INA, Ill. (May 6, 2024)— The Banterra Bank Student of the Month is Matthew Ray of Murray, Ky.
Banterra Students of the Month are selected based on combination of GPA, and campus and community involvement.
May plays on the RLC baseball team and will graduate Saturday with a 4.0 GPA.
His coach, Chris Moddelmog, said, "Matthew is a great kid on and off the field. He is a leader for our team and in the community. He is the epitome of what it means to be a student-athlete. Matthew is extremely respectful to not only his teammates but also his coaches, instructors, administrators; anyone he encounters. Matthew has a bright future ahead of him.”
An instructor in one of Ray's classes, Reece Rutland, said, "Matthew is consistently engaged and brings quality content to the course. I've been impressed with how he adapted after some early feedback and improved his performance."
RLC is delighted to see its students recognized for their upstanding character not only by our faculty and staff, but also by leaders in our community, such as Banterra Bank President & CEO Jeff May.
“Banterra was happy to partner with Rend Lake College for the naming rights of an upcoming renovated sports facility, the Banterra Sports Complex, because we are two organizations that are committed to supporting Southern Illinois and our youth,” said May. “As part of that partnership, we are honored to sponsor a Student of the Month program which recognizes an outstanding RLC student each month for their achievements.”
The Game Plan is an opportunity to renovate and expand the facilities within the Waugh Gymnasium on the RLC campus. Banterra Bank acquired naming rights of the gym and will hence force be known as The Banterra Sports Complex, which is RLC’s largest corporate naming rights agreement to date. Renovations of the Banterra Sports Complex is estimated to begin in Fall 2024.
Rend Lake College is a member of the Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Rend Lake College Warrior and Lady Warrior teams compete in archery, men and women’s basketball, baseball, men and women’s golf, softball, trapshooting, and women’s volleyball. The 2021-2022 Warriors’ basketball team was named NJCAA Academic Team of the Year, finishing with a collective of 3.61 GPA. In 2013, the Warrior men's basketball team won the Division II national championship.
The planned Banterra Sports Complex at Rend Lake College will include the existing James “Hummer” Waugh Gymnasium as well as a new addition to the space. Waugh Gymnasium is one of the original buildings on the college’s campus and in 1995 was named after Waugh, a long-time coach and educator with nearly 50 combined athletic seasons to his credit when he retired. In addition to the gym, it includes athletic offices and locker rooms.