Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Matthew Schaad: Student Achievement Award Recipient
Each year at their commencement, Spoon River College presents a Student Achievement Award to one transfer student and to one career and technical education student who possess individual initiative, personal development, and have made progress toward achievement of goals, along with participation and success in college extra-curricular activities.
This year, transfer student Matthew Schaad of Havana was the recipient of one of those Student Achievement Awards. It was presented by Student Trustee Zoey Lane during the 61st Commencement held at Spoon River College in Canton on May 12.
Schaad, who earned his Associate in Science degree, was described as going above and beyond to develop and propose new ideas as well as seeking out resources, coordinating plans, and following through on projects outside of the classroom, all while still maintaining a high grade point average in the classroom. Besides excelling in the classroom, Schaad is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and served as treasurer. “Matthew is one of the most engaged students I have had in recent years,” said Rebecca Werland, faculty member and Phi Theta Kappa advisor. Schaad will transfer to the University of Illinois Springfield to major in psychology.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Daniel Hammond: Student Achievement Award Recipient
Daniel Hammond of Macomb was the recipient of a Student Achievement Award for a career and technical student at the Spoon River College Commencement held May 12 at the Canton Campus. It was presented by Student Trustee Zoey Lane.
Student Achievement Awards are presented each year to one transfer student and to one career and technical education student who possess individual initiative, personal development, and have made progress toward achievement of goals, along with participation and success in college extra-curricular activities.
Hammond, who earned his Associate in Applied Science degree-Diesel and Power Systems Technology, was described as going above and beyond to complete his work and to help other students, and one who could be counted on to be prepared to take on any task that is put in front of him. “Daniel has the mindset and drive to never give up on something. He thrives on learning as much as he can, which makes him a better person and technician,” said Joe Clemens, Diesel and Power Systems Technology instructor. Hammond was also recognized for maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Hammond is employed at Martin Equipment in Macomb.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Bridget Loftus: Illinois Community College Trustee Association Full-Time Faculty Award Nominee
Bridget Loftus, Chemistry faculty at Spoon River College, was this year’s nominee for the Illinois Community College Trustee Association Full-Time Faculty Award. It was presented to Loftus by President Oldfield during the college’s 61st Commencement held May 12 at the Canton Campus.
“Besides teaching excellence, this award recognizes the ability of a teacher to take a personal interest in students, and to inspire enthusiasm through their teaching techniques,” said Oldfield. “Bridget is an outstanding instructor who builds students’ confidence in science and math while providing support to help them succeed.”
Loftus, who believes that anything is possible through education, said she strives to show students “the interconnectedness of education and society as a whole.” While she realizes that many of her students don’t believe they will ever use the content she teaches, she believes it is her job to help students see and understand that what they get out of a chemistry class is more than the content. “If they can embrace this idea, they will be better able to engage in the world outside of the classroom.”
Loftus began teaching at Spoon River College in the fall of 2014.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Dr. Win Htwe: H. Truman Standard Award for Teaching Excellence
Dr. Win Htwe, Physical Science faculty at Spoon River College, was this year’s recipient of the H. Truman Standard Award for teaching excellence. It was presented to Dr. Htwe by President Oldfield during the college’s 61st Commencement held May 12 at the Canton Campus.
“Besides teaching excellence, this award recognizes meritorious service to the institution and displaying the College’s core values of caring, respect, integrity, fairness, and responsibility,” said Oldfield
Students who nominated Dr. Htwe for the award often mentioned the same qualities that they admired in him; his intelligence and knowledge of his subject matter and his ability to make it understandable, the respect he shows to all students and his willingness to help them succeed, and his positive attitude. “Win is the best teacher I have ever had and one of the smartest and most interesting people I have ever met. He’s very energetic and comes to every class with a smile on his face. He inspires us,” his nominators wrote.
Dr. Htwe began teaching at Spoon River College in the fall of 1994.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on High School Seniors Receive Associate Degrees
Five high school seniors—four from Canton and one from Macomb—received an associate degree from Spoon River College at the Commencement on May 12, making them college graduates even before they had officially received their high school diplomas.
Trista Buskirk, Abbigale DeRenzy, Joshua Fuller, Anna O’Brien of Canton and Arbiana Kidriu of Macomb all took advantage of the college’s dual credit program that allows eligible high school students the chance to get a head start on their journey in higher education.
Buskirk will be transferring to Penn State Behrend to major in psychology and minor in either sociology or criminal justice and is deciding between a career as a criminal psychologist or a counseling/clinical psychologist. “Two of the most influential courses I took were Intro to Sociology and Contemporary Social Problems taught by Michael Maher. It changed my entire world view in just sixteen weeks.”
DeRenzy plans on majoring in elementary education with the goal of teaching kindergarten, although she hasn’t made her final choice yet of what university she will attend. She said psychology classes were her favorites. “Becky Leverette was the teacher and she always made class interesting and even though I took them online, she made it a point to get to know me as a student and made class feel like I was actually there.”
Fuller is transferring to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and will major in plant biotechnology and integrative biology. His ideal career would be working with plant genetics but he said he would also be content working in a botanical garden or similar environment. “Taking dual-credit classes saved me so much money. Credit hours at Spoon are a fraction of the cost at other colleges, and since all of my credits transfer, I basically completed two years of college for an eighth of the price.”
Kidriu, who will be the valedictorian at her high school graduation and plans on a career as an international lawyer, said she appreciated criminal law class Professor Jill Myers for reaching out to her to offer opportunities that she could pursue after high school. “It was not easy for me to get my associates degree the summer I graduate from high school, but it was worth it. I am a full-time high school and college student, and I also work around 30 hours a week. I had summer classes and will also be a full-time student this summer in order to fully complete the requirements. It required a lot of sacrifices, but I am happy and proud of my accomplishments.”
O’Brien is transferring to the University of Missouri St. Louis to major in political science and minor in Spanish to prepare for a future career as an immigration lawyer. Despite the extra class load, O’Brien made time for extracurricular activities at both the high school and the college, including being the president of the Student Government Association at Spoon River College. She was also the student representative on the Canton Area Chamber of Commerce and the CUSD66 School Board. “I had to find a balance between high school, college, a job, extracurricular activities, and a social life. It is for sure a lot of work but it pays off in the end!”
For more information about the dual credit program, visit www.src.edu.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Presents Sondheim Musical Into the Woods
Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award Winning musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Carol Davis with musical direction by Tony Roberts, comes to the SRC Theatre in Taylor Hall, June 23-26. Tickets may be reserved at https://spoon-river-college-foundation.square.site/, by visiting www.src.edu/chorus, from any cast or crew member, or by calling (309) 649-6260 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
INTO THE WOODS runs June 23-25 at 7:00 p.m. and June 26 at 3:00 p.m. General admission seating is limited to 100. Tickets are $15.
“Last summer we offered The Musical World of Disney to sold out crowds,” says Carol Davis, “and we had several fairy tale princesses in that show, but these stories are not Disney. This musical is based on Grimm’s fairy tales complete with dark comedy and Sondheim’s incredibly complex music. The show is more of a metaphor for real life.”
The musical follows a Baker and his Wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s Festival; Little Red Ridinghood, who wishes to get to Granny’s house, and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of The Witch’s Curse, the two set off on a journey INTO THE WOODS to break the curse. There they encounter wolves, Giants, and scary, wonderful untraveled paths. Eventually, all their wishes come true, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them with disastrous results.
“This is certainly one of the most talented cast, crew, and band ensembles we’ve had in our 17-year existence,” Davis says. “There are over 50 people involved with this show coming from all over central Illinois. The cast and crew began selling tickets last week and seats are going very fast.”
The cast includes John Davis as the Narrator/Mysterious Man, Julie Seeley as The Witch, Helaina Kalman as Cinderella, Jacob Haarman as Jack, Tony Roberts as The Baker, Lindsey Larson as The Baker’s Wife, Cecily Burnham Pearson as Little Red Ridinghood, Sara Mathis as Jack’s Mother, Alison Richter-Meuth as Cinderella’s Mother/Stepmother, Lauren Avery as Florinda, Aja Lawson as Lucinda, Mike Varnes as Cinderella’s Father, Tori Albanito as Rapunzel, Alex Smith as The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince, Clay Klinedinst as Rapunzel’s Prince, Jean Sprecher as Granny, Aaron Haacke as The Steward, Kirsten Seeley as Sleeping Beauty, Janet Munson as Snow White, and Charlene Kornoski-Duvall as The Giant.
The production is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Two Rivers Arts Council. Funds from the grant enabled the SRC Community Chorus to contract with professional artist David Gregory who designed and painted the engaging scenic background for the show.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on SRC Community Chorus Presents Sondheim Musical Into the Woods
Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award Winning musical INTO THE WOODS, directed by Carol Davis with musical direction by Tony Roberts, comes to the SRC Theatre in Taylor Hall, June 23-26. Tickets may be reserved at https://spoon-river-college-foundation.square.site/, by visiting www.src.edu/chorus, from any cast or crew member, or by calling (309) 649-6260 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
INTO THE WOODS runs June 23-25 at 7:00 p.m. and June 26 at 3:00 p.m. General admission seating is limited to 100. Tickets are $15.
“Last summer we offered The Musical World of Disney to sold out crowds,” says Carol Davis, “and we had several fairy tale princesses in that show, but these stories are not Disney. This musical is based on Grimm’s fairy tales complete with dark comedy and Sondheim’s incredibly complex music. The show is more of a metaphor for real life.”
The musical follows a Baker and his Wife, who wish to have a child; Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King’s Festival; Little Red Ridinghood, who wishes to get to Granny’s house, and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. When the Baker and his wife learn that they cannot have a child because of The Witch’s Curse, the two set off on a journey INTO THE WOODS to break the curse. There they encounter wolves, Giants, and scary, wonderful untraveled paths. Eventually, all their wishes come true, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them with disastrous results.
“This is certainly one of the most talented cast, crew, and band ensembles we’ve had in our 17-year existence,” Davis says. “There are over 50 people involved with this show coming from all over central Illinois. The cast and crew began selling tickets last week and seats are going very fast.”
The cast includes John Davis as the Narrator/Mysterious Man, Julie Seeley as The Witch, Helaina Kalman as Cinderella, Jacob Haarman as Jack, Tony Roberts as The Baker, Lindsey Larson as The Baker’s Wife, Cecily Burnham Pearson as Little Red Ridinghood, Sara Mathis as Jack’s Mother, Alison Richter-Meuth as Cinderella’s Mother/Stepmother, Lauren Avery as Florinda, Aja Lawson as Lucinda, Mike Varnes as Cinderella’s Father, Tori Albanito as Rapunzel, Alex Smith as The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince, Clay Klinedinst as Rapunzel’s Prince, Jean Sprecher as Granny, Aaron Haacke as The Steward, Kirsten Seeley as Sleeping Beauty, Janet Munson as Snow White, and Charlene Kornoski-Duvall as The Giant.
The production is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Two Rivers Arts Council. Funds from the grant enabled the SRC Community Chorus to contract with professional artist David Gregory who designed and painted the engaging scenic background for the show.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Zoey Lane Sworn in as 2022-2023 Student Trustee
Spoon River College student Zoey Lane was sworn in as the 2022-2023 Student Trustee at the regular monthly board meeting May 4 by trustee Jerry Cremer.
“Becoming the student trustee was a goal of mine even before I began attending SRC,” said Lane, who took dual credit classes at the college while still in high school. “I love the idea of being the voice of our students.”
Lane is a member of the HEAL (Healthcare Enthusiasts And Leaders) Student Association and serves as a Student Ambassador. She works in the SRC Cafeteria and the River Roast Coffee Shop, and is the Resident Assistant at the Snapper Villas. She is working towards an Associate in Science degree, then plans to transfer to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where she will complete a bachelor’s degree before applying to their dental program “to pursue my dream of becoming a dentist.”
Outgoing Student Trustee Mary Toothaker was recognized by the Board for her service during the past year. Toothaker said that “During this past year I learned a lot about how colleges operate, and presenting the student government report helped me improve my public speaking skills. I have enjoyed my time at Spoon River College, and love how the instructors genuinely care about you and help you succeed.” Toothaker plans to transfer to Illinois State University to major in English.
Student trustees at Spoon River College attend monthly board meetings and give updates about student life and events to trustees, further the interests and promote the welfare of SRC students, and represent the student body in the Student Government Association. Along with gaining leadership skills, trustees have opportunities to attend state trustee meetings and conferences. They serve one year, and receive a stipend towards their tuition and fees.
Zoey Lane, 2022-2023 Student Trustee with board member Jerry Cremer
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Spoon River College 61st Commencement is May 12
Spoon River College will hold their 61st Commencement on Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Building on the Canton Campus located at 23235 North County 22. Check-in time for graduates is 5:15 p.m. A professional photographer will be available from 4 – 5:15 to take individual graduation photos. Students have been provided with the proper order form for that service.
Cap and gown pickup will begin the week of May 2. Rehearsal for students participating in the ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 11 at 3 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Building.
Posted by ONEFIRE Development on | Comments Off on Spoon River College Students Inducted into Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
Spoon River College inducted 70 new members into its Nu Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society in a ceremony held at the Macomb Spoon River College Community Outreach Center in the MidAmerica National Bank Conference Hall on April 21.
After a welcome by SRC President Curt Oldfield, SRC students Emma Gilliland, Acting President of the Macomb Chapter and Wesley Micklus, President of the Canton Chapter, presented the history of Phi Theta Kappa.
Phi Theta Kappa faculty advisors Shelli Stuart and Rebecca Werland presided over the initiation of new members, who were introduced by faculty members Barbara Ashwood (English) and Elaine Lucas (Health Science).
In addition, Emma Gilliland, Henry Mordiva, and Allison Mortland were recognized for being named to the Phi Theta Kappa All-Illinois Academic Team, chosen on the basis of academic achievement, volunteer work, campus activities, honors, and awards.
The new inductees were:
Astoria: Justice M. Westlake;
Athens: McKayla A. Clark;
Bardolph: Lael J. McKee
Bath: Tayden M. Friend
Bushnell: Jalyn K. Fayhee, Lillian K. Powell
Camden: Collin E. Shelts
Canton: Lauren Brown, Trista N. Buskirk, Abbigale A. DeRenzy, Trinity M. Friedrich, Corrine V. Hamill, Paige N. Kruschinsky, Jason M. Licklider, Joseph S. Matthews, Jordan A. Maxwell, Chloe Nelson, Bethany M. Pankratz, Ethan M. Phillips, Carson J. Powers, A Roos, Alexander D. Ruck, Olivia Spahn, Kayleen H. Tarter, Gracie L. Widger, Lacey N. Yaeger
Chandlerville: Sarah A. Dyson
Colchester: Taylor A. Dimmitt
Cuba: Jenna L. Gorsuch
Fairview: Alivia E. Hanlin
Farmington: Andrea G. Pollitt, Mary R. Toothaker
Fiatt: Isabelle E. Bradley
Grant Park: Clayton J. McKinstry
Griggsville: Tucker A. Kunzeman
Havana: Brant E. Bastien, Lauren E. Fleer, Madison N. Hofreiter, Zoey R. Lane, Kaley R. Meyer, Zoe L. Porter
Lewistown: Clay A. Beekman, Brooke E. Hampton, Zoe L. Lutes, Wesley Micklus, Kyle L. Simpson, Avery E. Smith, Kyle A. Smith
Liverpool: Jacob E. Warren
Mackinaw: Taylor M. Purdy
Macomb: Irene Akinyemi, Brennan C. Brady, Joshua P. Bryan, Victor Gast, Zachary M. Hagmeier, Heaven L. Hearne, Mallory A. Hoyt, Matthew R. Kessler, Angela J. Locke-Bowen
