Wall Breaking Ceremony Kicks Off Renovation of Spoon River College Macomb East Campus

Spoon River College held a Wall Breaking Ceremony at their Macomb East building located at 2500 E. Jackson Street on August 29. The event celebrated the start of renovations of the facility, which the college purchased in 2006 and currently houses the SRC Office of Community Outreach.

The event included comments from Dr. Curt Oldfield, President, Spoon River College; Nicholas Klein, Assistant Deputy Director of Operations, Capital Development Board; Chris Chivetta, President, Hastings+Chivetta; Norine Hammond, State Representative; and Mike Inman, Mayor, City of Macomb.

“It is with immense pride and joy that I welcome you all to this wall breaking ceremony—a milestone event that marks the beginning of a new chapter for our community and region,” said Dr. Oldfield. “Today, we stand on the threshold of progress, ready to embark on a journey that will shape the future for generations to come.”

Representative Hammond gave kudos to community colleges for continuing to adapt to serve their communities and students, saying, “Dr. Oldfield and I talked about this vision and this transformation for a number of years, and to be here today and know that it is truly happening is just incredible.”

Mayor Inman joked with the crowd, “How many remember when this was Value Village? Good, I know how old you are now!” He expressed his excitement about the building’s soon-to-be new life. “We have long anticipated the façade of this building being opened up and new classrooms being here for these students. This fit entirely in sync with our plan to develop this part of East Jackson into an economic and retail commercial corridor.”

The college’s mascot, Sheldon the Snapper, made an appearance after comments concluded, posing near the drywall that was set up to be broken by dignitaries using commemorative Vaughn & Bushnell hammers. After the official wall breaking, visitors were welcomed inside the building for a tour and refreshments.

Besides classrooms, labs, and simulation suites for career programs, the 66,000-square-foot space will include administrative and faculty offices, and student support services. Spoon River College expects to start holding classes there in the fall of 2025.

Funding for the project includes a Rebuild Illinois grant for $6.2 million, approximately $1 million from congressionally appropriated funds to support the expansion of rural health care, and $10 million in local funds.

SRC Theatre Student Earns Stage Combat Certification

Xander George Fields of Canton recently earned “Level 1” certification in stage combat.

Fields, a second-year student in the theatre program at Spoon River College, participated in a two-week stage combat workshop July 7-21 at Southeastern Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. The workshop was conducted by the independent organization Dueling Arts International, which has been offering instruction and certification in stage fighting since 1995.

The program Fields participated in included instruction in the disciplines of Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of the Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of the Restoration, and Quarterstaff. The Level 1 certification requires a minimum of 12 hours of instruction in each skill.

Fields, who anticipates further collegiate study in Theatre beyond SRC, followed by a career in performance, intends to do more advanced work in stage combat as part of that training. Dueling Arts International offers both Level 2 and Level 3 instruction for more advanced learners, including the opportunity to become a trainer of combat students or a fight choreographer.

“When I was in high school and just getting started in theatre, I wanted more opportunities, not just acting or music or tech,” said Fields. “I wanted to learn more about every avenue of theatre. I wished I had more opportunities. So being able to do this workshop was really cool.”

The SRC Drama Program has an academic curriculum that includes acting courses as well as drama-oriented classes for humanities and fine-arts credit, and also offers performing grants. The Theatre program offers two productions yearly. This year’s fall production is The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson, with open auditions taking place September 3 and 4 in the Taylor Hall Theater on the Canton Campus.

Douglas Okey, English and Drama instructor, serves as the advisor for the SRC Theatre program.

Election Pre-Filing Notice for Two Positions on SRC Board of Trustees

Two positions on the Spoon River College Board of Trustees will be filled in the consolidated election scheduled for Tuesday, April 1, 2025.  The positions are for six-year terms on the College Board commencing April, 2025 through April, 2031.  Currently, these positions are held by Mr. John Biernbaum of Macomb and Mr. Kent Schleich of London Mills.

Filing dates for candidacy will be Tuesday, November 12th, 2024 through Monday, November 18th, 2024. All candidates wishing to file petitions MUST either mail or submit in person to the Canton campus.  Hours for filing will be 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, November 12th to November 15th, and Monday, November 18th, from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Petitions WILL NOT be accepted for filing at the Macomb Campus or the Havana and Rushville Centers.

On the first day of filing at Spoon River College, Tuesday, November 12th, petitions will be received in the Cabinet Room, Administrative Foyer, Centers Building at the Canton Campus.  On the other days of filing, petitions may be filed at the reception desk, Centers Building, at the Canton campus.

According to the Consolidated Election Laws, all individuals present at the opening of the election office doors on the first day of filing Tuesday, November 12th, will be considered as having filed simultaneously.  In addition, any petitions received during the first mail delivery of that day will be included in this simultaneous filing group.  For all individuals in this “simultaneous group,” a lottery will be held on Thursday, November 14th at 1:00 p.m. to determine the ballot positions of all in the simultaneous group.  Others who file later will be listed on the ballot after the simultaneous group in the order the other’s petitions are received.

To become a candidate for one of the positions on the College Board, the following documents are required for filing:

• a Statement of Candidacy form,
• at least 50 valid signatures on petition forms, which must be consecutively numbered, and each form notarized,
• a receipt for filing a Statement of Economic Interest with the County Clerk of the county in which the principal office of the unit of local government with which the person is associated is located (Fulton County). To qualify as a candidate for trustee, an individual must be on the date of the election, a U.S. citizen, 18 years of age or older, a registered voter, and have resided for one year in the college district.

Petitions and other materials required for filing will be available August 20, 2024 at the Canton Campus, Reception Desk, Centers Building as well as from each of the three SRC off-campus locations (Macomb, Rushville, and Havana).  Petitions and other filing materials may be obtained from each location during normal office hours.  At the Canton campus, these are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.  Office hours at the off-campus locations may differ from those at the Canton campus.  Contact the off-campus locations for hours when petitions and other candidate materials may be obtained from them.

Information is available by calling (309) 649-6232 at the Spoon River College Canton campus.

Spoon River College Hosting FAFSA Completion Events at All Locations

Spoon River College is partnering with the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and the Illinois Community College Board to provide aid to students, including 2024 high school graduates, and their parents in completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA application.

All Spoon River College locations—Canton, Havana, Macomb and Rushville—will be hosting FAFSA Completion Events with food, drinks, gift cards and help in supporting and assisting students complete the application. Those who are 2024 high school graduates in the Spoon River College District will also be able to receive monetary assistance to offset the travel expenses of attending the event.

The dates are as follows: Canton Outreach Center, August 14, 3:30-5:30; Macomb Campus, August 13, 3:30-5:30 p.m.; Macomb Outreach Center, August 16, 4-6 p.m.; Rushville Center, August 20, 4-6 p.m.; and the Havana Center, August 21, 4-6 p.m.

Attendees should bring their 2022 income tax information including W-2’s and all other income, Social Security numbers, FSA ID’s and passwords, and email addresses for ALL contributors to the FAFSA. This includes the student, parent and/or parent’s spouse. Attendees may also bring their personal device to use if they choose.

Assistance will also be provided for those wanting help in creating the FSA ID, although it can take 3-5 days to verify the information and it must be verified before completing the FAFSA application itself. In that case, a one-on-one appointment can be scheduled with the college Financial Aid staff to assist in the completion by calling 309-649-7030.

Wall Breaking Ceremony to Kick off Renovation of Spoon River College Macomb East Campus

Spoon River College will hold a Wall Breaking Ceremony at their Macomb East building located at 2500 E. Jackson Street on August 29, starting at 1:00 p.m. The event will celebrate the renovation of that facility, which the college purchased in 2006 and that currently houses the SRC Office of Community Outreach.

The event will start with a welcome and comments from Spoon River College president Dr. Curt Oldfield, Sen. Dick Durbin, Capital Development Board officials, and Macomb mayor Mike Inman, followed by a tour of the building and refreshments.

“The completion of the building will allow us to finally have all of our operations in Macomb at one location,” said Oldfield. “More importantly, it will allow us to expand our current career programs, including Nursing, and also add new ones, such as HVAC and industrial maintenance. We were out of room at the Johnson Street building, and are excited to see this happen.”

Besides classrooms, labs, and simulation suites for career programs, the 66,000 square foot space will include administrative and faculty offices, and student support services. The college expects to start holding classes there in the fall of 2025.

Funding for the project includes a Rebuild Illinois grant for $6.2 million, approximately $1 million from congressionally appropriated funds to support the expansion of rural health care, and $10 million in local funds.

The public is invited to this event, and RSVPs can be made by calling 309-833-6031, or emailing email Velvet Powell.

Construction Begins at Spoon River College: Funding supports renovations for new CTE facility

Macomb, IL – Today, the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) announced construction has begun on the $17.8 million investment for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) facility at Spoon River College in Macomb. The funding was made possible through the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital program, in conjunction with $11.7 million in institutional and local contributions.

“When I signed Rebuild Illinois into law, my administration set out to turn infrastructure neglect into opportunity for Illinoisans,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Today’s announcement extends that promise to the very infrastructure that houses our community college students. Spoon River College’s new, state-of-the-art center will foster a stronger, more dynamic regional workforce for students in west central Illinois by equipping them with the skills they need for the future.”

The project includes a complete renovation of the Macomb East Building, the former site of Hellig-Meyers Furniture. The new CTE facility will provide more than 66,000 square feet of administrative and faculty offices, student support services, classrooms, and lab space, including simulation suites for applied learning. The building will also accommodate a bookstore and student center. Exterior walls, interior insulation, and electrical systems will be upgraded or replaced. Additionally, geothermal heating and cooling systems will be considered.

The CDB will oversee the project in accordance with the protocol for state-appropriated construction projects. Architecture firm Hastings & Chivetta are leading the design, and Hein Construction Company, Inc. will serve as the General Contractor.

“The new CTE facility will provide the infrastructure required to support interdisciplinary education, research, and career training to west-central Illinois students,” said the Capital Development Board Executive Director, TJ Edwards.

The new campus will allow for the expansion of Spoon River College’s existing programs, including the Nursing program, and for the creation of new programs such as HVAC, robotics, and industrial maintenance. Current and future students not only gain more career choices, but they also gain the ability to receive the education and skills training needed close to where they live, something especially important for adult students who may be juggling family responsibilities while attending classes.

“The new Spoon River College Macomb Campus will create a profound and lasting impact on our region’s workforce development, along with providing support to our local economic development strategies,” said Macomb Mayor Michael Inman. “In particular, the build out of the SRC Macomb Campus’ Health Career Labs will provide a variety of health career development opportunities to meet current and future health care needs for the citizens of west central Illinois.”

President of Spoon River College, Dr. Curt Oldfield, said that the new space will be a game changer in terms of meeting the workforce demands of the Macomb and western Illinois region. “Spoon River College plays an important role in educating students for employment in the Macomb area, particularly in health care, and the new building will give us the space to substantially increase the number of students in career program courses. This has been a long time coming and we are excited for construction to start.”

Governor Pritzker’s bipartisan Rebuild Illinois capital plan provides essential funding to support the revitalization and improvement of Illinois roadways, state facilities, universities, bridges, and railways over a six-year period. The plan addresses critical infrastructure and economic opportunities.

About the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB)

The Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) oversees the construction of new state facilities, such as prisons, state parks, mental health institutions, and college and university projects. In addition, CDB is responsible for renovation and rehabilitation projects at over 8,770 state-owned buildings spread over more than 100 million square feet of floor space.  

New Student Orientations Scheduled at Spoon River College

In preparation for fall classes that start August 19, Spoon River College will hold orientations for new students at both the Canton and Macomb campuses.

Orientation at the Macomb Campus will be held Tuesday, August 13, in the Learning Resource Center (2nd floor), and the Canton orientation will be held on Wednesday, August 14, in the Multi-Purpose Building. Both will begin at 9 a.m. with a welcome from President Oldfield, followed by break-out sessions, a tour of the facilities, and a free pizza lunch at 12:30.

“This is an excellent way for new students to learn the lay-out of the college, where classrooms and faculty offices are located, and to receive overviews of financial aid options, student clubs, the support services available to them, and more,” said Jo Branson, assistant dean of student services.

All students will receive a free t-shirt, and a variety of door prizes will be available to win. All students will also be entered into a drawing for the chance to win a $100 Visa gift card.

“We encourage students to attend. It’s a fun way to meet other students while also getting important information, and can help alleviate any nervousness before the first day of classes,” Branson said.

Students may attend orientations at either campus, regardless of where they are enrolled. RSVPs can be made online under the Admissions tab on the college’s website   (https://www.src.edu/admissions/rsvp) or by calling 309-649-6400 for Canton or 309-833-6069 for Macomb.

The Canton Campus is located at 23235 N County 22, and the Macomb Campus is located at 2085 S Johnson Street.

The fall session begins Monday, August 19, and there is still time to register for classes. For more information about the classes at Spoon River College and registration, visit www.src.edu or call (309)649-6400 in Canton, (309)543-4413 in Havana, (309)833-6069 in Macomb, and (217)322-6060 in Rushville.

Spoon River College Selected to Join 2024-2025 Aspen-AASCU Transfer Student Success Intensive Cohort

Spoon River College was selected by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program (Aspen) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to join the 2024-2025 cohort of the Aspen-AASCU Transfer Student Success Intensive.

Spoon River College joins its partner Western Illinois University and 18 other two- and four-year colleges engaged in the third Intensive cohort. Selected from an applicant pool of 97 institutions and three systems from 24 states, the three cohorts collectively represent a total enrollment of over 1.3 million undergraduate students from across the U.S.

The Intensive, funded by Ascendium Education Philanthropy, is a one-year initiative of monthly sessions designed to support partnerships between community colleges and AASCU members in advancing the practices and policies associated with improved, more equitable transfer student success. Spoon River College will join a community of practice focused on transfer and equity, receive one-on-one consulting with experts, and work to identify, collect, understand, and utilize critical transfer outcomes and equity data to develop a forward-looking strategic transfer plan.

Spoon River College is a two-year, public community college in West Central Illinois, with campuses and Community Outreach Centers in Canton and Macomb, and Learning Centers in Havana and Rushville. It serves students in a 1,566 square mile area that includes portions of Fulton, McDonough, Mason, Schuyler, and Knox counties. For more information about Spoon River College, visit the Spoon River College website.

The Aspen-AASCU Transfer Student Success Initiative is presented by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and generously funded by Ascendium. Learn more at the Aspen Institute Transfer Intensive page.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to lead scaled, sustainable reforms, and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes.

The American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a Washington, D.C.-based higher education association of 350 public colleges, universities, and systems whose members share a learning- and teaching-centered culture, a historic commitment to underserved student populations, and a dedication to research and creativity that advances their regions’ economic progress and cultural development. These are institutions Delivering America’s Promise. Visit us at www.aascu.org.

Dr. Curt Oldfield (Spoon River College president) and Dr. Kristi Mindrup (WIU president)

Fast Track Registration with Extended Hours Starts August 5

Fast Track Registration for the Fall 2024 semester at Spoon River College will begin the week of August 5 and run through the week of August 21. During that time, the college will offer extended hours of operation from 8 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. on Mondays thru Wednesdays at both the Canton and Macomb campuses. On Thursday and Fridays, the college will be open regular hours of 8 a.m.­ 3:30 p.m.

Regular 16-week classes and the first session of 8-week classes start August 19, and a 12-week session of classes starts September 1

Prospective students will be able to apply, test, and register in one day. It is not necessary to make an appointment, but a valid picture ID is required. Financial Aid staff will be available during the extended hours to answer questions and assist in the aid process.

Tuition is due August 1, so those registering after that date must pay their tuition in full or be enrolled in the automatic payment plan. For more information about financial aid options and deadlines, call 309-649-7030 or visit www.src.edu.

The Canton Campus is located at 23235 North County 22 and the Macomb Campus is located at 208 South Johnson. Current and prospective students may also register at the Havana Center located at 324 E Randolph and the Rushville Center located at 706 Maple Avenue.

A course schedule can be viewed on the College’s website at www.src.edu.  For more information about the registration process or to make an appointment with an advisor, call (309) 647-6400 in Canton, (309) 543-4413 in Havana, (309) 837-6069 in Macomb, and (217) 322-6060 in Rushville.

Still Time to Register for Fall Classes at Spoon River College

Registration is open for fall classes at Spoon River College that begin August 19, and there are four main steps prospective students should complete.

The first steps are completing an admission form, which can be completed online, and taking an assessment test. For placement, SRC accepts ACT, SAT, ACCUPLACER, and previous college credit. The ACCUPLACER testing is offered at all four SRC locations, and there are no fees for the application or the testing.

Prospective students should also complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility for federal financial aid, and the school’s code is 00164300. Throughout the month of July, financial aid staff at Spoon River College are offering walk-in assistance in filing the FAFSA on Tuesday mornings from 9-noon at their Canton and Macomb campuses.

The final step in registering is to make an appointment with an advisor. Academic advisors are currently available for advising and registration appointments during July in-person and by phone Monday – Thursday from 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. The college is currently observing summer hours, and will return to being open on Fridays in August.

An appointment with an advisor can be scheduled online by filling out the Advisor Meeting form on the website under the Admissions tab, and should include the date and time that is being requested, along with the program of interest. Please allow 1-2 business days for confirmation as date and time is not guaranteed until it has been confirmed by the Student Services Office.  Advisors can also be reached by emailing advisor@src.edu or by calling call (309)647-6400 in Canton, (309)543-4413 in Havana, (309)837-6069 in Macomb, and (217)322-6060 in Rushville.

The payment deadline for the fall semester is August 1. Students must have their tuition paid in full by that date or be enrolled in the automatic installment payment plan. For more information about financial aid, call (309) 649-7030 or (309) 833-6073. More financial aid information is also available on the college’s website under the Student Services tab.