On Thursday evening, Kaskaskia College celebrated the dozens of students who have completed certificates through the Workforce Equity Initiative this year.
WEI is grant-funded through the Illinois Community College Board and assists students from minority populations with completing certificate programs. The initiative helps with costs such as tuition and course fees, but WEI grant lead Cheryl Boehne notes that students can get assistance with other hurdles that might otherwise stand in the way of their education, such as child care or transportation.
“We have fixed cars. We have helped with rent in some situations, and so we’re very proud of the students who have completed. We’re over 200 throughout the four years that have completed our program, and then we’re just getting them employed.”
KC officials were joined at the ceremony by Illinois Community College Board representative Dr. Akemi Haynie, who congratulated those who completed the program and challenged them to continue to strive for success.
“Every single completer that’s here today, all of you must become agents of change, not only for yourself but also for your families, through your own efforts. I want you to write a new history, through your movement and through your action.”
Students Marco Mondragon-Lemus and Deiveon Moss also addressed the crowd and explained how the program has helped them achieve their goals.
According to Boehne, there are various ways in which students become involved with the WEI program.
“We have a recruiter, Marion ‘Bunny’ Garrett, who is out there a lot in the community sharing the information. She has a lot of connections in our community, which is very valuable to the program, so that is one way. Another way that has really started taking off as the program is evolving is just word of mouth of those students that have completed.”
44 studentshonored on Thursday completed certificates in construction, culinary arts, HVAC, industrial technology, CNA, CDL or welding courses.
Students completing certificates through the WEI program include:
Construction — Juan Arroya
Culinary Arts — Cassandra Hunt, ShayMaria McGee-Holmes, Mariah Miller, Mercedes Miller, Matthew Patrick, Constance Pollard
HVAC — Judah Liss
Industrial Technology — Marco Mondragon-Lemus
CNA — Stevee Eskridge, Heaven Hastings, Kaylynn Mattson, NaTayia McClain, Deiveon Moss, Kununya Reed, Alexis Sangster, Sharde’ Sharkey, Deziree Wills, Kylie Wallace, Nickeshia Steiner, Jamiah Willis
CDL — Dezmond Abdullah, Rhonda Childress, Robert Clanton, Candace Craig, Aaron Crump, Cameron Darjean, Shaquan Edwards, Sharay Mitchell, Cornell Fletcher, Nieisha Gladney, Carl Griffin, Walter Houston, Nathan Keller, Joshua Liddell, Willie Meredith, Keith Rowland, Javonte Settles, James Shackleford, Andre Stafford, Alex Velazquez, DeMarcus Walter, Johnel Williams
Welding — Christian Gonzalez.
Pictured are students who completed certificates through the Workforce Equity Initiative program at Kaskaskia College. Photo by Steven Stilt.
