Please Note: that all locations of SRC are closed Fridays for Summer Hours from May 16 through July 25. Announcement: all operations for the Macomb campus have temporarily moved to the Outreach Center (2500 E Jackson) until further notice as we make the transition to the new campus.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Julie Reeder, Alumni Achievement Award
With a maiden name of “Dalmasso,” Julie Reeder is no stranger to this event. However, this year, she becomes associated with this event in a new way — as an Alumni Achievement Award recipient.
A native of Canton, Ill., Reeder graduated from Canton High School in 1995 and, like many other members of her family, immediately enrolled at SRC. She earned her Associate of Science degree in May 1997 and went on to attend Illinois College in Jacksonville, IL, from which she graduated in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Reeder immediately put that degree to use in Peoria, working for Affina for two years as a Junior Accountant before her promotion to Account Manager. At Affina (now HGS), Reeder helped to build and maintain relationships with Affina clients with data and ideas to improve their businesses, including providing profitability analysis and identifying new opportunities for services.
In 2005, Reeder brought her professional talents back to Canton, joining Graham Health System as a Senior Accountant. She worked her way up Graham’s ladder, serving as Decision Support Analyst from 2006- 2015 and Director of Accounting from 2015-2017, before her promotion to Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer for Graham, her role since 2017.
In her current role at Graham, Reeder, one of six on the GHS administrative team, is responsible for ensuring the overall financial health of GHS, an organization with net assets totaling over $250 million and which is the largest employer located in Fulton County. Outside of work, she’s also been involved with many local organizations, including the Health and Wellness Connection of Fulton County, the Little Giant Booster Club, the YWCA of Canton, and Traveling Baseball, Traveling Softball, and JFL Boards.
Reeder and her husband Troy have two children, Maddie, a junior at the University of Illinois, and Drew, a senior at CHS. Reeder also holds a Master of Business Administration from Kaplan University, which she completed in 2009.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Dr. Kayla Miller, M.D., Alumni Achievement Award
Dr. Kayla Miller took her first course (a dual-credit course) at SRC in 2003, when she was still in high school. The appeal of staying close to home and remaining in her familiar environment—where she grew up in Havana, Ill.—led to her deciding to continue her education at SRC. She received Associate of Science and Associate of Arts degrees in May 2006.
Miller then continued on to the University of Illinois at Springfield as a biology major and received her bachelor’s degree in 2009, majoring in chemistry with a pre-medical concentration. She then earned her Doctorate of Medicine from the University of Illinois College of Medicine (in Peoria) in 2014. She completed her residency at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria in June of 2018.
Since then, Miller has worked at Mason District Hospital for Havana and Mason City Medical Associates as a physician in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. She also works as a Hospitalist for Emergency Physician Staffing Solutions, and as the Medical Director for the Mason City Area Nursing Home.
In what spare time she has, Miller is eager to give back to the community. Currently, she’s serving as a physician preceptor/mentor for students completing their IM/Pediatrics residency at OSF, and in the past, she’s been involved in Bradley University’s mentorship program for premed students. She’s an avid supporter of St. Jude activities—both as a runner and as a volunteer—and has participated as an active member of Beta Sigma Phi, a community service organization for women.
Miller is married to her husband, Aaron (also an SRC graduate from the Diesel Power Systems Technology program), and is the proud mother of Jack (age 10), Nolan (4), and Everett (2), and the proud stepmother of Brooklyn (15). She enjoys spending time with her family, studying, reading, exercising, traveling, dining, and attending sporting events.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Dr. Anthony Roberts, D.C., Alumni Achievement Award
At VIT High School, Roberts expanded his vocal and instrumental gifts in music. He first learned the trumpet, but when a dentist informed Tony he needed braces, which would interfere with his playing, he switched to the bassoon.
After graduation in 1983, Roberts attended Spoon River College from 1984-85, earning the credits needed to attend Palmer College of Chiropractic. Rather than moving to a larger city to start his career after graduating in 1989, he returned to Havana and opened his own practice, which has provided chiropractic services to babies, those in their 90s, and all ages in-between for the past 34 years. He and his family also operate Airbnbs around the Havana area.
Roberts is also recognized in equestrian circles nationwide. After attending several horse competitions around the country, he was asked to examine a horse competing in a 2012 Mustang Million event. Although he had never worked on horses before, this experience led him to enrolling in equine/feline/ canine seminars. He now successfully treats two-legged and four-legged creatures of all types.
Robert contributes to Central Illinois communities by serving on various boards including the SRC Foundation, the Fulton County Playhouse, and currently as Chair of the Fulton County Rehabilitation Center board and the Vermont Christian Church Board. Roberts is equally known for his extraordinary musical talents and is in high demand. He excels at the piano, taught himself the concert harp, plays the trumpet, and will attempt about any instrument that intrigues him. He’s seen on piano benches in many churches, plays piano, keyboards, and harp for a variety of community, high school, or college events, and directs musical shows for all the major theatre groups in the area. He has been invaluable to the Spoon River College Community Chorus and to Western Illinois University. He even traveled to Haiti to teach music to the children there.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Stephanie and Wesley Carithers, Alumni Achievement Award
Growing up in the Astoria area, Stephanie (dual degree, 2000) and Wes (Agriculture Business Management, 2001) both attended Spoon River College.
Stephanie was a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and participated in the SRC Theater production of Rumors as a cast member. She continued her education at Illinois Central College to achieve a third associate degree (in applied science, Physical Therapist Assistant program) and at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where she ultimately earned a Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. She graduated with honors from both institutions.
After returning home, Stephanie worked in the area skilled nursing facilities and at Culbertson Memorial Hospital in Rushville. She has been rewarded with several honors in her field, including being named Culbertson’s Employee of the Year in 2022. She currently serves as Academic Advisor and Student Health Coordinator at Astoria Unit School District #1, where she’s also a coach for the Dance Team. Stephanie is an avid hiker and rockhounder and enjoys spending time outdoors and at school events. For the past ten years, she’s been a runner for St. Jude.
During his time at SRC, Wes was named Vocational Student of the Year and was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He has worked for Boehm’s Garden Center in Rushville and at Helena Chemical Company, but he currently teaches agriculture and shop classes at Astoria High School. In his spare time, Wes serves as supervisor for Astoria Township and enjoys fishing, hunting, rockhounding, woodworking, and gardening.
Together, the pair own (since 2016) Orchid Hill Farm near Lewistown, IL., an orchid that gave both of them many fond memories of their youth. In both 2019 and 2022, apples from the orchard (paired with Wes’ skill cider production) earned the orchard both First Place Illinois Cider and First Place National Cider at the Illinois State Horticulture Society’s annual National Sweet Cider Contests.
Stephanie and Wes have four children, Casey (16), Brayden (15), Nikita (12) and Cole (7).
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Help SRC Students Rise: #GivingSPOONday Kicks off Season of Giving
With the rising cost of gasoline, goods, services, and cost of living, financial need among SRC students has never been greater.
That’s a point that Spoon River College Foundation Director Colin Davis wants to make sure is known.
“Nationwide, nearly 80 percent of community college students work to support their education, and still, at SRC, nearly 90 percent of our first-time, full-time students receive financial aid,” said Davis. “Half of SRC students who responded to a survey indicated they had experienced food insecurity.
“We know that the next generation of leaders is here at SRC and ready to rise to the top, but how can you rise if you’re fighting and scrapping just to tread water?”
But there’s another point Davis wants to make sure is known – that YOU can help SRC students rise.
And the opportunity is quickly approaching.
#GivingSPOONday, SRC’s version of Giving Tuesday, the worldwide day of giving that kicks off the holiday season, is Tuesday, Nov. 28.
“Giving Tuesday is like Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but instead of getting things, you give things,” said Davis. “Not only does it help to raise funds to help local students rise, it also brings more awareness about the SRC Foundation and the ways it supports SRC, its students and staff, and our communities.”
The SRC Foundation has set a goal of 300 separate gifts to be raised in the campaign, which ends at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 28. The campaign promotes giving online at www.src.edu/givingtuesday, but cash or check donations are gladly accepted, too.
“The best thing about #GivingSPOONday is that every gift counts toward our goal, so it doesn’t matter how much you give,” Davis said. “Even if you can only give a dollar, that dollar can purchase a meal or snack for a student who is facing food insecurity.”
To the SRC Foundation and to local students, this campaign matters. Donations to #GivingSPOONday in previous years have kept over 100 students from potentially having to drop out of college and helped the SRC Foundation nearly double what it offers in scholarships annually from even a few years ago.
The #GivingSPOONday campaign will be conducted through direct mail, peer-to-peer methods, online marketing and social media, and email. In addition, many local businesses and organizations get involved by sharing #GivingSPOONday posts on their social media.
“Many Spoon River College students, employees, and friends will be sharing our campaign via email and on their social media pages. If those that they share with also share, we have the potential to reach thousands of people,” said Davis.
“Because this is our biggest fundraiser of the year, it’s vital to student success, and we can’t fall short. Our goal is lofty, but reachable. Every time we’ve bet on the generosity of our communities, we’ve been rewarded. We hope that this time is no different.”
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Spoon River College Celebrates National First-Generation Day November 8
Spoon River College celebrated National First-Generation Day November 8, which is the day when the Higher Education Act of 1965 was signed by President Lyndon Johnson, providing federal funding with a goal of strengthening resources and making college more accessible to all students.
It is estimated that 55% of college students identify as first-generation, meaning that their parents did not complete a four-year college or university degree. In the fall of 2022, 46% of the students at Spoon River College were first-generation students.
Jill Olson, director of the TRIO Student Support Services program at the college, said that can have a significant effect on students as historically, first-generation students have lower retention and graduation rates than continuing-generation students.
“They are less likely to be familiar with college processes, like the FAFSA and how to get financial aid in place. It can be overwhelming, and TRIO helps students navigate these systems and processes. Helping at risk students overcome as many of these barriers as possible increases their chances of successfully completing a college degree or a certificate program.”
Olson and TRIO advisors Brandy Chasteen and Johna Lawens held cake and punch celebrations on the Canton and Macomb campuses to mark the occasion, with all students and staff invited, and shared profiles of students who were first generation college attendees on the TRIO SSS social media pages. Free bowling was also offered to all SRC students at Linn Lanes in Canton and at College City Bowl in Macomb.
TRIO is a federally funded program designed to help students overcome social, academic, class, and cultural barriers in higher education. Participants in the program are provided with personalized advising for career, transfer, and degree planning, and workshops covering topics ranging from personal financial literacy to time management and study tips are offered. Professional math and science tutors as well as peer tutors are available for both one-on-one and group study opportunities.
TRIO advisors place an emphasis on preparing students to transfer, aiding in selection of the correct transfer classes to take and traveling with students to visit four-year universities. Eligible transfer students who are TRIO members can have their application fees to their four-year schools waived. Cultural outings, including to museums and art exhibits (at no expense to students), are part of the program, and members regularly participate in community service projects.
“Our off-campus trips enable the TRIO students to connect socially with other students, while exposing them to experiences they may have never taken part in on their own,” said Olson.
TRIO participants are also eligible for an exclusive scholarship program and have access to a private computer lab and study space, free printing, and are able to borrow textbooks, graphing calculators and voice recorders. In 2020, the program introduced a laptop lending program that has been highly utilized by students.
“TRIO works with each student where they are at,” Olson said. “If the student wishes to use all our services, we are happy to cater to that. If they only need transfer assistance, we can provide that for the student. Each student’s academic journey and needs are different, and we work to meet each student’s individual needs while they are at Spoon River College.”
“Our goal is to improve the academic success of our students so they can successfully graduate and transfer to a four-year university. Since this program was initiated in 2010, we have served close to 1,100 students.”
To learn more about the TRIO program, visit www.src.edu, or contact Jill Olson at jill.olson@src.edu or 309-833-6029.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Spoon River College Literacy Program and District Libraries Celebrating Family Reading Night November 16
The Spoon River College Literacy Program is pleased to announce that the 32nd Annual Family Reading Night will be celebrated on Thursday, November 16. Held in partnership with libraries and schools throughout the SRC district, the goal is to encourage families to take time to read together as a family. With help from a grant from Dollar General, Spoon River College will provide 25 free books to each library to hand out to attendees.
“Family reading promotes healthy brain development in children, and can improve their language and listening skills. It can also help create a strong parent-child bond and instill a lifelong love of reading,” said Cyndi Johnston, adult education coordinator at Spoon River College.
“Our libraries do a wonderful job of finding fun and supportive ways to support Family Reading Night, and we hope families will take advantage of these free events. Taking time to read together is a great habit to cultivate.”
The activities, locations and times of each library’s events are listed below.
Astoria Public Library will celebrate on Thursday, November 16, starting at 5:30 p.m. Families are invited to come in their pajamas to enjoy Storytime, a fun craft, and refreshments. Families will receive handouts, and children are invited to bring a stuffed animal to sleepover at the library with Foxy Loxy, the library’s stuffed fox.
Canton Parlin-Ingersoll Library will host Family Reading Night Thursday, November 16, 6:00-7:30 p.m. There will be special guest speakers, a craft activity, and books to give away.
Cuba: The Spoon River Library did their program in October with the grade school.
Farmington Area Public Library is celebrating with a Dinovember theme as a family reading focused week November 13-18 with take-home packets that have dinosaur themed stories, poems, crafts and activities for families to do together. They are also teaming up with Farmington elementary school for a family reading event at the school on the evening of Thursday, November 16 (time to be determined).
Havana Public Library District will celebrate November 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and are encouraging attendees to wear their favorite pajamas for a fun-filled night of guest readers, snacks, and magic with magician Rick Eugene. Snacks will be provided by Skye Mibbs, Snap-Ed Community Worker.
Lewistown Carnegie Public Library District will celebrate on Thursday, November 16 by handing out books, art kits, and treats.
Macomb Public Library will celebrate Family Reading Day on Thursday, November 16 with story time in the morning for daycares and in the afternoon for school agers. Book marks and cookies will be distributed.
Rushville Public Library will celebrate on Thursday, November 16, 4-7 p.m., with a craft and snacks, and all children will be able to pick out a free book.
For more information about the Literacy Project at Spoon River College, visit www.src.edu or call Cyndi Johnston at (309) 833-6038.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on DPST Students Host 13th Annual Pancakes for Bette Fundraiser
The 13th Annual Pancakes for Bette fundraiser was held at Spoon River College in Canton on November 1. It was hosted by the Phi Mu Tau fraternity, which is comprised of students in the Diesel and Power Systems Technology program.
What was started as a way to help longtime Spoon River College employee Bette Dye with medical expenses became a way to honor her memory following her passing in 2010. “I worked with Bette for eleven years, and she served many pancakes to my students during that time,” said Todd Thompson, Diesel and Power Systems Technology instructor and Phi Mu Tau advisor. “She cared about all the students and made it a point to know them by name, and would ask about them even after they had graduated.”
This year’s event raised $903 that will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. DPST student Mitch Lambert of Kewanee was the winner of the pancake eating contest, earning him a $50 gas card, which was donated by Student Services. Caleb Rogers of Payson was the second-place winner, receiving a $25 gift card to the SRC River Roast Café, which was donated by the Café.
DPST student Tyler Heinz of Fairview won $57 in the 50/50 drawing, which he donated back.
“On behalf of the Phi Mu Tau, we thank everyone who continues to make this a successful event, with special thanks to Central Butane in Norris for the use of their grills and gas, to Performance Food Group for donating the sausage, and to the Café staff for the donation of the gift card, beverages, pancake batter, and their assistance,” said Thompson.
Pictured l-r: Aaron Mayall (DPST instructor), Caleb Rogers, Mitch Lambert, and Joe Clemens (DPST instructor).
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on Bowling Added to SRC Sports Fall 2024
Spoon River College is adding bowling to their list of competitive sports, with the season set to begin August of 2024. Kenny Shockency of Canton has been hired as the head coach.
Shockency said there will be both men’s and women’s teams, and that they are looking for experienced bowlers. “We’re hoping to recruit six men and six women,” he said, noting that the team will be playing other junior colleges in Illinois as well as traveling to other states to compete as part of the NJCCA (National Junior College Athletic Association). Practices will be held at Linn Lanes.
Shockency is a Canton native, graduating from Canton High School and then attending Spoon River College before transferring to Western Illinois University and bowling at the collegiate level for two years. He has been coaching for the past 20 years, and has bowled 85/300 games and 40+/800 series.
“We are excited to add competitive bowling, and even more excited that Coach Shockency will be leading it,” said John Bassett, athletic director and head softball coach at Spoon River College. “His experience with competitive youth bowling in the area will be an invaluable resource, and we look forward to see all that he can accomplish.”
We’re very excited to add a competitive bowling team, and even more excited that Coach Shockency will be leading it,” said John Bassett, athletic director and head softball coach at Spoon River College. “His experience with competitive youth bowling in the area will be an invaluable resource, and we look forward to seeing all that he can accomplish.”
Shockency resides in Canton with wife Shelly and son Zayne.
Posted by Sally Shields on | Comments Off on SRC Athletics Hosting Elite Softball Camp November 12
The Spoon River College athletic department is hosting an Elite Prospect Softball Fall Camp on Sunday, November 12, at the Multi-Purpose Building on the Canton Campus.
“This camp is for players who want to compete at the next level,” said John Bassett, athletic director and head softball coach at Spoon River College.
The camp will be a total skills camp that will cover all aspects of the game. It will include testing in multiple areas, an evaluation sheet, a scrimmage, campus tour, and question and answer period with coaches and players. Evaluations will be shared with other college coaches.
Students graduating in 2024 and 2025 will have priority, while 2026 and 2027 graduates will be wait listed. The cost is $25 per athlete. Attendees can register at www.bit.ly/SRCCamps or by calling John Bassett at 309-649-6303 or emailing john.basset@src.edu.
The Canton Campus is located at 23235 North County 22.
