About
RLC Achieves
Rend Lake College's achievements are all credited to the quality and devotion of our students, faculty, staff and administration. RLC remains committed, every day, to every student. View our collection of achievements that have made us a regional leader through higher education.
Student Insights Dashboard
The National Student Clearinghouse Student Insights Dashboard provides data about educational institutions in Enrollment, Outcomes, Retention, Credit Accumulation, Time to Credentials and Transfers of students. You may use this link to access the most recent data submitted to the National Student Clearinghouse by selecting Rend Lake College in "Select an Institution".
Credit
Our students' recent success rate is approximately 93% in gaining credit for classes they take.
Source: RLC Fact Book FY22
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96.70 %Summer 2016
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95.60 %Fall 2016
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95.50 %Spring 2017
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94.27 %Spring 2021
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92.96 %Fall 2021
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93.46 %Spring 2022
Class Size
Keeping class sizes small allows us to give each student the attention he or she deserves. Our average instructor-to-student ratio is 17 to 1.
Source: RLC Fact Book FY22
Honors Lists
About 400 RLC students earn a spot on the President's List (4.0 GPA) or Vice President's List (3.5 - 3.9 GPA) each semester
- Spring 2022 Honors = 396
- Fall 2021 Honors = 324
- Spring 2021 Honors = 387
- Fall 2020 Honors = 337
- Spring 2020 Honors = 421
- Fall 2019 Honors = 350
- Spring 2019 Honors = 295
- Fall 2018 Honors = 390
- Spring 2018 Honors = 396
- Fall 2017 Honors = 370
- Spring 2017 Honors = 396
- Fall 2016 Honors = 362
- Spring 2016 Honors = 417
- Fall 2015 Honors = 393
- Spring 2015 Honors = 410
- Fall 2014 Honors = 421
Source: RLC Fact Book FY22
CCSSE
The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) Key Findings report provides benchmark comparisons between RLC, top-performing colleges, and the CCSSE cohort. It also highlights aspects of highest and lowest student engagement at RLC, as well as results from five CCSSE special-focus items.RAMP
RLC submits its annual Resource Allocation Management Plan (RAMP) to the Illinois Community College Board. This is a type of "wish list" for possible state funding. Projects on RLC's RAMP list currently include a new Allied Health Building, and additions to the Student Center and Applied Science Center.Master Plan
The purpose of District Site and Construction Master Plan is to provide direction in the growth of the College’s built environment. The plan shall serve as the guideline for acquiring new sites and facilities and for the construction of new facilities on the existing Rend Lake College campuses.CCSSE
The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) Key Findings report provides benchmark comparisons between RLC, top-performing colleges, and the CCSSE cohort. It also highlights aspects of highest and lowest student engagement at RLC, as well as results from five CCSSE special-focus items.RAMP
RLC submits its annual Resource Allocation Management Plan (RAMP) to the Illinois Community College Board. This is a type of "wish list" for possible state funding. Projects on RLC's RAMP list currently include a new Allied Health Building, and additions to the Student Center and Applied Science Center.Master Plan
The purpose of District Site and Construction Master Plan is to provide direction in the growth of the College’s built environment. The plan shall serve as the guideline for acquiring new sites and facilities and for the construction of new facilities on the existing Rend Lake College campuses.Faculty Excellence
"The History of Rend Lake College: Excellence in Faculty at Rend Lake College"
From "The History of Rend Lake College: Excellence in Faculty at Rend Lake College" in 2017 by Bob Kelley
Can’t have one without the other
FACULTY EXCELLENCE A MUST TO ATTRACT / PRODUCE QUALITY STUDENTS
The question begs of an age-old answer, much like the chicken-or-egg debate. Which comes first? Quality students or a first-rate faculty? A high-caliber instructional staff or bright, eager-to-learn minds which belong to teenagers and adults of all ages? Forget the debate. As Frank Sinatra told us about “Love and Marriage” many years ago, thanks to songwriters Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van-Heusen . . . This I tell ya, brother, you can’t have one without the other.
The two have gone hand-in-hand since the inception of Rend Lake College in 1967. Love at first sight – RLC students and staff. The perfect marriage – RLC’s competent faculty and classrooms full of eager learners. You can’t have one without the other.
“Faculty Excellence” has been recognized by the RLC Foundation with an annual award since Spring 1980. [Prior to that, Phi Theta Kappa presented a “Distinguished Educator” Award annually. In 2019, the name of the award was changed to the RLCF Outstanding Faculty Member Award.] When the first 36 recipients of the RLC Foundation “Faculty Excellence” Award are considered, with one exception, most college departments divisions have been well-represented. But we would be remiss if we did not admit there are no-telling-how-many more outstanding instructors there are not on the list, or not yet on the list, or not on the list because they preceded the award, or for some unknown reason never nominated, or . . . well, you get the point. The rewards for many other deserving instructors are realized in diversified ways. Persistent reorganization of programs into different departments/divisions over the years muddies the results . . .
• Math and Science-related instructors have accounted for seven winners, starting with Dr. Eugene Estes (Biology/Botany) in 1982 and most recently with Larry Williams (Zoology) in 2006 and Tina Grounds (Early Childhood Education) in 2013. In-between are John Fisher (Chemistry) in 1996, Linda Denton (Physics/Physical Science) in 1998, Sandra Cox (Mathematics) in 2000 and Diane Metzger (Mathematics) in 2003.
• A half-dozen representatives from Arts and Communications-turned Liberal Arts, from Dr. Barbara Luchsinger (English) in 1985 to Sarah Capps (Art) in 1987, Dr. John Homan Jr. (English) in 1988, Joseph H. Rust (Speech/Theatre) in 1993, Mike Mullen (English/Journalism) in 1994 and, after a lengthy gap, Rob Little (English) in 2009.
• Six “Outstanding” designations have been earned by Allied Health Instructors/Professors, with an 18-year drought between early honorees Shirley Yeargin (Practical Nursing) in 1984 and Sandra VanCleve (Practical Nursing) in 1986 and a trio who dominated a recent five-year stretch, Trish Bennett-Minor (Practical Nursing) in 2004, Debbie Benns (now Hamplemann) (Associate Degree Nursing) in 2007 and Bonnie Tolbert (Practical Nursing) in 2008. Barbara Crouse (Practical Nursing) joined the ranks in 2014.
• Four Mining and Industrial Technology award-winners have been well spaced from Gary Wade (Welding) in 1983 and William Dill (Mining Technology) in 1992 to D.J. Johnson (Industrial Health and Safety) in 2005 and Chris Nielsen (Industrial Technology/Mining) in 2010. • More recently, back-to-back Applied Science and Technology reps Ricky Robinson (Computer Networking) and Shari Carpenter (Computer Science) in 2015-16.
• Four others would swell the Liberal Arts ranks today but were Business and Social Science Department members at the time they were saluted – honorees No. 1 Eleanor Hall (Anthropology/Sociology) in 1980 and No. 2 Vincent Cain (Social Sciences) in 1981, Dr. Susan Santoro Tomlin (Anthropology/Sociology) in 1995 and Carolyn Stewart (Psychology) in 1997.
• Business Professors Janet Miller (Secretarial Science) and Larry Sidwell (Accounting/Economics) followed in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
• Two Health and Physical Education Instructors had set a similar precedence a decade earlier – best friends Wayne Arnold in 1989 and Jim “Hummer” Waugh in 1991.• Believe it or not, David “Father” Scott (Agriculture) was the only member of the AAA faculty – Agriculture, Automotive and Architecture – to be chosen, although several other candidates over the years were on fast-tracks to administrative positions.
Can’t have one without the other
FACULTY EXCELLENCE A MUST TO ATTRACT / PRODUCE QUALITY STUDENTS
The question begs of an age-old answer, much like the chicken-or-egg debate. Which comes first? Quality students or a first-rate faculty? A high-caliber instructional staff or bright, eager-to-learn minds which belong to teenagers and adults of all ages? Forget the debate. As Frank Sinatra told us about “Love and Marriage” many years ago, thanks to songwriters Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van-Heusen . . . This I tell ya, brother, you can’t have one without the other.
The two have gone hand-in-hand since the inception of Rend Lake College in 1967. Love at first sight – RLC students and staff. The perfect marriage – RLC’s competent faculty and classrooms full of eager learners. You can’t have one without the other.
“Faculty Excellence” has been recognized by the RLC Foundation with an annual award since Spring 1980. [Prior to that, Phi Theta Kappa presented a “Distinguished Educator” Award annually. In 2019, the name of the award was changed to the RLCF Outstanding Faculty Member Award.] When the first 36 recipients of the RLC Foundation “Faculty Excellence” Award are considered, with one exception, most college departments divisions have been well-represented. But we would be remiss if we did not admit there are no-telling-how-many more outstanding instructors there are not on the list, or not yet on the list, or not on the list because they preceded the award, or for some unknown reason never nominated, or . . . well, you get the point. The rewards for many other deserving instructors are realized in diversified ways. Persistent reorganization of programs into different departments/divisions over the years muddies the results . . .
• Math and Science-related instructors have accounted for seven winners, starting with Dr. Eugene Estes (Biology/Botany) in 1982 and most recently with Larry Williams (Zoology) in 2006 and Tina Grounds (Early Childhood Education) in 2013. In-between are John Fisher (Chemistry) in 1996, Linda Denton (Physics/Physical Science) in 1998, Sandra Cox (Mathematics) in 2000 and Diane Metzger (Mathematics) in 2003.
• A half-dozen representatives from Arts and Communications-turned Liberal Arts, from Dr. Barbara Luchsinger (English) in 1985 to Sarah Capps (Art) in 1987, Dr. John Homan Jr. (English) in 1988, Joseph H. Rust (Speech/Theatre) in 1993, Mike Mullen (English/Journalism) in 1994 and, after a lengthy gap, Rob Little (English) in 2009.
• Six “Outstanding” designations have been earned by Allied Health Instructors/Professors, with an 18-year drought between early honorees Shirley Yeargin (Practical Nursing) in 1984 and Sandra VanCleve (Practical Nursing) in 1986 and a trio who dominated a recent five-year stretch, Trish Bennett-Minor (Practical Nursing) in 2004, Debbie Benns (now Hamplemann) (Associate Degree Nursing) in 2007 and Bonnie Tolbert (Practical Nursing) in 2008. Barbara Crouse (Practical Nursing) joined the ranks in 2014.
• Four Mining and Industrial Technology award-winners have been well spaced from Gary Wade (Welding) in 1983 and William Dill (Mining Technology) in 1992 to D.J. Johnson (Industrial Health and Safety) in 2005 and Chris Nielsen (Industrial Technology/Mining) in 2010. • More recently, back-to-back Applied Science and Technology reps Ricky Robinson (Computer Networking) and Shari Carpenter (Computer Science) in 2015-16.
• Four others would swell the Liberal Arts ranks today but were Business and Social Science Department members at the time they were saluted – honorees No. 1 Eleanor Hall (Anthropology/Sociology) in 1980 and No. 2 Vincent Cain (Social Sciences) in 1981, Dr. Susan Santoro Tomlin (Anthropology/Sociology) in 1995 and Carolyn Stewart (Psychology) in 1997.
• Business Professors Janet Miller (Secretarial Science) and Larry Sidwell (Accounting/Economics) followed in 2001 and 2002, respectively.
• Two Health and Physical Education Instructors had set a similar precedence a decade earlier – best friends Wayne Arnold in 1989 and Jim “Hummer” Waugh in 1991.• Believe it or not, David “Father” Scott (Agriculture) was the only member of the AAA faculty – Agriculture, Automotive and Architecture – to be chosen, although several other candidates over the years were on fast-tracks to administrative positions.
Phi Theta Kappa Distinguished Educator Award
- 1968 Art Samford
- 1969 William Hazelbauer
- 1970 Eleanor Hall
- 1971 Dr. Eugene Estes
- 1972 Dr. Evelyn Claxton
- 1973 Cheryl Foley
- 1975 Keith E. Drayton
- 1976 Dr. Richard Doherty
- 1977 Max Brandon
- 1979 Vincent Cain
- 2007 Greg Hollmann
- 2008 Carrie Ragan
- 2009 Terry Wilkerson
- 2010 Nathan Brouwer
- 2011 Sarah Draper
- 2012 Dr. Jeannie Mitchell
- 2013 Paul Sandrock
- 2014 Larry Williams
- 2015 Emily Jones
- 2016 Joe Ervin
- 2016 Terry Wilkerson (Honorary)
- 2017
- 2018 Cindy Caldwell
- 2019 Tim Wills
- 2020
- 2021
- 2022 Tracey Webb
- 2023 Dr. Elizabeth Bailey-Smith
Rend Lake College Foundation Faculty Excellence Award
- 1980 Eleanor Hall
- 1981 Vincent Cain
- 1982 Dr. Eugene Estes
- 1983 Gary Wade
- 1984 Shirley Yeargin
- 1985 Dr. Barbara Luchsinger
- 1986 Sandra Van Cleve
- 1987 Sarah Capps
- 1988 Dr. John Homan Jr.
- 1989 Wayne Arnold
- 1990 David Scott
- 1991 Jim Waugh
- 1992 William Dill
- 1993 Joseph Henry Rust
- 1994 Michael P. Mullen
- 1995 Dr. Sue S. Tomlin
- 1996 John Howard Fisher
- 1997 Carolyn Stewart
- 1998 Dr. Linda Denton
- 199 Ro Hoar
- 2000 Sandra Cox
- 2001 Janet Miller
- 2002 Larry Sidwell
- 2003 Diane Metzger
- 2004 Trish Bennett-Minor
- 2005 D.J. Johnson
- 2006 Larry Williams
- 2007 Debbie Benns
- 2008 Bonnie Tolbert
- 2009 Rob Little
- 2010 Chris Nielsen
- 2012 Kevin Weston
- 2013 Tina Grounds
- 2014 Barbara Crouse
- 2015 Ricky Robinson
- 2016 Shari Carpenter
- 2017 Carrie Ragan
- 2018 Cindy Caldwell
- 2019 Brenda Heinzmann
- 2020 Dr. Jeannie Mitchell
- 2021 Nathan Brouwer
- 2022 Mike Meinert
- 2023 Jeff Keen
Staff Excellence
Rend Lake College Foundation Outstanding Staff Award
- 1981 Betty Herbert
- 1982 Rosemary Carnes
- 1983 Jerri Ruemmler
- 1984 Jean Estes
- 1985 Jim Peeples
- 1986 Jill Colvin
- 1987 Sherry Somers
- 1988 June Sanders
- 1989 Roger Treece
- 1990 Connie Sample
- 1991 Conetta Swift
- 1992 Paul Ossig
- 1993 Dennis Carnes
- 1994 Glenda Atkins
- 1994 Jane Spencer
- 1994 Mary Ann Lewis
- 1995 David Davis
- 1995 Julie Oxford
- 1996 Carl Helverson
- 1996 Cathy Cross
- 1996 Jean Huie
- 1997 Janice Dillon
- 1997 Ron Somers
- 1998 Becky Williamson
- 1998 Danny Broy
- 1999 Gib Sink
- 1999 Phyllis Rice
- 2000 Mike Sevenski
- 2000 Shari Carpenter
- 2001 Dennis Richards
- 2001 Kim Davis
- 2002 Frank Hughey
- 2002 Sue Scattone
- 2003 Lori Ragland
- 2003 Randall Shively
- 2004 Dawn Gibson
- 2004 Dorothy Feira
- 2005 Beth Mandrell
- 2005 Bob Kelley
- 2006 Kelly Downes
- 2006 Trudee Wynn
- 2007 Brent McLain
- 2007 Lisa Price
- 2008 Cheri Rushing
- 2009 Chad Copple
- 2009 Ed Ruffino
- 2010 Brenda Garvin
- 2011 Angie Kistner
- 2011 Donnie Millenbine
- 2011 Stephanie McKinney
- 2012 Brian Clark
- 2012 Kristina Shelton
- 2013 Beth Stevens
- 2014 Rachel Sveda
- 2015 Nathan Wheeler
- 2016 Joy Fitts
- 2016 Kent McKown
- 2016 Ronald Murray
- 2017 Susan Cunningham
- 2017 Wesley Rush
- 2018 Jena Jensik
- 2019 Lynne French
- 2020 Shari Carpenter
- 2021 Taylor Hutchens
- 2022 Heather Adams
