Sept./Oct. 2022 Newsletter
Message from Dr. Michael D. Anthony
Hello all,
I want to recognize the accomplishments of our great institution. This semester has already been full of fun and noteworthy events that brought our students, faculty, staff, and community closer together. From Involvement Fest to the introduction of a new mascot, Parker, PSC has been buzzing with excitement over the last month!
We recently hosted a Dental Hygiene Clinic Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to formally introduce our vastly improved state-of-the-art facility. I am so proud of all the individuals who helped make it happen during our first-ever Homecoming Week. The Ice Cream Social, Faculty Symposium, Tuskegee Airmen Red Tails Exhibit, Food Truck and Car Show, my Investiture, and the Touch-a-Truck event were all well attended and hugely successful. The tireless efforts of our staff and faculty made it an outstanding experience for our students and community.
I want to express my deepest gratitude for all those who played a role in planning and taking part in my investiture – thank you for making it a memorable day for my family and me, and one I will never forget. Becoming President of Prairie State College is a position I sought, and am honored to hold. I am pleased about our future and excited to work, together with you, to execute a new vision for the College.
Enough about me; we have awesome things happening as we head into October and continue to create the optimal student experience. The middle of the semester can be challenging, but before you know it, we’ll be enjoying the holiday season and the new year!
Thank you for all you do. Keep up the great work!
President Anthony's photo is being displayed near the cultural and equity center on the University of Louisville campus where he was once the inaugural director. This is part of his alumni fellowship with the university.
News about the investiture also was picked up by several publications, including the Chicago Defender. They wrote a great article on the day's event.
President Dr. Michael Anthony and Workforce Development and Community Education (WDCE) Executive Director Alisha Clark were featured on the Matt McGill show on WVON radio last month, to talk about Prairie State College programs, opportunities and events.
College Updates:
2nd Annual Pink-A-Boo Walk of Hope:
Join forces with the Prairie State College Pioneers team for the 2nd Annual Pink-A-Boo Walk of Hope, sponsored by The Cancer Support Center. This is your opportunity to show respect for the survivors, support the fighters, honor the taken, generate awareness, and raise funds for all who have been impacted by cancer. By walking, donating, or raising funds, you are helping us support programs, resources, and services offered by The Cancer Support Center at no cost to participants.
The first ten people to register/donate will receive a free Pink Pioneers t-shirt!
Health Updates for Fall 2022:
Communication will be sent to the college community via PSC Announcements next week regarding monkeypox. We urge you to read it so you understand the protocol should you contract the virus. Please note, the self-reporting form has been updated to include monkeypox and the website is being updated with current information.
PSC Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
The 2022 Prairie State College Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, also known as the Jeanne Clery Report, is now available. Upon your request and for your convenience, you may obtain a paper copy of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report at the PSC police department or access the document online by visiting https://prairiestate.edu/assets/pdf/2022CampusCrimeReport.pdf.
The purpose of the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is to:
inform students and staff of the college policies and programs that promote safety and security;
increase awareness by summarizing recent crime data;
suggest ways students, faculty, and staff can deter criminal behavior and;
satisfy the Higher Education Opportunity Act and the Jeanne Clery Act requirements.
Saluki Step Ahead Program
Prairie State College and Southern Illinois University Carbondale signed an agreement to offer PSC students the opportunity to continue their educational journey through the Saluki Step Ahead program, which will allow them to transfer and complete their baccalaureate degree completely online. They also will receive an annual $4,000 scholarship for their junior and senior year at SIU.
Human Resources:
College Closures for Fall 2022:
The college will be closed on the following dates this fall:
Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 8
Thanksgiving: Wednesday, Nov. 23 through Friday, Nov. 25 (reopen to the public, Monday, Nov. 28)
Winter Break: Friday, Dec. 23 through Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 (reopen Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023)
New PSC Employees:
Ebonie Hughes
Retention Advisor, Workforce Equity Initiative
Curtis Rempson
Police Officer
Glen Reno
Police Officer
Inez Mackey
Career Mentor
Sylvia Adams
Lab Assistant, Nursing
Damen Banks
Financial Aids Processor II
Genevieve Nano
Manager, Grounds and Sustainability
Transfer and Promotions:
Stephanie Seeley
Administrative Assistant, Student Development
Leslie New
Manager, Enrollment and Retention (Academic Advising)
Aundrea Wilder
Coordinator/Advisor, TRIO Student Support Services
Allison Wilkins
Assistant Director, Enrollment Services
Congratulations to our newly tenured faculty members:
Dr. LaTia Collins, Assistant Professor/Coordinator, Child Development, and Ms. Heather Pevion, Assistant Professor, Surgical Technology, were awarded tenure at the August Board of Trustees meeting, effective in January 2023.
Dr. LaTia Collins, Assistant Professor/Coordinator, Child Development
Dr. LaTia Collins earned her Ed.D in Educational Leadership from National Louis University and is a certified online instructor and trainer for the Infant-Toddler Quality Initiative, the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral, and the "I am Moving, I am Learning" program that addresses childhood obesity. She has recruited and secured partnerships with community childcare facilities that assist PSC students.
Heather Pevion, Assistant Professor, Surgical Technology
PSC alumna, Heather Pevion, graduated from the Surgical Technology program and has worked as a perioperative nursing scrub instructor at Advocate Christ Hospital, instructing new nurses on aseptic technique, preparing for emergency surgeries, and surgical setup. She is certified through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting. As the coordinator of Surgical Technology, she has helped move the program from a certificate program to an associate’s degree program.
Homecoming Week Recap:
PSC Homecoming Highlight
Homecoming was a great success! Take a moment to watch the highlight reel and check out the photos below. Thanks again to all who came out to celebrate! #WeArePSC
Winners: Ice Cream Social
PSC Appreciation Day Ice Cream Social Winners:
Congratulations Dr. Danielle Coleman and Imani Dean (student) for their guess on the number of 'sprinkles' in the scoop. The correct answer was 31. Each person will receive an ice cream gift basket complete with toppings, ice cream cones, bowls, an ice cream scoop, and a gift card to purchase ice cream. Thank you to all who attended the Ice Cream Social.
Student Highlight:
Prairie State College student Victoria Eakins was recently named International Junior Miss Illinois Teen and will compete in November at a national competition in Orlando, Fla. Eakins was selected over 23 other competitors.
Victoria not only shines on stage; she is an excellent student and business owner -- running an online clothing store, I’mperfect Pearl, where she donates a portion of proceeds to non-profit organizations geared toward helping victims of domestic violence.
Things are going well for Victoria, but it certainly hasn’t been easy. She’s had to learn to manage her dyslexia and speaks highly about PSC’s efforts in assisting with her education.
"They have [PSC] been so awesome with their accommodations and resources and have really helped me to be successful,” Victoria said. “It’s a family and a community here.”
Speaking of family, Victoria's mother, Terri, is a career development advisor at the College who has helped many students through their academic journey.
Victoria is on track to graduate from PSC in May 2023. She will continue her education at the University of Iowa next fall, where she plans to major in Enterprise and Leadership
Alumni News:
Maurice Saabir was a single father when he decided to return to college. He worked part-time at Cracker Barrel while attending PSC. He graduated with an AA in 2012, moved to SIUC, and graduated with a BS in Electrical Systems Technology. He made over six figures in the first year after completing his bachelor's working for ArcelorMittal. He is currently working in the Boston area in Robotics. Maurice's video was played at the SIU agreement signing held on campus.
Communications and Marketing:
PSC has many things that the college community may not know, from the Nature Preserve Trail to the Butterfly Garden. We know about the quality of education, affordability, and excellent programs. We want to know more about things that may not be apparent – the beehive, cool stuff about the faculty and staff, something people may not realize that’s right here on our campus.
Click below and share what you feel makes PSC unique.
Information Technology:
Add to Your Calendar:
Learn tips to protect yourself and your workplace by attending the upcoming special Cyber Security workshop being offered through the Center for Teaching & Learning hosted by Assistant Professor of Information Technology Nichelle Manuel.
When: Monday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to Noon
Where: Google Meet
National Cyber Security Awareness Month |
October can be full of ghouls and ghosts, but what's scarier than that? Scammers and fraudsters who want to trick you into exposing your account and password information or hack into your computer undetected can, in turn, steal personal information, install malware, or even impersonate you.
The United States Department of Homeland Security declared October National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We want to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and help ensure you have the resources you need to be safer and more secure online. Please stay tuned for more tips and highlights of cybersecurity throughout October.
Don’t Take The Bait! Want to test your prowess at spotting phishing email? Try your hand at the Google Phishing Quiz and see how close you can come to a perfect score!
Upcoming Events!
Office of Institutional Advancement and PSC Foundation:
Fall 2022 Scholarship Update:
As of Oct. 7, 316 scholarship applications have been submitted to the Foundation and the committee has awarded $75,642.23 in scholarships and an additional $13,326.52 in BookSHARE loans to students.
Presidential Investiture
Thank you to everyone who made Dr. Michael D. Anthony’s formal investiture ceremony as the President of Prairie State College and reception a great success on Thursday, September 15. Many people and departments were involved with the investiture and numerous other events that took place that week. Presidents from eight colleges and universities participated in the processional and were introduced in order of their institutions’ founding dates including:
Mr. David A. Sanders, President of Malcolm X College of the City Colleges of Chicago, founded in 1911;
Dr. Lynette D. Stokes, President of South Suburban College, founded in 1927;
Ms. Mary-Rita Moore, President of Triton College, founded in 1964;
Dr. Avis Proctor, President of Harper College, founded in 1965;
Dr. Michael Boyd, President of Kankakee Community College, founded in 1966;
Dr. Cheryl Green, President of Governors State University, founded in 1969; and
Dr. Joianne Smith, President of Oakton Community College, founded in 1969.
Additionally, Dr. Tom Jackson, Jr., President of California Polytechnic University Humboldt, introduced and gave an inspirational speech to welcome Dr. Michael D. Anthony into the community of college presidents.
Chairman of the Prairie State College Board of Trustees, Dr. Ronald J. White; Senator Patrick Joyce, 40th District of the State of Illinois, and Representative Anthony DeLuca, 80th District of the State of Illinois, addressed Dr. Anthony and guests as well as Mr. Andre’ B. Ashmore, President of the Prairie State College Foundation; Mr. Jose’ Cabrera, Vice President of the Student Government Association; Ms. Cheron Ricks, President of the Prairie State College Federation of Support Staff; and Mr. Thomas Nicholas, President of the Prairie State College Federation of Faculty. Trustee Jay Readey and Trustee John Stanfa also participated in the ceremony.
Dental Clinic Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening:
Alumni and other professionals gathered to celebrate the opening of the newly updated, state-of-the-art dental clinic in the Health Tech Building. Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene and the Community Dental Health Coordinator, Gail Szewczyk led the effort for the department along with Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene Rebecca Buckle, and Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Dental Assisting Dawn Piper, worked with the Office of Institutional Advancement to plan the event. Ms. Buckle, Ms. Szewczyk, and Associate Professor and Department Chair of Dental Hygiene Kathleen Karwoski addressed the audience with historical information about the clinic and the dental hygiene program and highlighted special features of the new facility.
Dr. Raynond Cohlmia, Executive Director of the American Dental Association, greeted the audience and discussed the benefits of the PSC Dental Clinic to the immediate community and beyond. Mr. Paul Stankiewicz, son of the late Virginia Stankiewicz, who was among the first dental hygiene faculty and helped establish the program at PSC, gave his mother’s Prairie State College Pillar Award to the dental hygiene faculty so that it can be hung outside of the new facility. He also announced that the Foundation is beginning a campaign to fund an endowed scholarship in Ms. Stankiewicz’s name. The Foundation is seeking 100 donors to give $100 each for the scholarship, and those names will be on a donor recognition plaque outside of the clinic.
Faculty Symposium:
Led by Committee Chair Dana Trunnell, PSC faculty presented a symposium on Tuesday, September 13 to highlight the work of the faculty inside and outside of the classroom. The following faculty members presented on the stated topics:
Communication for Social Justice: A Learning Community that Helps Students Engage with the World
Professor Craig Mulling and Associate Professor Dana Trunnell
Math Bridge Program Adds Up
Professor Melanie Eddins-Spencer, Professor Natalie McGathey, and Students
Pharmacy Students Have the Remedy
Professor Christine Brooms, and Students
Transfer Counseling: Start Near, Go On Wherever You Want
Professor Sarah Hein
Evaluating the Potential for Immune Escape: How Likely is a Commercial Antibody to Protect Against a Specific SARS-CoV2 Variant?
Professor Erica Lannan
Undergraduate Research at PSC and STEM Skyway
Professor Medhat Shaibat, Dan Eichler, and Chelsea Beckley
Post-Pandemic Pedagogy
Associate Professor Thomas Nicholas
Checking Out Library Research During COVID-19
Associate Professor Valerie Moore
VR System for Surgical Tech
Associate Professors Heather Pevion and Monique Campbell
Campus Community - Bringing Students back with Fitness
Adjunct Faculty Devon Lindsay
Diversifying the Emergency Services Program
Associate Professor Chad Vliestra and Sauk Village Fire Chief Stephen Barrett
College Preparation Reading Course
Associate Professor Laura Guill, Professor Kisha Wells, and Judith Fonseca
Employee News:
Professor Dana Trunnell has been named President of the Illinois Communication and Theatre Association, which is the state's oldest, largest nonprofit professional affiliation for secondary and higher education teachers and coaches of communication, speech, debate, drama, and media. Prior to emerging as President, Professor Trunnell served as the First Vice-President of the organization. The First VP is in charge of planning its annual convention. This year's Convention was held at the College of DuPage from Thursday to Saturday, Sept. 22-24, and was called "En Pointe: Keeping Us on Our Toes in 2022." Congratulations to Dana Trunnell for planning this successful event.
It's a Boy!
Congratulations to Director of Athletics Joseph Belcaster and his wife, Natalie, on the birth of their son Luca! Luca was born on August 7, 2022, weighing 6 pounds, 14 ounces.
Board of Trustees:
The Board of Trustees will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. To view information from the Board of Trustees, including meeting agendas, minutes and audio/video recordings, visit Board Meetings.
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