January 2022 Newsletter
Message from The President
Hello Colleagues,
We are excited to begin another semester at Prairie State College! A new semester means new beginnings and new opportunities to improve ourselves and the world around us. While it’s not starting exactly how it was planned, we will work together to make sure our students have the best possible experience.
PSC is still committed to keeping the community safe, which is why we decided to deliver the first two weeks of the semester virtually. We also have a policy which allows supervisors to staff their office as safely as possible given the recommendations of local and regional health officials. Nothing is more important than the safety of our students, faculty, and staff. We realize it presents challenges, but I have no doubt we will all put forth our best effort and rise to meet our students’ needs.
I am thankful for the commitment each and every one of you continues to give the college during these trying times.
Your work is the backbone of the college and it does not go unnoticed.
Here’s to another great semester!
Dr. Michael D. Anthony
Lunch with the President:
Dr. Anthony will continue his weekly Lunch with the President in February. The activity was a tremendous success in the fall allowing students the opportunity to grab a bite to eat while chatting with the President about their own needs and the happenings of PSC.
Dr. Anthony will continue his weekly Lunch with the President in February. The activity was a tremendous success in the fall allowing students the opportunity to grab a bite to eat while chatting with the President about their own needs and the happenings of PSC.
Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests Now Available:
Every household in the United States is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. A link to order is below. Also, please remember to check prairiestate.edu/covid19 for all the latest updates for the College.
Every household in the United States is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. A link to order is below. Also, please remember to check prairiestate.edu/covid19 for all the latest updates for the College.
Student Spotlight:
Prairie State College and the Adult Education and Literacy Department want to congratulate Lailah Webster on earning her High School Equivalency Credential.
Due to the financial assistance provided through the Workforce Equity Grant, Lailah was able to enroll into Real Estate classes this spring which will help make her dream come true of becoming a licensed real estate agent.
We can’t wait to hear all about her new career!
#WeArePSC #StartNearGoFar
College Updates:
Employee Holiday Luncheon:
The Employee Holiday Luncheon was a great success as colleagues gathered together over lunch in the Atrium. Gift cards and prizes were given out to workers. Dr. Anthony spoke and Support Services Manager Cristina Lazard emceed the event. A big thank you to Rebecca Slagle for recommending photography student, Ariana Martin to capture the event. You can view the photos here.
Prairie State College Fitness Center Reopening:
The PSC Fitness Center is back and bigger! Now located in T-130, the center will be open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Locker rooms, showers, and towels are available, and certified personal trainers will be on hand to help guide you towards your fitness goals. Hours will be extended in March, and new equipment will be added throughout the next few semesters as well. Email Devon Lindsay (dlindsay@prairiestate.edu) your ideas for fitness classes, class times, and maybe any equipment you would love to see added to the facility.
Vouchers for Spring 2022:
Vouchers for Spring 2022:
Prairie State College will continue its free textbook voucher program for the spring 2022 semester. Students who register for spring classes will receive up to $200 towards their textbooks. This initiative was funded through the CARES act grant and has been well received by the students. These, and other initiatives, such as the BookSHARE program through the PSC Foundation and the Technology Loaner initiative, provide students with the resources they need to succeed.
Spring Registration Continues:
Spring Registration Continues:
Spring registration continues at Prairie State College, with in-person, on-campus, hybrid, and online classes available. There are also late-start classes still available. The college also offers professional development classes and certificate programs. Please encourage students to register!
Beth Shadur's Art Work Featured:
Christopher Art Gallery Director Beth Shadur has her work featured in Small Wonders, Space 900 Gallery in Evanston, IL through January. Shadur will also have her work shown at the Nathan and Dorothy Shainberg Gallery in Memphis, TN from Feb. 23 through Mar. 28.
PSC Alert:
Make sure you receive the most up-to-date information about urgent school related matters by signing up for or renewing your account with PSC Alert! It takes less than five minutes. Sign up here.
Make sure you receive the most up-to-date information about urgent school related matters by signing up for or renewing your account with PSC Alert! It takes less than five minutes. Sign up here.
Library to Host Book Club Meeting:
The library will be hosting its book club online on Feb. 28. The book is The Hate You Give, and copies are available at the library in print and e-book format. The meeting is open to all in the PSC community. Please reach out to Valerie Moore (vmoore@prairiestate.edu). Meeting information is below.
The library will be hosting its book club online on Feb. 28. The book is The Hate You Give, and copies are available at the library in print and e-book format. The meeting is open to all in the PSC community. Please reach out to Valerie Moore (vmoore@prairiestate.edu). Meeting information is below.
Book Club Meeting, The Hate U Give
Monday, February 28 from 12– 1 p .m.
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/cyu-meyp-ctu
Or dial: (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 283 007 218 4202#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/cyu-meyp-ctu?pin=2830072184202
African American Read-In:
The African American Read-In is an annual event held all over the United States in the month of February. Members of the PSC community are invited to listen, or read works
they have chosen by African American authors. This event is sponsored by the PSC Library and African & African American Studies and will be held Wednesday, February 23 from
1– 2 p.m.
The African American Read-In is an annual event held all over the United States in the month of February. Members of the PSC community are invited to listen, or read works
they have chosen by African American authors. This event is sponsored by the PSC Library and African & African American Studies and will be held Wednesday, February 23 from
1– 2 p.m.
The event's Google Meet can be accessed by clicking on the following link: https://meet.google.com/bbw-vedo-hnk Or dial: (US) +1 617-675-4444 PIN: 815 424 265 6125#
PSC Pitstop
The Mobile Food Pantries aka Pitstops are Getting Ready to Launch!
A big "thank you" to everyone who made food donations at this past holiday party.
The College received an ample amount of donations along with a recent one in the amount
of $400 from an anonymous donor!
The food donations were equally distributed among the 10 mobile pantry carts that will
be placed throughout the College during the week of January 31st when in-person classes resume. The Health Tech building and ATOC will also house pantry carts.
A college wide announcement will be provided soon with the location of the carts, and
the students will also be notified.
On behalf of the students, the College thanks everyone for your benevolent donations and
for those who volunteered to host the pantry carts. If you have any questions, please contact Shannon Word at sword@prairiestate.edu and/or Deborah Havighorst at dhavighorst@prairiestate.edu.
Human Resources:
COVID-19 Testing for Employees:
Prairie State College has partnered with Shield Illinois for COVID-19 testing for employees ONLY.
Weekly testing is available Mondays and Wednesdays, from 8 to 11 a.m. More information here.
Testing has resumed as of Monday, Jan. 3, 2022. If you are an employee who is testing weekly,
you must continue to test and upload your information to remain in compliance for the return to work.
Communications and Marketing:
New Commercial on Comcast:
Communications and Marketing released a new commercial encouraging the community to register for classes this spring The commercial is currently running in English and Spanish, airing on 22 networks, including NBA games on ESPN and TNT, a Monday Night Football game on ESPN, NCAA Basketball games on ESPN, the NCAA Football National Championship game, and 100,000 Effectv Streaming impressions reaching both the South Suburban zone as well as the South Lake IN zone which is from Dyer to Merrillville and from Munster to Lowell. Gala and ESPN Deportes are also part of the campaign.
Picture Day at PSC:
Faculty and staff are encouraged to have their headshots taken for use at the college. Our goal is to have uniformity in the photos shared on our various platforms, particularly on the college website.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to have their headshots taken for use at the college. Our goal is to have uniformity in the photos shared on our various platforms, particularly on the college website.
To make an appointment, contact PSC Photographer Enrique Lopez at elopez18@prairiestate.edu.
Faculty in Focus Videos:
The Communications and Marketing team created a series of Faculty in Focus videos that showcase programs at the College.
If you are interested in promoting your program by way of Faculty in Focus, please reach out to Kristin Carrera, Marketing Manager at kcarrera@prairiestate.edu. Click the link below for All request forms for Communications and marketing.
Selfie Station:
Lights, camera, selfie! Our pop-up selfie station made its debut at the first Lunch with the President in
the fall. The station will be appear around campus for special events.
Equity & Inclusion
The Office of Military Student Affairs along with the Student Government Association is having a blood drive on Feb. 10 and hosting the 484th Army band on Feb. 19. Please see the fliers below for more information.
The Office of Military Student Affairs Blood Drive will be Thurs. Feb. 10 from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the Proven IT Room at the Conference Center.
PSC will welcome the 484th Army Band which will put on a free concert on Sat. Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in the Barnes & Noble College Auditorium.
Office of Institutional Advancement and PSC Foundation:
Spring 2022 Scholarship Update:
Scholarship applications for the spring semester opened on Nov. 15 and as of Jan. 14, 190 applications have been attempted, 124 applications have been successfully submitted, and 118 applications have been reviewed. There were 96 applicants offered tuition and/or textbook awards while 22 applicants were not eligible for awards (funded /high EFC). There are 15 applications still pending student action. Of the reviewed applications, $43,153.23 has been offered in tuition/textbook awards and 55% of submitted applicants requested textbook assistance.
Additionally, the Foundation Office spent $3,132.23 for 21 textbooks (to be added to the BookSHARE program) and nine one-time use lab books and access codes at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore.
Other information about spring scholarships:
• There have been 38 textbooks loaned as part of the BookSHARE program for a textbook award savings of $5,849.40.
• The $200.00 CARES Act book voucher has been obtained by every applicant which saved the Foundation $24,800.00 in textbook
award offers.
• The average GPA of qualified applicants is 3.25.
• 60% of submitted applicants have a $0 EFC or no EFC reported.
• 67% of submitted applicants are first generation college students.
• 77% of applicants reviewed are female and 24% of applicants are male.
• Applicants reviewed include 55% Black, 18% Hispanic, 19% White, and 8% other/unidentified.
Please continue to encourage students to apply as soon as they are registered as applications are reviewed in the order in which we receive them. More information can be found here.
Foundation Scholarships for Textbooks Available:
Foundation Scholarships for Textbooks Available:
Please direct students who express a textbook need, not covered by the $200 book voucher, to complete a Foundation scholarship application. Books loaned through the Foundation's BookSHARE program are considered a scholarship award because there is a monetary value associated with the books loaned. With that said, for Foundation auditing purposes, we must be able to provide documentation of a completed application for any qualifying student who receives an award. Please contact Susan Sebastian at ssebastian@prairiestate.edu with any questions. Thank you for helping the Foundation serve PSC students!
School Supplies for Students:
The Foundation accepts donations of school supplies for students on a regular basis so we have them on hand when students need them. Feel free to contact Kathy Kane (kkane@prairiestate.edu) to see what supplies are needed and/or to arrange to drop off donations.
Annual Audit:
The Foundation welcomed auditors from GWA on campus the week of January 10 and is looking forward to presenting the results to the Investment & Finance Committee as soon as they are ready.
Economic Forecast Breakfast:
The Foundation is holding its annual Economic Forecast Breakfast in person this year on Fri., April 1 at Olympia Fields Country Club. Breakfast will begin at 7:30 a.m. and our speaker will once again be Mr. Charles L. Evans, President & CEO, of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Jeans Days 2022:
The Foundation sent out the list of 78 jeans days that have been planned for 2022. The list of dates will soon be available on the PSC intranet—do not miss your opportunity to support student scholarships by wearing jeans.
Featured Student (Maria):
The Foundation and its scholarship reviewers are often privy to information that other employees do not hear about the students they support day in and day out. We want to share this information so you can see into our students’ lives and backgrounds and be as inspired by their gratitude and dedication as we are. Maria shared the following in her spring application:
Jeans Days 2022:
The Foundation sent out the list of 78 jeans days that have been planned for 2022. The list of dates will soon be available on the PSC intranet—do not miss your opportunity to support student scholarships by wearing jeans.
Featured Student (Maria):
The Foundation and its scholarship reviewers are often privy to information that other employees do not hear about the students they support day in and day out. We want to share this information so you can see into our students’ lives and backgrounds and be as inspired by their gratitude and dedication as we are. Maria shared the following in her spring application:
The reason why I have financial need is because I do not work much. I only work two days a week to help to pay my bills which include school tuition payments, books and school supplies. Without my parents' help I wouldn't be able to pay them. I currently look for scrap pallets and sell them for $1-$3 per pallet.
I applied for DACA last January, but unfortunately granting status has been determined to be illegal. Unfortunately, I still had to pay for the DACA process so I lost that money. I was recently admitted to the hospital because of my mental health. I have been so stressed with school and money I would cry myself to sleep. I did not want to go to the hospital, because I don't have insurance and now I have bills that I don't know how I am going to deal with.
I know there is always something bright waiting for me. I just have to keep pushing. My biggest goal in life is to someday help people the way I have been helped. I still remember when I was a little girl, an older lady would give us gifts for Christmas and that would brighten my days. I want to see that same smile one day by helping others in need. I want to make my parents proud and most of all myself, because I know I have went through has been a really tough road.
Upcoming Dates:
Jan. 27 Thursday Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
Feb. 2 Wednesday Full Board Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
Apr. 1 Friday Economic Forecast Breakfast featuring Mr. Charles L. Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Olympia Fields Country Club, 7:30 a.m.
Apr. 13 Wednesday Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
Apr. 21 Thursday Full Board Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
June 6 Monday 29th Annual Scholarship Classic Golf Outing, Idlewild Country Club, Flossmoor
June 14 Tuesday Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
June 21 Tuesday Full Board Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
Sept. 13 Tuesday Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
Sept. 16 Friday Reach for the Stars Gala in Celebration of the Presidential Investiture, 6 p.m. cocktails, 7 p.m. dinner
Tinley Park Convention Center
Sept. 20 Tuesday Annual Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
Save the Date:
Annual Golf Outing Date Set
The Foundation will hold its annual golf outing on Monday, June 6 at Idlewild Country Club in Flossmoor. Details coming soon!
Employee Updates:
New Employees!
Melissa Hebert-Johnson, Dean, Liberal Arts and Sciences
Contact Information:
mhebert-johnson@prairiestate.edu
(708) 709-3542
Randall Sharpe, LMS Support Administrator
Contact Information:
(708) 709-2950
Victoria Marshall, Manager, Opportunity Works Grant Program
Contact Information:
(708) 709-3956
Joseph Belcaster, Director, Athletics
Contact Information:
(708) 709-7830
Guadalupe Perez, Assistant Professor, Nursing
Contact Information:
(708) 709-3755
Congratulations to Recruitment & Outreach Specialist
Gabriella Diestelmeier who welcomed her son
Oscar Starr Diestelmeier on Jan. 10.
Gabriella Diestelmeier who welcomed her son
Oscar Starr Diestelmeier on Jan. 10.
Board of Trustees:
The Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. To view information from the Board of Trustees, including meeting agendas, minutes and audio/video recordings, visit Board Meetings.
Request Intranet updates
Please take a look at your page(s) on the intranet and complete the Intranet Request Form below. Once received, the communications team will review your request and follow-up.
If you have any questions, please contact
Allan Scarabello at ascarabello@prairiestate.edu.
Have an Announcement?
We love good news! If you have an announcement you want to share, submit the form below, and we'll publish it in the upcoming Newsletter.
Request Website Updates
The college intranet and website fall under the Communications and Marketing Department. Please complete the Website Request Form below for updates, changes, or to request a new page on the PSC website.
Once submitted, Mike Saldaña, content/website specialist, will review your request and follow up. Small changes, such as grammatical errors, can be sent directly to msaldana4@prairiestate.edu.