INA, Ill. (November 23, 2022) — Rend Lake College is celebrating its 20-year anniversary of the Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus on November 30 at 2 pm at the Pinckneyville campus.
Campus officials invite current students, high-school students, community members, and anyone interested in learning more about the campus to join them at 2 pm for a ribbon cutting, followed by an open house until 6 pm.
Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus.
"The Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus has created many opportunities for community members," said Pinckneyville Campus Director Heather Bauersachs. "I often see students who attended class come back to let me know how much of an impact this location has made for them."
The campus has been a staple of quality education in Pinckneyville since opening its doors in the fall of 2002. Bauersachs has served the campus since its inception.
"We offer programs that allow students to take dual-credit classes to get a head start on their college journey. We have non-traditional students looking to take a class here and there. We also have returning students who need a few credits to complete their degrees coming to campus. The flexibility in class schedules is what makes that possible."
Some students benefit from the campus by accelerating their associate's degrees while attending high school.
Before graduating at Pinckneyville Community High School, Alexis Degler walks the stage at Rend Lake College's 2022 Commencement.
A student that followed that trajectory is 2022 RLC graduate Alexis Degler. Degler walked for RLC graduation before walking for her high school graduation. "The Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Campus allowed me to participate in dual enrollment, where I received highly discounted college tuition," Degler said. "On top of my dual credit classes in high school, I walked for graduation at RLC a week before graduating at Pinckneyville Community High School. It also allowed me to stand out as an applicant for a job at my current school, Southeastern Missouri State University, and an internship this coming summer." – You can read more about Alexis' graduation story here.
Additionally, the campus offers community education classes throughout the year, such as CNA and truck driver training, and camps for kids in the summer.
During the event, Rend Lake College will have academic advisors standing by to answer questions about enrollment. They will also have RLC's apprenticeship staff available to educate interested individuals on how they can go to school and build skills with an RLC education at the same time. Financial aid advisors will also be present to answer questions about how students can pay for their education.
"Overall, I could not be more proud of the opportunities the campus has afforded the individuals of the community," Bauersachs said. "They have come here, received their education, and then gone on to achieve some pretty amazing feats."
"We are proud of our presence and partnerships with the Pinckneyville Community," said Rend Lake College President Terry Wilkerson. "We look forward to strengthening that relationship in the coming decades."
Those interested in attending the ribbon cutting, sponsored by the Pinckneyville Chamber of Commerce, may visit the Rend Lake College Murphy-Wall Campus at 5680 HWY 154 in Pinckneyville, IL, at 2 pm on November 30. The open house will begin directly after the ribbon cutting until 6 pm.
