Sarah Strode. However, these faculty may still be nominated and considered for the ICCTA Outstanding Faculty Award.
The names of eligible full-time faculty and the nomination forms are available by clicking on the Faculty Award link located under the Academics tab at www.src.edu.
The awards will be presented during the college’s commencement, which is currently planned for May 11, 2023.
Posted by Mitch Williams on | Comments Off on SRC Schedules Spring College Visit Days in Canton and Macomb
Spoon River College will host College Visit Days at both their Canton and Macomb campuses on Tuesday, February 14 and Wednesday, March 22, both from 9-11:00 a.m., and on Thursday, April 20, 1-3:00 p.m.
These visit days are for people of all ages who are interested in learning about both the transfer and the career education programs available at Spoon River College, as well as the different degrees and short-term certificates that each program offers.
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with advisors and financial aid specialists, and will receive information about the application process, tuition costs, and financial aid options including scholarships, as well as student life activities, clubs, and organizations.
Tours of the campuses will be given, and will include the Snapper Villas student housing on the Canton Campus. All attendees will receive a free t-shirt.
High school students should inquire with their school about using a college visit day, and letters from the College confirming their attendance at the event will be provided.
The Canton Campus is located at 23235 N. County Hwy. 22, and the Macomb Campus is located at 208 S. Johnson Street. For more information, call 309-647-4645.
Posted by Mitch Williams on | Comments Off on SRC Foundation Scholarships Available
SRC Foundation Scholarships Available: Application Deadline is March 15
Spoon River College and the SRC Foundation offer a variety of scholarships to provide financial assistance to students as well as to recognize outstanding performance in academics, athletics, art/theatre, and career and technical interests. The deadline to apply for scholarships for the 2023-24 academic year is March 15, 2023.
Applicants must complete the scholarship application and the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), and submit their most recent transcripts. This process is required for all scholarships, and all steps must be completed by the deadline.
The scholarships—which may be a permanent named endowed scholarship, a Foundation administered scholarship, an academic performing grant, or a performing skill grant—have differing eligibly requirements. Some may be targeted towards individuals from a specific town or county, a specific career field, or other criteria. Scholarships specifically for nursing students and dual credit students are also available.
Once the paperwork is submitted, applicants will be considered for all available scholarships they are eligible for, and in some cases could receive multiple awards. Applicants will be notified of their status either way by the end of April.
Students seeking to apply for the Graham Health System Scholarship for the Advancement of Rural Healthcare should visit the Graham Scholarship webpage.
Students receiving other sources of revenue such as Pell Grants or Work Study are still eligible to apply for and receive scholarships.
