SWIC to Host Workshop for Parents of Future College Students Oct. 6
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If you are preparing to send your son or daughter to college in the near future, the Southwestern Illinois College workshop, Parent 101, can help you understand the ins and outs of the college process.
This free in-person or online workshop will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 6-7 p.m. The event is open to the parents or families of future college students in eighth through twelfth grades.
The informational presentation will include:
– Timeline for preparing for college – The financial aid process – Earning college credit in high school – Transferring courses to four-year universities – Cost saving benefits of education and training at the community college
For more information, contact the SWIC Admissions at 618-235-2700, ext. 5675, or toll free at 866-942-SWIC (7942), ext. 5675.
SWIC Red Bud Campus To Host Annual Poetry Contest
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The Southwestern Illinois College Red Bud Campus will host its annual poetry contest for area students and residents this spring.
Individuals of all ages are invited to showcase their creative abilities in the contest through poetry. Divisions for entries are as follows: adult, high school, eighth grade, seventh grade, sixth grade, fifth grade and fourth grade.
Each contestant is allowed to submit one poem and all entries must be turned in with a completed entry form by 4 p.m., Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Entry forms can be found online at swic.edu/poetry-contest. Submissions can be mailed to Amy Brockman at 2500 Carlyle Ave., Belleville, IL 62221 or turned in to the SWIC Red Bud Campus Student Development Office, Room 175.
Contestants will be recognized for their poetic excellence at an award ceremony. First, second and third place prizes will be awarded in each division. For more details about the awards ceremony visit swic.edu/poetry-contest.
For more information, call Amy Brockman at 618-235-2700, ext. 5324.
SWIC TO OBSERVE ADULT EDUCATION & FAMILY LITERACY WEEK SEPT. 20-26
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Southwestern Illinois College is proud to observe the nationally recognized Adult Education and Family Literacy Week on Sept. 20-26. The annual awareness week was created to heighten public awareness, strengthen alliances, leverage resources, and increase the number of people who understand the vital role adult education and family literacy plays in our nation’s well-being.
The SWIC Adult Education and Literacy Department is a prominent supporter and contributor in helping raise awareness and aid in the fight against low literacy rates within the community. The college currently offers many classes and programs to assist adults such as Project Read, High School Equivalency test preparation, English as a Second Language, Vocational, Computer and Citizenship classes. Some classes are offered FREE of tuition, for those who qualify. Other notable SWIC programs and special educational services are also available for residents ages 16 to 24 years old who need assistance earning their High School Equivalency Certificate, transitioning to college or finding employment.
According to ProLiteracy, more than 36 million adults in the U.S. cannot read, write, or do basic math above a third grade level; 43 percent of adults with the lowest literacy levels live in poverty; children of parents with low literacy skills have a 72 percent chance of displaying behavioral issues or dropping out of school and 68 percent of adult education and literacy programs are struggling with long student waiting lists.
Annual Event Will be Held Virtually on September 16th
SPRINGFIELD – The Serve Illinois Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (Commission) will present 27 Illinoisans and businesses with the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award during a special virtual event on September 16, 2020 at 2 p.m.
The award recognizes volunteers and volunteer programs that have made a difference in Illinois and highlights the importance of volunteerism and community service.
“These past few months have shown us once again that volunteers are the beating heart of Illinois,” said Commission Executive Director Scott McFarland. “We are honored to be able to highlight just a few of the nearly 3 million people in Illinois who give back.”
The Commission received more than 215 nominations in six categories (adult, AmeriCorps, business, senior, Senior Corps, and youth) from the Commission’s five service regions across the state (East Central, Northeast, Northwest, Southern, and West Central). Commissioners reviewed the applications and selected 28 award winners.
Deserie Gibson
Deserie Gibson of Belleville, the Southern Award recipient for Senior Corps, began her volunteer service in the Senior Companion Program in 2006. She has provided more than 20,000 hours of service during the past 14 years, and doesn’t show signs of slowing down. For the past eight years, Deserie visits her client, who has dementia, assisting with daily tasks and keeping her from harm. This client would have gone into memory care long ago if she didn’t have special attention from her Senior Companion.
Deserie feels “called” to help others. She spends her free time visiting others in a nursing home with their church ministry. She said, “Going where I can go, to help where I can help, is my mission.”
The impact that a Senior Companion can make in the life of one individual, keeping them from a nursing home for just one year, saves upwards of $75,000.
The following are the 2020 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award recipients. More information about the recipients is on the Serve Illinois website at www.Serve.Illinois.gov.
East Central Award Recipients
Adult: Teresa Bachtold – Forrest For service to Harvest Call
AmeriCorps: Jalen Butler – Springfield For service to Springfield Urban League
Senior: Shannon Nosbisch – Dieterich For service to Effingham Public Library
Senior Corps: Valerie Beguin – Towanda For service to Fostering Dignity
Youth: Aja Capel – Urbana For service to 4-H
Northeast Award Recipients
Adult: Scott Milliman – Chicago For service to Literacy Volunteers of Illinois at Illinois Youth Center Chicago
AmeriCorps: Kiamara Rodriguez – Chicago For service to Center for Disability and Elder Law
Business: Abbott Laboratories Legal Department – Abbott Park For service to Ascend Justice
Senior: Donna Adam – Des Plaines For service to Clean Up Give Back
Senior Corps: Shirley Cassens – Harvard For service to Senior Services Associates, Inc.
Youth: Kiran Mohan – Buffalo Grove For service to Crescendo for a Cause
Northwest Award Recipients
Adult: Dan Portz – Fulton For service to River Bend CUSD 2-Fulton High School Robotics Program
AmeriCorps: Linda Bolls – Kewanee For service to Abilities Plus
Senior: Ted Brolund – Rockford For service to Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity
Senior Corps: Marjorie “Midge” Murphy – Rock Falls For service to Dillon Elementary School
Youth: Lucy Kuelper – Rio For service to #MoveOver Project
Southern Award Recipients
Adult: Michael Moyers – Herrin For service to Christopher Elementary School
Business: PNC Bank – Fairview Heights For service to East St. Louis School District #189
Senior: Melody Shimada – Carbondale For service to Carbondale Public Library
Senior Corps: Deserie Gibson – Belleville For service to SWIC Programs and Services for Older Persons
Youth: Elijah Gunter – Scheller For service to Sesser Jr. Football
West Central Award Recipients
Adult: Daniel Luthi – Washington For service to American Red Cross
AmeriCorps: Deja Jenkins – Galesburg For service to Illinois Justice Corps/Knox County Courthouse
Business: JIMAX Group – Peoria For service to Tireless Project
Senior: Joel Estes – Knoxville For service to Blessings in a Backpack
Senior Corps: Lloyd Lawber – Griggsville For service to Pike County All Wars Museum
Youth: Abigail Oakley – Quincy For service to Quincy Art Center
Later this fall, nomination forms will be made available for the Commission’s companion awards program, the Governor’s Hometown Awards. The Governor’s Hometown Awards program gives formal recognition to communities that contributed to their community’s quality of life via projects that had strong volunteer support, met a need, and made a definitive impact.
The Serve Illinois Commission is a 40-member (25 voting and 15 non-voting), bipartisan board appointed by the Governor and administered by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). Its mission is to improve Illinois communities by enhancing volunteerism and instilling an ethic of service throughout the State.
Experience breathtaking Alaska, coastal Maine or an island cruise with PSOP
Alaska by Land & Sea – Aug. 9-20, 2021 Explore the Alaskan “final frontier.” The seven-night cruise and four-night land adventure leaves Belleville, Monday, Aug. 9. 2021. Highlights of the adventure include visiting Denali National Park; taking a ride on the Alaska Railroad; experiencing a wilderness dogsled ride; viewing the gigantic Hubbard Glacier; visiting the Icy Strait Point; watching whales on the waters of Port Frederick; and all the amenities of the world-class Celebrity Cruises’ Millennium ship at night and much more!
The tour includes airfare, transportation, activities, meals, lodging on land, cruise accommodations as selected, entertainment on the ship, port charges, taxes, government fees, travel insurance and gratuities. Prices start at $5,023 per person, with double occupancy.
Landscapes & Lighthouses of Coastal Maine – Oct. 9-15, 2021 Experience all the beauty coastal Maine has to offer. The six-night trip leaves St. Louis on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Highlights of the trip include tours of historic Boston and America’s oldest ballpark, Fenway Park; taking a scenic Casco Bay Cruise and seeing lighthouses, forts, lobster boats and seals; visiting one of America’s oldest and most photographed lighthouses, Portland Head Lighthouse; experiencing a traditional lobster clambake; traveling to the tallest peak in the Northeastern U.S., Mount Washington and much more!
The excursion includes roundtrip airfare from St. Louis, six-nights lodging in first-class hotels, nine meals, motorcoach transportation, admissions per itinerary, sightseeing, hotel transfers, baggage handling at hotels, a travel protection plan and a professional tour director. Prices start at $3,599 per person, with double occupancy and the booking discount.
Eastern Caribbean Cruise – Feb. 20 to March 3, 2022 This unique island winter escape is jam-packed with things to do and features something for everyone. The 10-night journey leaves Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022 and will explore what Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the eastern Caribbean islands, and Celebrity Cruises Millennium cruise ship have to offer. There are many excursion options to choose from including: exploring vibrant coastal villages and white-sandy beaches; navigating the El Yunque rainforest; tasting local cuisine; shopping at local shops filled with artisanal batik clothing, leatherwork and textiles; riding a narrow-gauge train through breathtaking scenery; snorkeling to view sunken shipwrecked ships; viewing the magnificient Mount Liamuiga, a 3,792-foot-high dormant volcano and more!
The trip includes rountrip airfare and airport transfers; one-night lodging in Ft. Lauderdale with breakfast; 10-night cruise in selected accomodations; all meals and entertainment on the ship; baggage handling throughout the trip; customary shipboard gratuities; all port charges, taxes and government fees; tour-related taxes and gratuities for drivers and bellman and services of a PSOP representative. Guests also get to choose two of the following perks, at no extra cost: classic beverage package, unlimited internet package or an onboard credit of $150 per person for dining, spa, shore excursions and other onboard purchases.
The deposit to reserve your spot for this excitement-packed excursion is only $500. Prices begin at only $2,999 per person. A passport is required and must be valid through Sept. 5, 2022. A passport card is not acceptable for this trip.
For more information or a brochure, call Group Travel Specialist Nancy Bauer at 618-234-4410, ext. 7020 or nancy.bauer@swic.edu.
Experience spring training with the Cardinals, discover the heart of Texas or explore captivating Iceland with PSOP in 2021
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Dreaming of your next big adventure? Let Southwestern Illinois College Programs and Services for Older Persons help make it a reality! PSOP is hosting three excursions in 2021 that will create memories to last a lifetime.
Spring Training with the Cardinals in Jupiter, Florida – March. 16-19, 2021 Enjoy the beginning of spring with the “boys of summer.” The four-day trip leaves on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Highlights of the trip include a tour of Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse; two Cardinals games at Roger Dean Stadium; exploring old-world architecture, beautiful fountains and sidewalk cafes in West Palm Beach; viewing celebrity mansions; looking for alligators while riding through the Everglades Holiday Park on an airboat; enjoying a “Gator” show by the Gator Boys Alligator Rescue Team of “Animal Planet” and more!
The trip includes roundtrip local airport transfers and airfare; deluxe motor coach transportation; three-nights lodging near the beach; three breakfasts and two dinners; all activities and admissions as listed in the itinerary; all tour-related taxes and gratuities and baggage handling. Prices start at $2,229 per person, with double occupancy.
The Magnolia Trail & The Heart of Texas – April 24-28, 2021 Experience all the heartland of Texas has offer! This four-night trip leaves Saturday, April 24, 2021. Highlights of the trip include tours of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, President John F. Kennedy sites and locations, Perot Museum, AT&T Stadium, the western historic Fort Worth Stockyard District, Waco City and a guided tour of homes featured on the HGTV series “Fixer Upper.” Also included is shopping at the Magnolia Market at the Silos, viewing a cattle drive and much more!
The tour includes roundtrip airfare from St. Louis, four-nights lodging infirst-class hotels, six meals, motorcoach transportation, admissions per itinerary, comprehensive sightseeing, hotel transfers, baggage handling at hotels, a travel protection plan and a professional tour director. Prices start at $2,699 per person, with double occupancy and the booking discount. Iceland Explorer – June 2-8, 2021 Discover picturesque landscapes created by volcanoes and glaciers, and learn about Viking heritage. The trip includes roundtrip airfare from St. Louis, motorcoach transportation, eight meals, sightseeing and admissions per itinerary, five nights lodging, hotel transfers, travel insurance, international air departure taxes and fuel, baggage handling at the hotel and a professional tour director. A valid passport is required.
Highlights of the adventure include visiting several museums such as Iceland’s National Museum, Skogar Folk Museum and the Viking Ship Museum. Also, view the Skogafoss, one of the biggest waterfalls in the country; swim in a geothermal pool in the center of a large lava field called the Blue Lagoon; explore Thingvellir National Park; view hot springs and mud pots; explore five original Viking ships from the 11th century and visit Bessastadir, an ancient site and home to Iceland’s president. Taste “Hot Spring Bread” which is cooked using the heat from geothermal activity; learn Viking history and culture; and much more. The cost starts at $4,799 per person, based on double occupancy and with the booking discount.
For more information or a brochure, call Group Travel Specialist Nancy Bauer at 618-234-4410, ext. 7020 or nancy.bauer@swic.edu.
George Portz and the Roots of Bluegrass Cancelled at SWIC
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The George Portz and the Roots of Bluegrass concert originally scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at the Southwestern Illinois College Belleville Campus has been cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. The concert is not being rescheduled at this time.
For ticket refund information contact SWIC Student Life Director Amy Brockman at 618-222-5324 or email amy.brockman@swic.edu.
For more information, call College Activities at 618-235-2700, ext. 5205.
SWIC Receives $1.2 Million Workforce Equity Grant for 2021
A $1.2 million Workforce Equity Initiative Grant from the Illinois Community College Board will enable Southwestern Illinois College to continue offering its one-year career training programs in East St. Louis.
“We’re able to continue the incredible work we’ve been doing at the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus,” said SWIC Executive Director of Enrollment Development Bob Tebbe. “We look forward to expanding career pathway programs and helping students achieve their educational and career goals.”
SWIC received a $1.4 million WEI grant in 2020 to develop employment training programs to assist minorities in underserved communities. Those programs include certificates in Welding, Nurse Assistant, Food Service, Forklift Training, and Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration. This year, 274 students completed certificate programs at ESLHEC.
Additional certificate programs for 2021 include Phlebotomy, Practical Nursing, and Help Desk.
“The goal is to provide underserved residents of the East St. Louis area with vital job skills so they can earn a prevailing wage,” Tebbe said.
The 2020 grant also allowed SWIC to purchase a food truck to teach a food service class and a mobile technical education trailer to teach precision machining in that community.
To help students start their new careers, SWIC has earmarked funds from the 2021 grant to provide a stipend to students who complete a certificate program and secure employment.
“Southwestern Illinois College is developing relationships with community programs and businesses to create a pathway for students once they complete the program to enter into employment,” said Programs Outreach Coordinator/ESLHEC Site Administrator Gary Cruise. “We are excited to receive the $1.2 million training grant and looking forward to SWIC being a part of changing lives.”
The award to SWIC is part of an $18.7 million ICCB grant to 17 community colleges throughout the state that serve larger African American and other minority populations.
While the first year of the initiative was impacted by the current health crisis, demand remained high with 1,840 Illinoisans enrolling in WEI programs in the spring of 2020.
With the support of Illinois’ Legislative Black Caucus and House Deputy Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth, funding from the WEI allows participating colleges to develop or enhance training and career pathway programs in primarily five high demand employment sectors – health care, manufacturing and construction, transportation, information technology, and emergency services.
If you want to maximize the amount of student financial assistance for which you are eligible, then set your calendar for Oct. 1. That’s the day you can begin to file your 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Early FAFSA completion allows for additional funding opportunities such as the Illinois MAP Grant, which has limited funding.
“The application is a student’s first step in receiving financial assistance for college educational costs,” notes Financial Aid Director Jessica Evans. “Beginning Oct. 1, students currently attending or planning to attend Southwestern Illinois College can file their 2021-2022 academic year FAFSA using 2019 tax information. By filing in October, students can be considered for programs, like Illinois MAP grants, which have limited funding.”
Early FAFSA also allows students and families to have a better understanding of the aid they’ll have available to go to school, enabling them to make a more informed decision about their school choices and plan for a student’s or family’s contribution to the educational costs. To file online, visit www.fafsa.gov.
For more information or questions about early filing, call Financial Aid at 866-942-SWIC (7942): Belleville, ext. 5558; or email fin_aid@swic.edu.
SWIC Fire Science Program students to learn on donated fire truck
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Retired Fairview Heights firefighter Daniel Lougeay of Marissa, has made an in-kind donation of a fire truck to the Southwestern Illinois College Fire Science Program. The 1963 retired fire engine will be used by fire science students to learn how to operate a fire hose pump, as well as other things.
Pictured, Daniel Lougeay, right, and son, SWIC Fire Science Program Coordinator Curt Lougeay, stand with the donated 1963 Fire Engine that Daniel donated to the SWIC Fire Science Program.
“Being able to help the next generation of firefighters become the best they can be, not only for themselves but for the safety of the public is what matters,” said Lougeay. “It also feels good to be able to contribute to one of the best fire science programs in our area.
Lougeay bought the truck from the Willisville Fire Department in 2002 and used it for parades and antique fire truck shows. The truck will be located at the SWIC Clay Baitman Fire Science Center, located at 1521 Freeburg Ave. in Belleville, where all the fire science courses are offered. The fire science graduates more than 30 firefighters annually.
“We really appreciate the donation of the fire truck to our program,” said SWIC Fire Science Program Coordinator and Daniel’s son, Curt Lougeay. “Having the ability to provide real-world learning opportunities for our students is extremely important and with the addition of this new equipment, we can ensure we are placing well-educated and prepared firefighters out in our communities.”
SWIC offers a two-year, 66-semester-credit Associate in Applied Science degree in Fire Science with two options and 11 certificate programs.
