The basketball court at Kaskaskia College’s new gymnasium will bear the name of a longtime staple of the college, following action by KC’s board of trustees on Tuesday night.
Board members approved a resolution to name the court in honor of Bill Hawley, who has served on the board since 1986 and has been its chairman for over two decades.
KC President George Evans says Hawley, a longtime educator, coach, and sportscaster on WJBD, has been an essential part of the college for many years.
“He has always represented the best interests for the students and the institution, through the multiple presidents that he has overseen, he’s hired,” Evans said. “He has made tough decisions in the face of opposition, knowing what was best for the institution. He has also led the efforts in supporting the institution as we continue to grow, and providing confidence in myself, other board members and my staff and faculty, and having that trust in us has really allowed us to test the boundaries of higher education and to execute our vision.”
College officials displayed a rendering of the “Bill Hawley Court” wordmark during Tuesday’s meeting. Following the meeting, Hawley expressed his appreciation to the college for the honor.
“Well, as I mentioned at the meeting, it’s just a tremendous honor that I truly appreciate and will always cherish,” Hawley said. “My work here at KC has been a work of joy and I’ve appreciated every minute, and to receive an honor for it seems like sort of getting dessert on top of dessert, so I’m just very thankful. Most of all, I’m glad to see the new gym completed for our athletes. It’s going to be a tremendous improvement over what they’ve had to deal with.”
Evans says work on the new gym is nearing completion, and a ceremony naming the court in honor of Hawley will take place around the end of March or early April.
Also on Tuesday, the board of trustees approved the charter and formation of the Kaskaskia College Turning Point USA student club. According to the club’s charter, the organization seeks to educate students about the importance of freedom, free markets and limited government and to promote principals such as patriotism, respect for life, liberty, family, and fiscal responsibility.
In other action, the board accepted the resignation of Brittany Hunter as WEI workforce partnership coordinator, and approved the hiring of Alexis Tate as WEI workforce partnership coordinator effective February 9th.
