Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) is a
community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior sec ...
in
Oglesby,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
. The college serves a district encompassing all of
Putnam and parts of
Bureau
Bureau ( ) may refer to:
Agencies and organizations
* Government agency
*Public administration
* News bureau, an office for gathering or distributing news, generally for a given geographical location
* Bureau (European Parliament), the administra ...
,
LaSalle,
DeKalb DeKalb or De Kalb may refer to:
People
* Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in the American Revolutionary War
Places Municipalities in the United States
* DeKalb, Illinois, the largest city in the United States named DeKalb
**DeKal ...
,
Grundy,
Lee,
Livingston
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* Livingston Energy Flight, an Italian airline (2003–2010)
* Livingston Compagnia Aerea, an Italian airline (2011–2014), also known as Livingston Airline
* Livingston International, a North American custom ...
, and
Marshall
Marshall may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria
Canada
* Marshall, Saskatchewan
* The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia
Liberia
* Marshall, Liberia
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* Marshall Islands, an i ...
counties.
The college sits on a campus that was constructed in 1972.
The college offers associate degrees and certificates and has been accredited by
The Higher Learning Commission
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an institutional accreditor in the United States. It has historically accredited post-secondary education institutions in the central United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa ...
of the
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It w ...
since 1929.
History
LPO Junior College
![IVCC-IL-USGS](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/IVCC-IL-USGS.jpg)
IVCC was founded in 1924 under the name LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College with an entering class of 32 students studying in facilities provided by the
LaSalle-Peru Township High School
LaSalle-Peru Township High School, also known as LaSalle-Peru High School, LPHS, or simply LP, is a Public school (government funded), public four-year high school located at 541 Chartres Street in LaSalle, Illinois, a small city in LaSalle County ...
.
The mission of the college during this time period was to lay the foundations for successful careers. The first president of the college was Dr. Thomas J. McCormack, who had served as superintendent of the high school since 1903.
On July 1, 1966, LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby College was given a new name. Illinois Valley Community College replaced LPO, and in the fall of 1968 was relocated to its current location on the opposite side of the Illinois River from the LaSalle-Peru area. The new name seemed fitting because much of the area that the college district encompasses is referred to as the Illinois Valley. The relocation was possible due to an $8.25 million referendum voted on by members of District 513 to finance the beginning of IVCC.
The first courses took place in the new location in September, 1968.
Alumni
Clay Zavada
Clay Pflibson Zavada (born June 28, 1984) is a former professional baseball pitcher who pitched in Major League Baseball for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009. He is noted for his Rollie Fingers moustache.
Early career
Zavada attended Illinois V ...
-
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player
/ref>
IVCC today
The Illinois Valley Community College district encompasses roughly , contains 21 high schools, and includes more than 146,000 residents. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The HLC is a division of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), also known as the North Central Association, was a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states engaged in educational accreditation. It w ...
. In November 2002, IVCC was accepted into the HLC's Academic Quality Improvement Program. The majority of courses occur in buildings A through E, but the campus is not limited to this area. Industrial courses are taught in buildings on the eastern side of the campus, and a cultural center and gym with a fitness center are also present. Although 89% of students attend class during the day, IVCC offers night courses for those whose schedules conflict with the earlier class periods.
In 2000 the college opened a branch campus at Marquette High School (Ottawa, Illinois), Ottawa Center. The college is supported by a foundation created in 1976 to manage bequests and other financial gifts to the college. In 2007 the foundation created IVCC's first alumni association. In 2009, Cassie Fuller and Veronica Blue were named to the All-USA Community College Academic Team, placing them in the top 50 and 150 community college students nationwide.
Student activities and services
Clubs and athletics
The department "complements the student's academic experience through the development of, exposure to, and participation in social, cultural, multicultural, intellectual, recreational, community service and campus governance programs". The college puts on theatrical and musical performances each year. Performers range from students to visiting artists.
IVCC is home to varsity and intramural sports teams. Varsity sports include basketball, baseball, soccer and tennis. The college's Eagle's athletic program is a member of the Arrowhead Conference
The Arrowhead Conference is a conference within the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) located in region 4. The conference consists of six
junior colleges located in northern Illinois.
Members
Founding member institutions were ...
, that also includes Carl Sandburg College
Carl Sandburg College is a public community college with its main campus in Galesburg, Illinois. The college serves west-central Illinois region and has a branch campus in Carthage and an off-campus site in downtown Galesburg.
The college was es ...
, Black Hawk College
Black Hawk College is a public community college in Illinois with campuses in Moline and Galva.
History
Black Hawk College is a community college with campuses located in Moline and in Kewanee ( south of Kewanee). Founded in 1946 as Moline ...
, Black Hawk College — East, Kishwaukee College
Kishwaukee College is a public community college in Malta, Illinois. It is part of the Illinois Community College System and serves District 523, which encompasses most of DeKalb County, and parts of Lee, Ogle and La Salle counties.
History ...
, Highland Community College and Sauk Valley Community College
Sauk Valley Community College (SVCC) is a public community college in Dixon, Illinois, United States. It was established in 1965 and was built on the Rock River between the cities of Sterling and Dixon.
The college offers an assortment of tr ...
. The college offers eight varsity sports.
Services
Counselors are available to assist students in developing academic strategies or in determining a career path. Counseling is not limited to academic matters, students facing other issues are welcome to talk to a counselor. In addition to the counseling and advising services, students can use the peer tutoring and reading, writing and study skills lab. Peer tutors are hired by the College to assist other students who are struggling. An on-site bookstore, computer resource center and day care are available.
Academics
Programs of study
Illinois Valley Community College is primarily a two-year institution; therefore, the majority of the programs offered are either completed in this two-year period, or they set the foundation for students transferring to a 4-year institution. Associate in Applied Science Degrees are completed in two years and prepare students for employment. Computer Aided Engineering and Design, Early Childhood Education and Therapeutic Massage are a few of the two-year programs.
In addition to these programs, forty-one certificate programs are available to students. Certificates offered by the college typically require one to four semesters and prepare students for a vocational career upon completion of the program. Additional associate degrees are available for students planning to transfer to a four-year institution. Associate Degrees in the Arts, Sciences, Engineering Sciences and General Studies are offered to potential transfer students. Even though the IVCC offers a variety of programs, some students will be unable to take the necessary courses for their intended major. For situations such as these, Illinois Valley Community College "maintains a close cooperative agreement with 20 other colleges in the Illinois community college system". Students may complete their degree at the appropriate institution and not have to pay any out-of-district fees.
Admissions
Illinois Valley Community College generally offers open admission; however, prospective students must have a high school diploma or GED to be enrolled in the institution. Acceptance into the nursing and dental programs is selective, and minimum GPAs are specified for these programs. A minimum 2.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale is required for students planning to enroll in the dental assistant program or the nursing program to be a Licensed practical nurse
A licensed practical nurse (LPN), in much of the United States and Canada, is a nurse who cares for people who are sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled. In the United States, LPNs work under the direction of physicians, mid-level practitio ...
. A background in laboratory science and a 2.5 GPA are required for students enrolling in the nursing program to be a Registered nurse
A registered nurse (RN) is a nurse who has graduated or successfully passed a nursing program from a recognized nursing school and met the requirements outlined by a country, state, province or similar government-authorized licensing body to o ...
.
Transportation
The campus of IVCC in Oglesby is served by Bureau & Putnam Area Rural Transit, and North Central Area Transit. Both transit agencies provide demand-response service to campus from their respective areas of service.
Presidents
# Thomas J. McCormack (1924 - )
#
#
# Francis Dolan (1947–1967)
#
# R. Earl Trobaugh (1969–1974)
# Alfred E. Wisgoski (1974–1996)
# Jean Goodnow (1996–2005)
# Charles R. Novak (interim)
# Larry Huffman (2006–2007)
# Dave Louis (interim)
# Jerome Corcoran (2008–present)
See also
*Illinois Community College System
The Illinois Community College System consists of 39 public community college districts, composed of 48 community colleges and one multi-college center (East St. Louis Community College Center) where 3 of the community colleges offer additional cl ...
References
External links
Official site
{{authority control
Education in LaSalle County, Illinois
Community colleges in Illinois
Universities and colleges established in 1924
Buildings and structures in LaSalle County, Illinois
NJCAA athletics
1924 establishments in Illinois