INA, IL (Dec. 31, 2021) - Another year has come and is almost gone. Looking back on the year that was, 2021 featured a lot of promising events at Rend Lake College.
Things started to look like they were before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the world. Class lectures came back to campus, along with events like Fun Fest, the RLC Fall Play, athletic home games and other special events.
Here is a list of the top headlines from the past 12 months:
COVID Vaccines: The pandemic continued to make the news throughout the year. In February, RLC nursing students joined forces with local health departments and healthcare facilities in administering COVID-19 vaccines through area clinics. The students had an important role in the first rollout of this historic immunization.
In September, RLC started hosting its own vaccination clinics when state mandates require COVID-19 vaccinations for college employees and students or weekly proofs of a negative test.
In-person classes resumed beginning with Summer 2021: After more than a year with mostly online-only courses and remote work, RLC brought back face-to-face classroom and office hour options for its students. Options for the summer and fall classes included other formats as well including online, remote, hybrid, HyFlex and Blended Flex.
The Event Center: Work began on transforming the former Aquatics Center into the new Event Center. In July, the RLC Board of Trustees accepted the bid submitted by Unterbrink Construction Inc, of Greenville for construction of the new RLC Event Center.
The bid includes four alternates for sanding, cleaning and staining existing roof deck beams; replacing tile and painting walls in the lobby; installing wood wainscot on columns in the conference room and lobby; and removing clerestory windows and insulated metal panels, and installing new insulated metal panels. The funding for this project will come from bonding sources already available resulting in no additional cost to the taxpayers of the district.
The most recent update from the Event Center included the completion of drywall in the smaller rooms and the painting of the high beams in the large room.
RLC tuition stays flat for fifth straight year: RLC decided to put students before its balance sheet for the fifth year in a row, keeping the same tuition rates for in-district, out-of-district and out-of-state students.
New study: RLC remains a critical piece to the regional economy and a source for job creation: Rend Lake College continued to help drive the local and surrounding area economies and train a skilled workforce for critical industries throughout Illinois, according to a statewide report that analyzed the value of the Illinois community college system. The Rend Lake College’s Economic Impacts report was prepared by the Governmental Studies at Northern Illinois University (NIU) under agreement with the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).
Ribbon cutting held for Slankard Learning Resource Center: A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Sept. 17 to celebrate the finished renovation for the Mary and George Slankard Learning Resource Center on Rend Lake College campus. The ceremony commemorated the generous efforts of the donor community and paid special tribute to the lead contributors who helped make the major addition and renovation project possible. “Today really is a very special day,†RLCF Foundation Chief Executive Officer Kay Zibby-Damron said. “We celebrate the culmination of years of dreams and plans to improve our Learning Resource Center.â€
Mr. A Day celebrated on the RLC campus: An on-campus celebration for Mr. Gene Alexander was held on the RLC campus, after the Board of Trustees passed a resolution naming Sept. 22, 2021, Mr. A Day. The proclamation was a way to acknowledge his dedication and significant support to hundreds of students. Alexander said that day was “a great day†because he was given the chance to talk to so many students. The day turned out to be a fitting tribute for the longtime educator. Alexander died on Dec. 8 at the age of 86.
RLC holds a dedication ceremony for Wayne Arnold Recreational Complex: Rend Lake College gathered together to honor the Father of Fitness in a renaming ceremony on Oct. 15 t the Wayne Arnold Recreational Complex on the main campus. The renovation project included a complete overhaul of the Rec Center, such as adding the multipurpose flooring and a new array of fitness equipment for RLC student-athletes, faculty, staff and the public to enjoy.
RLC named an Aspen Contest Finalist: The Aspen Institute announced in November that Rend Lake College was one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. The colleges selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.
Two Great Colleges, One Great Partnership: RLC, SIC to continue Alliance Agreement for the next decade: Southeastern Illinois College and Rend Lake College have for a decade now fostered a relationship built on honesty and transparency to serve students on both campuses and share valuable resources. Both boards approved a new Alliance Agreement that outlines clear and regular communication channels and goals to continue their sharing agreement well into the next decade.
RLC receives a $91,000 federal grant to help student parents pay for childcare: Rend Lake College has been awarded a competitive grant to help low-income parents pay for childcare expenses while they attend college. The US Department of Education has given RLC $91,353 through a Child Care Access Means Parents In School (CCAMPIS) grant. This marked the first time RLC has received the federal grant, which will assist a number of students with their childcare costs over the next three years.
RLC announces new Veteran Tuition Scholarship: As a way to say thank you to all who have served, Rend Lake College announced a new tuition scholarship directed at helping veterans pay for college. The RLC Veteran Tuition Scholarship is offered to any service member who wants to change careers or start a new journey. The scholarship aims at helping students pay for college even when other financial assistance has been exhausted.
There is a lot more in store for RLC in 2022. Check back regularly for the latest news happening at Rend Lake College by visiting rlc.edu/pressroom.
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