Rep. Charlie Meier Celebrates 85th Anniversary of Kaskaskia College

From WJBD:

Kaskaskia College celebrated its 85th birthday over the weekend with various activities for the family, students, and potential students.

Board Chair Bill Hawley opened the program.

"This college has provided an economic benefit to this region that is unequaled, as well as providing opportunity. Not only for the young people needing to get the education or job training to move on in life, but to the entire community with all of the programs that we run and all of the events that we participate in."

College President George Evans says the college remains committed to high quality affordable education as well as being fiscally responsible to the district taxpayers.

"To give you a few numbers, 4000 was our full-time headcount this past spring," Evans said. "If you throw in part-time that's another 3000 students for roughly 7000 students (total). You throw on that 85 years of community education, for credit education, workforce certification, healthcare training, agriculture training, you're in the millions. That's the amount of students that we have impacted through Kaskaskia College as well as the community college system."

State Representative Charlie Meier called 85 years a massive milestone.

"You have proven that community college isn't a stepping stone, but a launch pad," Meier said. "With nearly $133 million in local economic impact, I'd say you're worth every penny of tuition, especially for those dual credit high schoolers who take advantage of a great opportunity before them."

Read the full article here.

Meier filed House Resolution 476 to honor Kaskaskia College's achievement.