Message from the President

Welcome to Rend Lake College — the perfect place to start your journey. As the President of this award-winning school, and a lifelong resident of the district, I'm proud to tell you about many opportunities we have for you right here in your own backyard.

At RLC, we have numerous programs in areas like health, sciences, technology, and the arts. These programs are always growing and changing to make sure we're teaching you the things that will help you get great jobs in the future.

We also know that sometimes students need a little extra help. That's why we have worked hard to increase services like tutoring in our Learning Enhancement Center, a special Wellness Room to help keep your mind healthy and focused, timely notifications to help you stay on course academically, and many more.

RLC has some really great facilities, like the Event Center, Student Center, Warrior Way, RL Café, Blended coffee shop and the Learning Resource Center. We even have a special Manufacturing Academy under construction right now at our MarketPlace campus in Mt. Vernon, and we'll be building a new Allied Health Center and the Banterra Sports Complex on the Ina campus.

One of the best things about starting your college journey at Rend Lake is that it can save you a lot of money. If you compare us to the average cost at an Illinois public university, you can save up to 80 percent on your first two years of college. Plus, we have small classes, different types of classes to choose from, and a long list of services to help our students succeed.

If you're thinking about learning a trade and getting to work right away, we have numerous short-term certificate programs to choose from. We'll teach you the skills you need to get a good job and if you decide later to continue your education, the certificates you earned can be stacked into a degree that transfers.

We know your time is important, so why not spend some of it checking out our campus? Come take a tour of some programs you are interested in, or get the general campus tour, and see all the impressive things we have to offer and meet the folks who get it done.

If you are thinking about Rend Lake College, a great place to get started is on our website at rlc.edu/journey. Fill out a quick form and we'll be in touch.

"Your Journey Starts Here" is more than just a motto for us. It's our promise to you that we'll help you grow and succeed.

I look forward to seeing you on campus.

Sincerely,

Terry Wilkerson, President

President's Contract Extension & Evaluation Instrument

President's Goals & Responsibilities

1. Provide overall leadership and unity of efforts for the total college program.
2. Oversee and maintain the financial well-being of the college.
3. Assume overall responsibility for establishing and maintaining an adequate public relations program.
4. Oversee preparation for Higher Learning Commission review of the college and subsequent accreditation.
5. Provide adequate information and opportunity for board development and preparation of supporting materials.
6. Participate in statewide activities and organizations relative to the college mission.
7. Maintain an active and visual presence in the communities of the district through local events and gatherings.

We sat down with past and current leaders of Rend Lake College. They talked about their experiences, looking back over 50 years since RLC was established in 1967.

We Are Nationally Accredited

Rend Lake College has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 1969. Accreditation is extremely important because it ensures that RLC programs are effective and that we are delivering on our guarantees of educational quality. It also helps us identify things we do well, things upon which we can improve and how to go about making those improvements. Accreditation is critical for participation in many state and federal programs which benefit higher education.

RLC Mission Statement

Mission

The mission statement is the essential purpose of the college from which all college activities originate:

Rend Lake College provides educational opportunities across cultural and economic boundaries to the diverse student population we serve. We are committed to our students’ success in achieving their educational goals and to meeting our community-focused program objectives. With Rend Lake College, student journeys start here.

Value Statement

In serving our students and community, we are student-focused, authentic, and resourceful.

Institutional Outcomes

Rend Lake College has adopted four essential learner outcomes, fundamental learning objectives embedded in every program of study, that all degree-completing students should be able to demonstrate. They are as follows:

Critical Thinking: Demonstrate the ability to think in a self-directed, reflective manner when understanding, evaluating and solving problems.

Problem-Solving: Demonstrate the ability to resolve computational problems.

Oral Communication: Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively through verbal and non-verbal language.

Written Communication: Demonstrate the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and effectively through written language.

Who We Are and Who We Serve

Who We Are and Who We Serve

Who We Are

The College history defines the College from the perspective of organization and assets; however, the personnel who operate within the college systems and manage those assets are the primary element for successful education. Rend Lake College believes all employees, regardless of their job description, are part of each student’s education. Administrative, community outreach, student service, and physical plant personnel all support the student learning process. Our instructors are primary points of contact with the Rend Lake College educational experience. These educators are generally organized into four divisions: Allied Health; Applied Science & Technology; Community & Corporate Education; Liberal Arts; and Math & Sciences. Whether in a supporting role or as a direct point of contact, each college employee draws upon professional expertise and academic accomplishment to promote the success of every student.

Who We Serve

Student-centered colleges are best defined by who they serve. An understanding of the distinctiveness of our College’s student population allows us to effectively meet the goals of our programs and succeed in our mission.

Diversity of Culture

Traditionally, Rend Lake College can be characterized as serving a relatively homogenous, rural, small-town culture. This population’s cultural distinctiveness is centered on age and socioeconomic status more than diverse ethnic origin. As global connectivity broadens, so too do Rend Lake College’s program offerings. We continue to serve groups with diverse characteristics, such as:

Age
Disability
Gender
National origin
Race/ethnicity
Religion
Socioeconomic status
Special populations

Diversity of Purpose

Rend Lake College provides general, transfer, and career technical education to both traditional and non-traditional students through the use of reciprocal agreements; regional, state, and national education programs; dual-credit high school classes; and the endorsement of international students to help broaden our base. Rend Lake College offers skill and trade opportunities for students seeking employment and economic mobility. Additionally, Rend Lake College provides professional and personal fulfillment as well as growth through community and corporate education classes.

Often, an individual’s purpose for engaging with the college is a combination of factors such as:

Discovery/Curiosity
Educational Requirements
Enrichment / Hobby
Healthy lifestyle
Life-long learning
New/Enhanced skills
Retraining

Definition of Equity

Equity is the guarantee of fair treatment, access, opportunity and advancement for all students, faculty, and staff, while at the same time striving to identify and eliminate barriers that have prevented the full participation of some groups.

Common Outcome

Regardless of the diverse cultural backgrounds, purposes or origins of our constituents, Rend Lake College serves each individual equally with an open admission policy and an opportunity for success. Furthermore, Rend Lake College is united by the shared commitment of students, faculty, staff, and community to meet its institutional, educational, and program objectives.

RLC History

Rend Lake College was founded in 1955 as Mt. Vernon Community College and officially became Rend Lake College when it was organized December 20, 1966, under the Illinois Junior College Act (Illinois Revised Statutes, 1967; Chapter 122, Sections 101-1 to 108-2).

Mt. Vernon Community College initially was approved by an overwhelming 25-to-1 vote and was under the supervision of the local high school board, with boundaries the same as those for High School District No. 201. The purpose of this two-year college was to provide postsecondary educational experiences, primarily university-parallel curricula, for the graduates of Mt. Vernon Township High School. Faculty and facilities were provided by the high school.

The first classes of Mt. Vernon Community College began in September 1956, with an enrollment of 124 day and 79 evening students. Expanded curricula offerings in both the baccalaureate and vocational areas, plus the establishment of a School of Practical Nursing in 1961, eventually attracted students from surrounding communities, and by 1966 the college’s enrollment stood at 721 students.

Rend Lake College became a reality shortly after the announcement of the Master Plan for Higher Education in Illinois. Dramatic changes in educational purpose and curricula accompanied the name change.

Voters of the eight-county district approved the establishment of Rend Lake College by nearly an 8-to-1 margin on October 22, 1966, a new governing board was elected from the district in December of that same year and on July 1, 1967, Rend Lake College assumed the assets, liabilities and responsibilities of Mt. Vernon Community College. The purpose of the new college was to provide university-parallel, occupational and general and adult education for the citizens of this new district. District 521 includes the majority of Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson and Perry counties, parts of Wayne and White and even reaches into Washington and Williamson. Included are 13 high school districts – Benton, Christopher, Hamilton County, Mt. Vernon, Norris City-Omaha-Enfield, Pinckneyville, Sesser-Valier, Thompsonville, Waltonville, Wayne City, Webber, Woodlawn and Zeigler-Royalton.

In its early stages, Rend Lake College was located on the campus of Mt. Vernon Township High School. When it began operation on July 1, 1967, the college had a staff of 29 full-time and eight part-time faculty members, two full-time administrators and a librarian.

The Board of Trustees of the new college later selected a 350-acre site near Ina and employed architects to begin planning a new campus, located between Interstate 57 and Rend Lake. On November 18, 1967, voters approved a bond issue of $3.1 million, which represented the local share of the $9.5 million total. The Illinois Community College Board allocated $2,230,000 for construction of the initial phase.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for Phase I construction were held March 27, 1969 ... the same day the college received word of its first North Central accreditation. Phase I consisted of five buildings – Academic, Science, Gymnasium, South Oasis and Maintenance – and was ready for occupancy by August 1970, with classes on the new campus beginning that fall. Agriculture, Automotive, Cosmetology (Beauty Culture) and Practical Nursing programs were still housed in off-campus facilities in Benton, Bonnie and Mt. Vernon. Permission was then obtained from the Capital Development Board and the ICCB to incorporate Phase III construction with Phase II. Construction of five more buildings – Administration, Vocational, North Oasis, Student Center and Learning Resource Center – began in Spring 1971. Administration and Vocational buildings were finished in September 1973, and by 1975 Phase II and III construction was complete. Rend Lake College thus became the first community college in the state to complete its entire facilities master plan.

A Stran-Steel building also was erected in 1974, next to the Maintenance Building, and was equipped for the Mining Technology program; three separate expansions of this facility later occurred, along with construction of a new Maintenance Building. In 1989, a new automotive wing was added to the Vocational Building and the technology building was renovated.

A Children’s Center to serve the child care needs of RLC students and staff, as well as the educational laboratory needs of the Early Childhood Education program, opened in Fall 1998. Funding for the Children’s Center was provided entirely by the RLC Foundation.

Major remodeling of the Administration Building took place during 1999-2000 and nearly doubled its size. This new “Intake Center” centralizes almost all Student Service functions in one building. In 2014-2015, the entryway to the Administration Building was renovated and upgraded by the RLC Foundation’s Pathways to Success project.

In 2002, major off-campus changes occurred with the addition of the Rend Lake College MarketPlace in Mt. Vernon and the Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus. In 2003, The Hitting Zone, a baseball / softball training facility, began operations, and was renamed in 2014 as the RLC Recreational Center and repurposed. On Oct. 15, 2021 the Rec was officially named the Wayne Arnold Recreational Center.

In Fall 2005, the Mark S. Kern Applied Science Center opened on the southwest corner of campus. This 22,300-square-feet facility houses the Agricultural Business, Agricultural Production, Agricultural Mechanics, Heavy Equipment and Diesel Technology programs.

Opened in Fall 2009 was the the 20,000-square-feet Coal Mine Training Center. It includes operational coal mining equipment and a mock mine with movable walls and other components. The following year, the adjacent Mine Rescue and Fire Training Facility was completed.

In Fall 2011, the Science & Computer Center was added to the Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus, allowing students to earn a complete associate degree in some disciplines there without the need to travel to the Ina campus.
A new shooting range, built for concealed carry and other firearms training, was constructed in 2013. In 2014, an addition to the Art program facility, located in the Learning Resource Center, was completed. In 2015, the Fire Rescue training facility was established.

Renovation of the Mary & George Slankard Learning Resource Center was completed in 2021. This project included an improved facade, new study spaces, an enhanced Children’s Library, a CTE Success Center and Computer Lab, and a new Wellness Room.

The RLC Event Center, which is used by the college and the public to host meetings, trainings, and other events, opened in Spring 2022. The center includes a large conference space, a smaller meeting area, a video wall, and a warming kitchen.

Banterra Bank announced a 10-year naming-rights agreement on Aug. 29 that established the Banterra Sports Complex at RLC that will house Waugh Gymnasium. Banterra’s $1 million sponsorship agreement is the largest in RLC history and the first corporate naming-rights agreement for the college in over two decades. The sponsorship is also the largest contribution to The Game Plan — Rend Lake College Foundation’s $6.5 million capital campaign to renovate the athletic facilities at Waugh Gym.

The Aspen Institute has named RLC among the Top 150 colleges in the nation every year it has held its College Excellence Program. The 2025 award (named in 2023) marked the eighth-straight time RLC received the honor.

Historical Texts

The First Fifteen Years

DOWNLOAD NOW!
Howard Rawlinson’s “The First Fifteen Years” spans 1956 - 1971. It chronicles the establishment of Mt. Vernon Community College and how it grew into Rend Lake College on the Ina campus.

The History of RLC

DOWNLOAD NOW!
Bob Kelley’s compilation, "The History of Rend Lake College," picks up where Rawlinson left off. This unabridged collection of our college's history goes into great detail about leadership, accomplishments, concerns, athletics, students and much more.

Fifty

“Fifty” is rich with photos and historic information covering our first 50 years. Buy your copy today and have it shipped to your door. A portion of the purchase price goes to support our efforts at RLC.

Making A Mark

The official Rend Lake College seal was designed in 1967-68 by Architectural Technology student Ross John Wakefield, a sophomore from Shelbyville, for a contest among students of Art Instructor Jim McGhee. The seal was favored in a vote by both students and faculty. Wakefield’s rendering features a lamp of learning and compass - representing vocational programs - imposed over an outline of Rend Lake. Used as the college's main mark for years, Wakefield's seal is now RLC's ceremonious symbol.

In 1980, a new college logo -- depicting a sun, waves and the initials RLC in block lettering -- was developed to replace the traditional college seal when a more modern, less official approach was appropriate. Whenever possible, the RLC lettering would remain solid gold, with a second color coordinated but varied — blue, orange, green, etc.

In 2009, the college comissioned Arthur Agency to design a new logo. An RLC Branding Committee, made up of a cross section of the college, worked with Arthur on the project. The iconic RLC Clocktower was ultimately chosen as the central image in the new logo. The logo was unveiled in February of 2010. Read more.

RLC's 50th Anniversary logo was created in 2017 by the college's marketing department. The logo combines the Ina campus skyline with elements of Rend Lake. The 13 stars represent the 13 in-district high schools that feed into the college. The 7 lines depicting water represent the 7 presidents who have led RLC from 1967 to 2017.

We are Award Winning

Administration

Terry Wilkerson
President
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 126
Phone Ext. 1242

President's Contract Documents

August 2020 (President's Contract & Evaluation Instrument Included in this Packet)

President's Goals & Responsibilities

President's Contract Documents

President's Executive Leadership Team

Lori Ragland
Executive Vice President
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 136
Phone Ext: 1200

Chad Copple
Vice President - Institutional Effectiveness
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 137
Phone Ext: 1237

Cathy DeJarnette
Executive Director - Administrative Services
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 126
Phone Ext: 1243

Henry "Buster" Leeck
Vice President - Academic & Student Services
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 110
Phone Ext: 1790

Kim Wilkerson
Vice President - CTE and Student Support
[email protected]
Learning Resource Center Room 129
Phone Ext: 1775

John Gulley
Vice President - Finance & Auxiliary Services
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 164
Phone Ext: 1216

President's Cabinet

Andrea Banach
Dean of Arts & Sciences Division
[email protected]
North Oasis Room 145
Phone Ext: 1258

Shari Carpenter
Dean of Applied Science & Technology
[email protected]
South Oasis Room 145
Phone Ext: 1774

Amy Epplin
Director of Instutional Compliance and Research
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 121
Phone Ext: 1386

Jena Jensik
Dean of Enrollment Services
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 108
Phone Ext: 1293

Kent McKown
Coordinator of Network Operations and Security
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 146
Phone Ext: 1215

Donnie Millenbine
Dean of Facilities & Campus Operations
[email protected]
Physical Plant
Phone Ext: 1319

Amy Newell
RLC Foundation Assistant Director of Development
[email protected]
Student Center Room 210
Phone Ext: 1214

Bria Robinson
Dean of Allied Health
[email protected]
South Oasis Room 116
Phone Ext: 1777

Vickie Schulte
Dean of Student Success & Development
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 139
Phone Ext: 1331

Nathan Wheeler
Director of Marketing and Public Information
[email protected]
Administration Building Room 125
Phone Ext: 1234

Smoke-Free Policy

Rend Lake College campuses are smoke-free as of July 1, 2015.
The Illinois Smoke-Free Campus Act, signed in 2014 by former Gov. Pat Quinn, does not allow smoking on any public college or university campus, whether that is indoors, outdoors, or in parking lots. Staff, students, and visitors are prohibited from carrying, smoking, burning, inhaling, or exhaling any kind of cigarette, cigar, e-cigarette, or other smoking equipment. The one exception is for those who wish to smoke inside a privately owned vehicle.