Sam Wolf Granite City Campus Archives - Southwestern Illinois College

Celebrate Spring at SWIC’s Annual Egg Hunt

Spend the day outdoors at Southwestern Illinois College’s annual Egg Hunt at the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus. With events for ages 1 to 12, you won’t want to miss out on the family fun!

SWIC’s Egg Hunt will provide an opportunity for the community to celebrate the season of spring to the fullest! The free event will be held on Saturday, April 1 from 10 a.m. to noon, rain, or shine.

Activities at the event will include:

  • Visiting time with the Easter Bunny
  • Games and springtime crafts
  • Inflatables
  • Petting Zoo
  • Free lunch and refreshments

“The Sam Wolf Granite City Campus Egg Hunt is a chance for the whole community to join in on the fun and festivities of spring,” said Director of Student Life Amy Brockman. “Thanks to SWIC’s friends at Ideal Aviation, the Easter Bunny will be arriving by helicopter, weather permitting.”

In addition to the Easter Bunny, Granite City local first responders will be at the Egg Hunt to participate in the community event.

For additional information regarding this event, contact Director of Student Life Amy Brockman at amy.brockman@swic.edu

SWIC program ranked 8th in nation

Southwestern Illinois College’s Precision Machining Technology program ranked No. 8 on stateuniversity.com’s list of Most Popular Schools for Machine Tool Technology/Machinist Major & Degree Programs in the nation.

The website stateuniversity.com is a national college and university ranking website that rates educational institutions on a variety of topics including best vocational programs, most affordable tuition and safest campuses.

“It’s exciting to be nationally ranked for our outstanding program,” said Dean of Technical Education Bradley Sparks. “At only $122 per credit hour our program is the best value in the region.”

SWIC offers a two-year, 72-semester-credit Associate in Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology. Certificates include: Precision Machining Technology, CNC (computer numerical control) Machining, Mastercam, SolidWorks and Advanced CNC Programming.

The SWIC PMT program prepares students with the skills and experience necessary to enter a variety of machining fields. Students learn to safely set up and operate machine-shop equipment such as lathes, mills, drill presses, grinders and computer numerical control machines. They also learn computer software programs to design parts and create programs for CNC machines.

Southwestern Illinois College’s precision machining program ranked No. 8 on stateuniversity.com’s list of Most Popular Schools for Machine Tool Technology/Machinist Major & Degree Programs in the nation.

“At only $122 per credit hour our program is the best value in the region.” – Bradley Sparks

PMT courses are held at the Industrial Technology Center on the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus. Students train on the latest most advanced equipment from HAASCNC and up to dated technologies used in industry today.

The SWIC program is recognized by NIMS, the National Institute for Metalworking Skills; and PMT students regularly earn medals at the SKILLSUSA challenge.

The website stateuniversity.com ranks institutions statistically based on U.S. government surveys and reports provided by the schools themselves. StateUniversity.com uses many different measures in ranking schools including ACT/SAT scores, student retention, faculty salary, and student/faculty ratio. For more information about the SWIC PMT program visit, swic.edu/pmt. Registration for Spring 2021 Semester begins Oct. 26.

SWIC’s Mark Bosworth Wins NTMA Teaching Award

NTMA St. Louis Chapter President Tony Maus called Southwestern Illinois College Industrial Technology Coordinator Mark Bosworth an “Education Super Star” as he presented Bosworth with the William E. Hardman Award for Excellence in Training on Nov. 10 at the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus.

Bosworth, who has been with SWIC since 2008, has grown the Precision Machining Technology program from a handful of evening students to more than 60 day and evening students.

“I love working with the students and watching their skills develop,” Bosworth said. “I like to see them on track for a well-paying, solid career that will last a lifetime.”

The National Tooling and Machining Association is a US-based membership trade association with a collective force of 1,100 tool & die and precision manufacturing companies representing a more than $35 billion industry. NTMA’s focus is supporting the future of American manufacturing through small and medium-sized companies, and family-owned businesses. The William E. Hardman Award is a national award recognizing the high standards and achievements of educators.

“Today we are here to recognize Mark Bosworth’s role in training our next generation of precision manufacturing professionals and our industry’s next generation of leaders,” said NMTA president Roger Atkins. “The William E. Hardman Award for Excellence in Training is for a company or individual that has consistently demonstrated strong support and active participation in structured training for the precision custom manufacturing industry.”

In 2019, Bosworth won the Madison County CTE Business Supporter of the Year award for supporting local industry’s workforce needs and for serving as a conduit between industry and secondary/postsecondary CTE programs in the region.

In addition to being program coordinator, Bosworth teaches classes in all areas of the PMT program, which includes manual machining, computer numerical control (CNC) programming, and MasterCam programming, and some courses for Industrial Maintenance Mechanics.

In 2016, Bosworth was named SWIC Full-Time Faculty Member of the Year and won the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.

Before joining SWIC, Bosworth taught at Ranken Technical College for 12 years and was a machinist for 11 years for five different companies in the St. Louis area.

Bosworth has a master’s degree in Adult Education and Administration from Jones International University and a bachelor’s degree in Management from National-Louis University. He’s also a member of the NTMA and SkillsUSA.

Bosworth lives in Belleville with his wife, Sue, and their daughter, Emily.

For more information about the PMT program visit swic.edu/pmt.

SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus Adult Education now offering FREE classes

The Southwestern Illinois College Adult Education and Literacy Department at the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus, 4950 Maryville Road, provides FREE educational, vocational and transitional career services to eligible individuals from Madison, St. Clair, Randolph, Washington, Clinton, Bond, and Monroe Counties.

The following programs are currently offered:

  • High School Equivalency (formally GED) test preparation classes
  • Tutoring
  • English as a Second Language classes
  • Spanish Language High School Equivalency classes
  • Computer classes
  • Health Care Bridge to Nurse Assistant Certification
  • Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) – Precision Machine Technology (PMT)
  • Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) – Certified Nursing Assistant
  • Welding
  • Warehousing and Distribution
  • Forklift Training Certification
  • Career Pathways course
  • Job Skills course
  • Transition to college and/or workforce services

To learn more about upcoming SWIC classes in the Granite City area contact SWIC Adult Education and Literacy Transition Services Coordinator Torrin Suedmeyer at 618-797-7321 or via email at torrin.suedmeyer@swic.edu. Stay connected with SWIC SWGCC via Facebook @swicadultedswgcc and Instagram @swicadulted_swgcc.