SRC Alumni

2023 SRC graduate Ebony Polk of Macomb is currently employed at OSF Medical Group for Orthopedics in Peoria as a medical assistant where she floats across multiple departments, gaining hands-on experience in EKGs, EMG setups, suture removal, podiatry care, and more. She has also been recognized for clinical excellence.

But her path to where she is now wasn’t smooth and took longer than she expected. She enrolled at SRC right out of high school in 2015, initially majoring in Communications.

“There was a lot of ‘stop and go’ when it came to college, with family health issues and my own anxieties and lack of self-confidence, plus I didn’t really know what I wanted to do.”

In 2020, with a baby on the way, she returned and enrolled in the Medical Assisting program, motivated to better understand health issues and help others following the death of her sister from Sickle Cell Anemia. Unfortunately, she struggled with completing the required internship.

“I tried to help her through the issues with her social anxiety, but we had just been through COVID and she just could not commit to working in healthcare at that time,” said Melissa Miller, now the dean of career and technical education but at the time the program instructor. “Over a year later, Ebony reached out to me and said ‘I am sorry Ms. Miller, I am ready now. I want to show myself and my daughter that I can do this.’”

And she did. “She completed her internship course performing direct patient care job duties. This young lady, who, a year earlier was having difficulty handling incoming calls and working at a front desk at healthcare facility, had now just completed 225 hours of working in a medical office obtaining vital signs, drawing blood, and talking with patients and other medical professionals on a daily basis. I received great feedback from her supervisor and co-workers,” said Miller.

Polk credits her perseverance to her daughter, her father’s lifelong support, and her own determination. “School was never easy for me, and I failed the CCMA test three times before passing it, but I was determined to succeed. It’s okay to cry and be sad for a while, but you can’t sit there for too long. You have to keep going.”

Along her journey, Polk said that the college’s TRIO program as well as the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth program, provided valuable support. “TRIO and the WIOA teams were there for me every step of the way. I’m grateful I chose this community college—it helped me get to where I am today.”

Then and now, Miller remains one of Polk’s biggest supporters. “Ebony always had goals and dreams for her future, but she lacked confidence. This once, shy, timid, anxious, and scared young lady is now a very determined, ambitious and diligent woman, with a bright future ahead of her. As an instructor and a fellow healthcare professional, I am beyond proud of her and all she has achieved.”

In 2016, Khalil Caldwell started taking college business classes online but soon felt it was the wrong path at the wrong time, so he Googled “high-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree” and welding popped up.

It was love at first weld.

“Welding reminds me of life. You have to look back on your weld to find where you have made mistakes before going forward and doing it correctly. Life is the same way.”

A lover of traveling, Khalil was living in Macomb at the time but already planning a move to Alabama, and he liked the idea of acquiring “good skills in a short amount of time that I can take anywhere.”

Ten years later, Khalil is currently living in Virginia and is a structural steel welding and bolting inspector for Global Geotechnical Consultants, which covers most of the Eastern/Mid-Atlantic area.

At the start of his career, he focused on welding with high pressure steam and commercial HVAC systems and worked on the George Washington Bridge. As his career developed, he obtained his CWI certification through the American Welding Society, to enter the inspection industry as it relates to welding. He’s currently working on a project for Amtrak in Baltimore, MD, inspecting various structural components such as tie-back anchors, which reinforce the soil and earth moved to reroute the train.

Khalil still feels blessed to have had Mark Coulter as his instructor. “He was my mentor, my inspiration, and I benefited from his 40 plus years of welding experience. He provided an excellent base and I don’t know if I would be where I am today if it wasn’t for him.”

Mark, who passed in 2023, once said of Khalil, “This kid is incredible and is already a master at welding. He’ll be an engineer someday.” He would be proud of his former student.

Khalil’s American’s Welding Society certifications are many and include Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) that requires successfully completing a notoriously difficult six-hour exam with a low first-time pass rate of approximately 30%. Additional certifications are International Code Council (ICC) Structural Steel Bolting Inspector and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) for both Liquid Penetrant and Magnetic Particle testing.

Khalil still loves welding, has no regrets about changing course, and sees another plus to welding. “My mom is an artist, and I also have that artistic motivation. Welding is an art form that I truly enjoy. I like creating cool things, especially if they can be put to practical use.”

After earning his associate degree in science from Spoon River College, Patrick Ketcham transferred to WIU to study Organizational Behavior and Leadership, receiving a bachelor’s degree in business before pursuing additional education at Franklin University. Now the Director of Materials Management at Grahm Health Systems, he brings his knowledge and experience in the real world to students in the Logistics Operations Management program as a part-time instructor teaching the Transportation and Supply Chain Management classes.

Ben Branchfield of Canton enrolled in the Ag program in 2007 with a goal of a career in water and soil conservation. When a hiring freeze on government jobs went into effect, he switched to the Diesel and Power Systems Technology (DPST) program. “That was my backup plan.”

That backup plan worked out well for Ben.

While in the DPST program, Ben did his internship at what was then known as Steven’s Implement in Havana in 2009. He continued there as a service technician for 15 years after completing his associate in applied science degree in both DPST and Natural Resources and Conservation.

Two years ago, he became the service manager. While there he has seen the John Deere dealership change hands from Steven’s Implement to what is now known as Sloan Implement Co., going from a two-store dealership to one with 26 locations across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. It has been family-owned since 1931.

Favorite memories from his days at Spoon River College include participating in Professional Agricultural Student Organization (PAS) events while in the Ag program under instructor Jim Caudle.

“In 2007, we placed 1st in Illinois State PAS college bowl competition and then placed 2nd at the National PAS conference in Idaho Falls.”

After switching to the DPST program, his instructors were Bob Owens, now retired, and current instructors Todd Thompson and Joe Clemens. “All of them were excellent teachers.”

“Bob’s knowledge that he passed along to the students is something that his students will not forget, and Todd has a way of getting across to students that helps them understand the necessary concepts. He’s also never met a stranger; he can talk to anyone. Joe had a way of teaching the students the trade in a way that they could understand to help them succeed in their career. I enjoy being able to talk with all of them when I’m able to attend the annual car and tractor show. And when Bob’s there, you can count on there being a crowd around him.”