Nov./Dec. 2021 Newsletter
Message from The President
Hello Colleagues,
While the year began with our fully virtual campus still in great form, we are excited to see that the latter half of the year finally repopulated campus with our dedicated students, faculty, and staff. Though we are still taking the necessary precautions to keep our community safe, it has been exciting to deliver the great in-person and hands-on experience that our students seek. As we continue to ease back into normalcy, we are thankful for the support and commitment each of you have given us during this transition period.
With the Fall semester coming to its conclusion, we urge you to be proud of how far we as a community have come during these trying times while looking ahead to the great possibilities of the second half of the academic year. Our institution would and could not be great without the PSC community's tireless work and contributions.
May this holiday season be a time for you to rest and reflect on all that you have achieved.
From my family to yours, happy holidays.
Dr. Michael D. Anthony
Lunch with the President:
Dr. Anthony continued his weekly Lunch with the President and this time with special guest Board Chairman Dr. Ronald J. White. Students enjoyed food and the opportunity to share their thoughts about PSC, their hopes for the future, and offer suggestions for making the college as great as it can be. The final Lunch with the President of the semester will be held on Dec. 15. Also, be on the lookout in the spring for future opportunities to share with your students.
Dr. Anthony continued his weekly Lunch with the President and this time with special guest Board Chairman Dr. Ronald J. White. Students enjoyed food and the opportunity to share their thoughts about PSC, their hopes for the future, and offer suggestions for making the college as great as it can be. The final Lunch with the President of the semester will be held on Dec. 15. Also, be on the lookout in the spring for future opportunities to share with your students.
President Anthony Speaks to Colleagues on Vaccine and Testing Mandate:
Dr. Anthony created a video expressing the importance of complying with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's executive order mandating the COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing for those who work in higher education. Click the play button to the left to watch now.
Dr. Anthony created a video expressing the importance of complying with Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's executive order mandating the COVID-19 vaccination or weekly testing for those who work in higher education. Click the play button to the left to watch now.
Student Spotlight:
Prairie State College Alumnus Ben Smith is currently in his second year as an engineering student at the University of Southern California.
As a SMART (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation) scholarship recipient, Ben earned a full scholarship plus a stipend of at least $25,000 beginning this academic year. He obtained the scholarship through the U.S. Department of Defense.
We wish Ben the best of luck at USC and with his career goals!
College Updates:
Employee Holiday Luncheon:
The Employee Holiday Luncheon will be Thursday, Dec. 16 from noon to 2 p.m. in the Atrium. Don your most festive holiday attire and join us for an afternoon of mingling. Use this link to confirm your attendance by Friday, Dec. 10. Employees who bring a non-perishable food donation for the PSC Pantry Project will receive an additional raffle ticket.
Finals Fest:
Finals week is here. The library is hosting Finals Fest, an event to support students in the final days of the semester with treats, a place for research help, and games.
This event will be held Dec. 10 through 16 in the library. Encourage your students to stop by.
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 at Prairie State College, with in-person, on-campus, hybrid, and online classes available. The college also offers professional development classes and certificate programs. Please encourage students to register!
Subtle Tensions: Works of Art by Megan Greene, Tom McHale and David Joseph:
Christopher Art Gallery Director Beth Shadur introduced Subtle Tensions: Works of Art by Megan Greene, Tom McHale and David Joseph. The Artists' Reception was held on Nov. 30, and McHale and Joseph were both at the gallery and spoke to Professor Lou Shields' Art Appreciation class. The paintings can be found in the gallery until Dec. 16.
PSC Pitstop
The Mobile Food Pantries aka Pitstops are Getting Ready to Launch!
The food pantry project is underway! If you recall, earlier this semester an announcement was sent out to the college community with the offer to request a Pitstop and PSC Staff, Faculty and Administrators quickly responded with requests. All of those who requested a Pitstop, will be referred to as "Captains."
All ten of the Pitstops will have new homes soon; eight in the main building, one in the ATOC and one in the Health Tech building. The Pitstops are currently being branded with the PSC logo and once completed, the Captains along with the rest of the College will be notified and provided with a list of suggested food items along with instructions for the upkeep.
For more information, please contact Shannon Word, Personal Counselor at sword@prairiestate.edu.
Don't forget to bring a non-perishable food item for the PSC Pitstops to the holiday party for a chance to receive a prize!
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.
Please note that on campus testing will be closed Dec. 23 due to the campus being closed. testing will resume 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 in January 2022.
See Santa and Get Vaccinated!
Communications and Marketing:
Enrollment Guide
Enrollment Guide:
The 2022 Spring Enrollment Guide is available online and was mailed to every household and business
in the PSC district. The Enrollment Guides are available in the designated racks around campus.
Selfie Station:
Lights, camera, selfie! Our pop-up selfie station made its debut at the first Lunch with the President
on Wednesday, Nov. 10. The station will be appear around campus for special events.
Equity & Inclusion
The second installment for The Equity and Inclusion Knowledge Community was held Friday, Dec. 10. Military Student Affairs Coordinator Georges Sanon presented 15 Things Veterans Want You to Know.
At PSC basketball's Veterans Night game, Sanon doing the #22PushupChallenge, which raised awareness of the estimated 22 U.S. veterans that die by suicide every day.
Sanon was presented with a Pioneer in Excellence Award at the December 7th Board of Trustees meeting.
Office of Institutional Advancement and PSC Foundation:
The Foundation thanked all of the Giving Tuesday donors on “Thank You Wednesday” with this great new video featuring student scholarship recipients.
Over $3,500 was donated on Giving Tuesday and a $1,000 donation was made
to the Male Success Initiative Scholarship specifically for men of color. Thanks
to everyone who donated and helped spread the word.
Over $3,500 was donated on Giving Tuesday and a $1,000 donation was made
to the Male Success Initiative Scholarship specifically for men of color. Thanks
to everyone who donated and helped spread the word.
The Foundation also shared a few other videos on social media on and leading up to Giving Tuesday. If you missed them, go to @PrairieStateCollegeFoundation on Facebook and please share these great stories on social media.
Spring 2022 Scholarship Update:
The spring 2022 scholarship application opened on November 15 and there have been 56 applications submitted. 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.
Reach for the Stars Gala and Presidential Investiture -- Mark your Calendars:
The Foundation is thrilled to announce they will be working with the President’s Office to plan Dr. Anthony’s investiture for Thursday, September 15 and will be holding the Reach for the Stars Gala in celebration of the President’s investiture the following evening at the Tinley Park Convention Center.
The Foundation is expecting a large crowd to celebrate this exciting new chapter in Prairie State College’s history and hope you will help us by encouraging local dignitaries and friends of the College to join us. Information about sponsorship opportunities will be shared in the New Year.
Dr. Anthony has some great ideas for activities to celebrate the College during the week leading up to the ceremony that will involve the Board of Trustees, the students, College employees, and the surrounding community.
Foundation Full Board Meeting:
The Foundation held a Full Board meeting on Tuesday, November 9 on campus in the Board Room. Student Government Association Vice President Rebbie Davis was on hand to update the directors on student activities and concerns.
Vice President Elighie Wilson III was appointed to the Foundation Board of Directors and they are very pleased to have him in this role.
Emergency Needs for Students:
The Foundation is working with Interim Vice President Jamie Miller to collect donations of winter clothing and warm bedding for some of our students. Stay tuned for more information on how to help.
Emergency Needs for Students:
The Foundation is working with Interim Vice President Jamie Miller to collect donations of winter clothing and warm bedding for some of our students. Stay tuned for more information on how to help.
Upcoming Dates:
January 27 Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
February 2 Full Board Meeting, 5 p.m., Board Room, PSC
April 13 Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
April 21 Full Board Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
June 6 Scholarship Classic Golf Outing, Idlewild Country Club, Flossmoor
June 14 Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
June 21 Full Board Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
September 13 Executive Committee Meeting, 12:30 p.m. via Zoom
September 16 Reach for the Stars Gala in Celebration of the President’s Investiture, cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 7:30 p.m.,
Tinley Park Convention Center, Tinley Park
September 20 Annual Meeting, 5 p.m., location TBD
Save the Date:
Surgical Technology Information Session
On December 14 from 4-5 p.m., there will be a virtual Surgical Technology Information Session.
Session Topics:
Session Topics:
• What surgical technologists do
• What classes are needed to apply
• The new application deadline
• How long the program takes
Click the link below to join the Google Meet or
dial: (US) +1 904-580-9347 PIN: 180 270 235#
Employee Updates:
New Employee!
Shelley Tekeste, Disability Services Coordinator and Advisor
Contact Information:
(708) 709-3755
Congratulations to Communication and Digital Media Manager Crystal Alston-Nobles and her husband Spenser Nobles who welcomed their daughter Lyric Symone on December 2.
Board of Trustees:
The Board of Trustees held its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021. To view information from the Board of Trustees, including meeting agendas, minutes and audio/video recordings, visit Board Meetings. The 2022 meeting schedule will be available online by Jan. 3.
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.
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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.