About Us
RLC History
Welcome to Rend Lake College — the perfect place to start your journey.
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 childcare 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
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.
Historical Texts
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.
HIstorical Texts
The History of RLC
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.
History of Rend Lake College:
Short Video
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.
Making A Mark
Rend Lake College Official Seal
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.
1980 College Logo
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.
2009 College Logo
In 2009, the college commissioned 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.
We are Award Winning
In 2021, Rend Lake College has received the Aspen Prize for community college excellence. The Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding achievement in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, access, and equity for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. By focusing on student success and lifting up models that work, the Aspen Prize aims to celebrate excellence, advance a focus on equitable student success, and stimulate replication of effective culture and practice.
50th Anniversary Logo
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.
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President
Terry Wilkerson
Rend Lake College’s seventh full-time President since April 2012.
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.
President's Executive Team
Lori Ragland
Executive Vice President
Chad Copple
Vice President - Institutional Effectiveness
Cathy DeJarnette
Executive Director - Administrative Services
Henry "Buster" Leeck
Vice President - Academic & Student Services
Kim Wilkerson
Vice President - CTE & Student Support
John Gulley
Vice President - Finance & Auxiliary Services
