Kaskaskia College celebrated its 85th birthday over the weekend with various activities for the family, students, and potential students.
Board Chair Bill Hawley opened the program.
“This college has provided an economic benefit to this region that is unequaled, as well as providing opportunity. Not only for the young people needing to get the education or job training to move on in life, but to the entire community with all of the programs that we run and all of the events that we participate in.”
College President George Evans says the college remains committed to high quality affordable education as well as being fiscally responsible to the district taxpayers.
“To give you a few numbers, 4000 was our full-time headcount this past spring,” Evans said. “If you throw in part-time that’s another 3000 students for roughly 7000 students (total). You throw on that 85 years of community education, for credit education, workforce certification, healthcare training, agriculture training, you’re in the millions. That’s the amount of students that we have impacted through Kaskaskia College as well as the community college system.”
State Representative Charlie Meier called 85 years a massive milestone.
“You have proven that community college isn’t a stepping stone, but a launch pad,” Meier said. “With nearly $133 million in local economic impact, I’d say you’re worth every penny of tuition, especially for those dual credit high schoolers who take advantage of a great opportunity before them.”
State Senator Jason Plummer called Kaskaskia College the best of community colleges.
“We need as many great things as we can have in southern Illinois,” Plummer said. “We know some of the headwinds that we face at times, and knowing this institution is here, grinding it out every day, providing kids with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to be productive members of society makes it all worth it.”
Both Meier and Plummer plan to introduce resolutions denoting Kaskaskia College’s 85th birthday when they return to session in October.
A representative of Congressman Mike Bost read the praise Bost provided in a reading to the Congressional record.
Centralia Mayor Bryan Kuder and Salem Mayor Nick Farley are graduates of Kaskaskia College, where Farley is still an adhock professor and former dean. He read from a proclamation passed by the Salem City Council:
“College continues to be a cornerstone of opportunity and advancement for our community, and adapting to the evolving needs of our students and our communities while fostering cultural civic and workforce development across our entire region.”
Centralia also passed a resolution with Kuder noting KC is always there to help the city of Centralia and is a ‘jewel of the region’.
The birthday celebration included bounce houses and games for kids, information on college programs and campus tours.
