impact newsletter - issue 5, summer 2013

12
Retired Faculty Member’s Gift to ECC C arolyn Kirk-Likou had no aspirations of becoming a teacher. After high school graduation, Carolyn took some business courses, married shortly after, and then did what many women did in those days; she worked to help her husband get through college and started a family. In her 30s, with three children and virtually a single parent while her husband was in Vietnam, Carolyn decided to move back to her hometown and return to college. Community colleges were relatively new and Phillips Community College was located close by so she enrolled. “Without the school being so close and affordable, I wouldn’t have had the chance to better myself and my life would have taken a very different turn,” said Carolyn. Returning to school was daunting and Carolyn was nervous the first day she arrived on campus, but she did well her first semester. She was awarded a scholarship and always remembered how grateful she was, not only for the financial assistance, but for the faith the donor had in her academic success. She decided to pursue business education because she enjoyed those classes and thought a teaching degree would fit well with her first job as parent to her children. After graduating from community college, Carolyn went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business education with high honors. She taught at the high school level until she became a member of the faculty at ECC in the Office Administration and Technology Program from 1979 to 1999. “I had a great career at ECC. My only goal was to be there for my students,” she said. Even 14 years after retiring, Carolyn says she runs into former students regularly and is always happy to hear about their accomplishments. In 2010, Carolyn created the Carolyn Kirk-Likou Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund through the Elgin Community College Foundation to assist students with financial need and academic goals. In addition, she recently finalized paperwork to increase the principal of her scholarship through a legacy gift from an annuity to which she contributed during her tenure at ECC. A commitment through her estate is an important way to continue to support the students she cared so much about as a faculty member. “I want the students to have the opportunity to pursue their dreams,” she says, “and I hope my gift will have a chain reaction that will cause these students to give back one day as well.” Because of Carolyn’s thoughtful gift to assist students for generations to come, she has joined the Spartan Legacy Society, a group established to recognize the generosity of those individuals who have included and notified the Foundation of their estate plans through such means as a gift annuity, bequest or life insurance policy. Carolyn is still very active with ECC and the Foundation. She serves on several program advisory boards, is on the ECC Foundation’s Board of Directors, and Purses with Purpose steering committee. If you have questions or want to learn more about gift planning strategies, please contact the Foundation office at 847-214-7258. Carolyn Kirk-Likou IMPACT INSIDE THIS EDITION Dedication of Lamp Construction Gateway, page 4 Purses with Purpose After-Hours, page 5 15th Annual Golf Classic Update, page 6 Alumni Relations Stand-Up and Be Counted, page 8 Spotlight on ECC Foundation Board Members, page 9 Reader Survey, insert SUMMER 2013

Upload: katherine-sawyer

Post on 08-Apr-2016

217 views

Category:

Documents


0 download

DESCRIPTION

 

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

Retired Faculty Member’s Gift to ECC

C arolyn Kirk-Likou had no aspirations of becoming a teacher. After high school graduation,

Carolyn took some business courses, married shortly after, and then did what many women did in those days; she worked to help her husband get through college and started a family.

In her 30s, with three children and virtually a single parent while her husband was in Vietnam, Carolyn decided to move back to her hometown and return to college. Community colleges were relatively new and Phillips Community College was located close by so she enrolled.

“Without the school being so close and affordable, I wouldn’t have had

the chance to better myself and my life would have taken a very different turn,” said Carolyn.

Returning to school was daunting and Carolyn was nervous the first day she arrived on campus, but she did well her first semester. She was awarded a scholarship and always remembered how grateful she was, not only for the financial assistance, but for the faith the donor had in her academic success.

She decided to pursue business education because she enjoyed those classes and thought a teaching degree would fit well with her first job as parent to her children. After graduating from community college, Carolyn went on to receive bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business education with high honors. She taught at the high school level until she became a member of the faculty at ECC in the Office Administration and Technology Program from 1979 to 1999.

“I had a great career at ECC. My only goal was to be there for my students,” she said. Even 14 years after retiring, Carolyn says she runs into former students regularly and is always happy to hear about their accomplishments.

In 2010, Carolyn created the Carolyn Kirk-Likou Scholarship Fund, an endowed fund through the Elgin Community College Foundation to assist students with financial need

and academic goals. In addition, she recently finalized paperwork to increase the principal of her scholarship through a legacy gift from an annuity to which she contributed during her tenure at ECC. A commitment through her estate is an important way to continue to support the students she cared so much about as a faculty member.

“I want the students to have the opportunity to pursue their dreams,” she says, “and I hope my gift will have a chain reaction that will cause these students to give back one day as well.”

Because of Carolyn’s thoughtful gift to assist students for generations to come, she has joined the Spartan Legacy Society, a group established to recognize the generosity of those individuals who have included and notified the Foundation of their estate plans through such means as a gift annuity, bequest or life insurance policy.

Carolyn is still very active with ECC and the Foundation. She serves on several program advisory boards, is on the ECC Foundation’s Board of Directors, and Purses with Purpose steering committee.

If you have questions or want to learn more about gift planning strategies, please contact the Foundation office at 847-214-7258.

Carolyn Kirk-Likou

IMPACTInsIdE ThIs EdITIon

� dedication of Lamp Construction Gateway, page 4

� Purses with Purpose After-hours, page 5

� 15th Annual Golf Classic Update, page 6

� Alumni Relations stand-Up and Be Counted, page 8

� spotlight on ECC Foundation Board Members, page 9

� Reader survey, insert

SUMMER 2013

Page 2: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

Executive director’s Letter

Dear Friends,

The beginning of summer brings with it one of the most powerful expressions of impact on college campuses across the country – commencement. Over 1,000 ECC students graduated this spring and nearly 400 participated in ceremonies on May 18 to receive their degree or certificate. ECC also hosted the college’s largest ceremony to date of GED completers, with 150 students earning certificates. What an inspiring weekend for these students and their families! Thank you for your role in assisting this year’s graduates in reaching these important milestones in their academic journey. The support of ECC Foundation donors assisted nearly 180 students through scholarship and award during the 2012-2013 academic year.

I’m also pleased to share that the Foundation recently celebrated a milestone in our 29-year relationship with Elgin Community College – the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on April 26. The document reinforces our shared vision, mutual and respective responsibilities in building increasing levels of private support, and the excellent relationship in place between ECC and the ECC Foundation. It will provide guiding principles related to our continued work together to serve the college and our students. My sincere thanks to the leadership from both the Foundation Board of Directors and ECC Board of Trustees, now and in years past, who worked diligently to codify this understanding as we work together to achieve shared goals.

Finally, I would like to express my personal gratitude to two retiring Board members for their outstanding service to the ECC Foundation as their terms come to an end in June.

• Brett Lundstrom has served three consecutive terms over the past 12 years in roles including Foundation Board chair and vice chair. His personal commitment and partnership in forwarding the mission of the college through the Foundation has been, and continues to be, exemplary.

• Linda Hefferin, EdD, has been a remarkable advocate for the work of the Foundation both internally and externally in her role as faculty liaison these past five years. In addition to her generosity to the Foundation, her 32 years in the classroom have made an immeasurable impact on ECC students.

I am grateful for the vision, wisdom and passion of these leaders, and I look forward to our continued partnership in the years to come.

I hope you have a wonderful summer and thank you again for the impact you are making in our community’s college!

Warm regards,

Katherine S. SawyerExecutive Director,Institutional Advancement and ECC Foundation

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

— William Butler Yeats

2 Elgin Community College Foundation

Page 3: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

IMPACT summer 2013 3

F lorence and Cornelia Palmer both had a love for the arts. The sisters grew up in Elgin where Florence was a teacher and Cornelia owned a bookstore. In 1997, they established the Florence B. and Cornelia A. Palmer Foundation so

they could support, through grant-making, the visual and performing arts in the city they loved so much.

Since spring 2000, Elgin Community College has recognized the literary talents of students who participate in its annual Florence B. Palmer Poetry Contest. The contest is the result of the collaborative efforts of Miss Palmer and faculty in the college’s creative writing program. An avid poet herself, Miss Palmer’s desire in creating the contest was to encourage students to try their hand at writing poems by developing a forum to recognize those who excelled in this challenging art form.

Until 2005, when Florence Palmer passed away at the age of 97, Miss Palmer would host the contest winners at her home where the students would read and discuss their poems with her. On at least one occasion, the students were rewarded with the reading of some of Miss Palmer’s poetry. Displayed in the Writers Center at Elgin Community College is a poem one student wrote about her experience meeting and reading her poetry to Miss Palmer.

Now in its 14th year, the Florence B. Palmer Poetry Contest has proven to be a powerful learning and motivational tool, reaching beyond the college’s creative writing program into the general student population. The contest continues to be a popular event among aspiring poetry students.

Through the generous contributions of the Palmer Foundation, the college awards first-, second- and third-place prizes with monetary awards for students’ original, unpublished pieces. The poems are evaluated by a rotating panel of three judges drawn from faculty of the English Department. In addition to the monetary awards, contest winners also have their work featured in Spire, Elgin Community College’s prestigious literary and fine arts magazine. The 38-year-old publication features student works in poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, and visual arts.

Working with the trustees of the Palmer Foundation, ECC Foundation is pleased to announce that the Florence B. Palmer Poetry Contest will expand in spring 2015, the 15th year of the contest, to award first, second and third places in each of the four categories represented in Spire. This expansion will encourage and celebrate students’ creative work across all categories and broaden the success of publishing talented new artists. Monetary awards will still be available to students, thanks to the continued generous support of the Florence B. and Cornelia A. Palmer Foundation.

Legacy of Palmer Foundation InsPIRE’s Creative Writing at ECC

The ECC Foundation launched a new sponsorship level in 2013. The Premier sponsor level enables supporters of both of the Foundation’s major annual events to make one sponsorship commitment in any given 12-month period and receive top level benefits which include:

• Recognition and promotion at all ECC Foundation events throughout a 12-month period.

• Table for eight at Founders’ day Brunch (January).

• one foursome for the Golf Classic outing (June).

• Premier sponsor listing and full-page recognition in both event programs.

For additional information regarding the Premier Sponsor benefits package, please contact sheri Lacy, manager of annual giving and scholarships, at 847-214-7596.

2013 Premier Sponsors

Through the generous contributions of the Palmer Foundation, the college awards first-, second- and third-place prizes with monetary awards for students’ original, unpublished pieces.

Page 4: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

4 Elgin Community College Foundation4 Elgin Community College Foundation

Lamp Incorporated Recognized for Gift to scholarships

T he ECC Foundation held a plaque dedication ceremony on June 6, 2013, to recognize Lamp Incorporated and its significant gift of $150,000 to support an endowed scholarship for academic

and leadership excellence. The Lamp family originally announced its gift at the March 2012 dedication ceremony for Elgin Community College’s new health and life sciences building (Building A). In honor of the firm’s gift, the college named the lobby area of Building A the Lamp Construction Gateway.

At the ceremony, Craig Lamp, president of Lamp Incorporated, explained why the firm chose to support scholarships at ECC.

“The Lamp family and business have always placed a very high value on education. We feel it’s important to be a part of the college, and part of its legacy,” said Mr. Lamp. “Long after we’re here, this gift will still be providing opportunities for students.”

Building A, which serves as the college’s front door for students and visitors, holds special significance to the employees of Lamp Incorporated – they constructed it – creating a state-of-the-art center for teaching and learning. Senior executives from Lamp Incorporated and other guests attended the dedication ceremony.

Areli SolanoDeciding to continue my education and attend college after high school was the best decision of my life. After graduating from Larkin High School in Elgin, I enrolled at Elgin Community College becoming the first in my family to attend college. ECC seemed like the perfect place. It was close to home and was very affordable in such an economy. After attending orientation, I realized how friendly and welcoming everyone was. People tried to help me understand the importance of continuing college while letting me know that they would provide their support every step of the way.

Today, I am proud to be able to say I did it. I completed all of my general education credits and I graduated with an Associate in Arts degree from ECC this past May. I will be continuing my education at Chamberlain College of Nursing in the fall. I have accomplished one more goal in my life and will not give up. It is such an honor to graduate from such a great institution. My advice for graduating high school seniors is not to be afraid to speak up and ask for guidance. Follow your dreams and even when people tell you it isn’t possible you should believe in yourself. No obstacle is greater than one’s determination. Areli Solano is a recipient of the ECC Foundation’s Open Doors International Student Scholarship.

(From left to right) Caren Nickelsen, ECC Foundation board chair; Ian Lamp, ECC Foundation board member and Lamp Incorporated VP of Marketing & Sales; Steve Lamp, CFO Lamp Incorporated; David Sam, PhD, JD, LLM, college president; Craig Lamp, president, Lamp Incorporated; and Katherine Sawyer

Annual donor Information Coming soonThe end of the fiscal year means you can look forward to two important updates from the Elgin Community College Foundation.

Look for an updated list of names on the ECC Foundation’s donor wall in August. Located in the Building A lobby on the Spartan Drive Campus, the wall provides an opportunity to recognize those who generously invest in the success of our students.

The Foundation also will send its annual scholarship report this fall to founding donors of scholarship and program funds. The report is an annual status of the more than 125 scholarships offered to ECC students each year.

scholarship Recipient Letter

Page 5: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

IMPACT summer 2013 5

A wonderful evening of networking and camaraderie was shared among almost 30 women at the most recent Purses with Purpose women’s giving circle event. Held in April at Elgin Country Club, the program is one of a series of events hosted by the circle, whose mission is to empower and inspire women and girls to seek opportunities to achieve their potential through education. The event was co-chaired by steering committee members Betsy Cappas and Mary Jo Sheehy.

Janelle Crowley, ECC’s chief human resources officer, was the featured speaker for “After Hours: Empowering Women Through Education.” She shared with guests the hardships she faced as a single parent. Without scholarships, mentoring, and other gifts of support, Crowley said she would not have been able to raise two children, work three jobs, and attend college. She did just that, completing a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. Crowley is currently a PhD candidate in management.

Two ECC Foundation scholarship recipients, sisters Alex and Michelle Dumoulin, greeted guests and informally shared their experiences as student-athletes attending ECC. Both students were members of ECC’s women’s basketball team that competed in the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.

Plan to join Purses with Purpose members and friends for their next event, “Education to Empowerment,” on Friday, September 20 at Elgin Community College. For more information, please contact the ECC Foundation at 847-214-7377.

Please Note: Members of Purses with Purpose selected the inaugural recipients of the Purses with Purpose scholarship in late June. They are listed at the right and will be introduced with brief biographies in the next issue of IMPACT.

Empowering Women Through Education Event

Morgan EikreAndrea EssendropBrittney hoebbel

sandra hostonCharmaine McAllister

Paula Portissarah Prehmnancy Torres

Purses With Purpose

Scholarship Recipients

(From left to right) Alex Dumoulin; Carolyn Kirk-Likou, ECC Foundation board member; Betsy Cappas; Janelle Crowley; Katherine Sawyer; Mary Jo Sheehy; and Michelle Dumoulin.

The Elgin Community College Alumni Association is accepting nominations for its 2014 Distinguished Alumnus Award. The award is given annually during the Founders’ Day Brunch in January.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes the accomplishments of notable ECC alumni who have demonstrated exceptional

achievement in their chosen profession and made a positive impact on their community. Past recipients include world-renowned photographer Sandro Miller, Maryland State Delegate Michael Smigiel, Elgin City Council member Robert Gilliam, and California educator Gloria Johnston, PhD.

Nominations are accepted online at elgin.edu/eccalumni. More information about the nomination process, deadline, and criteria is available at elgin.edu/eccalumni or, contact the ECC Alumni Relations Office at 847-214-7746.

Call for nominations—2014 distinguished Alumnus Award

Page 6: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

6 Elgin Community College Foundation6 Elgin Community College Foundation

2013 Golf Classic

T he 2013 edition of the ECC Foundation Golf Classic raised over $95,000 to support student scholarships, enhance instructional programs, and other areas

of greatest need to enable student success. More than 140 golfers, distinguished guests, and volunteers attended the 15th annual event held in June at the Prairie Landing Golf Club in West Chicago.

After a full afternoon on the golf course, guests returned to the clubhouse for the evening’s events, which included a reception, dinner, live auction and Fund-A-Student donations to directly support scholarship needs, and an awards presentation.

Although this was the 15th annual golf classic, this year’s planning committee decided to experiment with a few “firsts.” In addition to having a pleasurable overall experience, the committee wanted golfers and other guests to end their day with a more informed and heightened awareness of ECC and all that it has to offer its constituents in Community College District 509. Displays near the clubhouse included a tractor trailer from ECC’s Truck Driving Program as well as a hyper vehicle from the Automotive Program. Throughout the course, near every hole, there were “Did you know?…” facts about ECC and community colleges in general. Lastly, during the dinner program, under Jenni Betancourt’s leadership, a new fundraising element was added—the Fund-A-Student auction. This auction was hugely successful and raised over 50 percent of income realized on the day of the event.

Mike Kluber (president, Kluber, Inc.) and Bob Werderich (president/owner, Illinois Aviation Academy) co-chaired the planning committee for the golf outing.

Please mark your calendars for the 16th Annual Golf Classic on June 16, 2014.

First-place foursome, and one of two foursomes sponsored by WET Solutions, Inc.Brett Lundstrom, president and CEO of Lundstrom Insurance (left), another Premier Sponsor of the 2013 Golf Classic, and guests.

Foursome representing Kluber, Inc., one of two Premier Sponsors of the 2013 Golf Classic.

ECC Truck Driving Program display with Don Anderson, program director (left), and Bailey Carter, ECC Foundation scholarship recipient and Automotive Program student.

Page 7: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

IMPACT summer 2013 7

15th ANNUAL GOLF CLASSIC SPONSORS A sincere Thank You to our sponsorsPremier Sponsors

Golf Cart SponsorsDLA Architects, Ltd.Kellenberger Electric, Inc.

U.S. Open SponsorConstellation

Dinner Sponsor Shales McNutt Construction

Foursome and Hole SponsorsAffiliated Systems, Inc. DewberryElgin State Bank, a branch of

St. Charles Bank & TrustIHC Construction Companies, LLCInteriors for Business, Inc.Kovitz Investment Group, LLCLauderdale Electric Co.PMA Financial Network, Inc.

PGA SponsorsAutomated LogicKJWW Engineering ConsultantsSikich LLPWET Solutions, Inc.

LeaderBoard SponsorsAncel Glink Diamond Bush DiCianni &

KraftheferIllinois Aviation Academy, Inc.

Lunch SponsorEcoEnergy, LLC

Hole SponsorsAdvance Electrical Supply Co., Inc.ECC HR DepartmentClear Perspective Advisors, LLC Daily Herald Media Group DuPage Airport AuthorityFONA International Inc.KIKroeschell, Inc.Speer Financial, Inc.

Putting Green SponsorsEarly, Tousey, Regan, and WlodekMcGrath Honda The Morgan Family from

Stifel Nicolaus

19th Hole SponsorsApplied Communications GroupDr. Dale and Caren Nickelsen

Fund a Student Scholarship SponsorLucky Locators

Other Corporate Sponsors & SupportersAbsolute Fire Protection, Inc.Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management

Services, Inc.Associated ElectricBHFX Digital ImagingBornquist, Inc.Cardosi Kiper Design GroupCommunity College District 509

Board of TrusteesCooper Crouse-HindsCrescent Electric Supply Co.EFS Foundation Elgin Community College Faculty

AssociationFox Valley Building and Construction

Trades CouncilGilmore Marketing Concepts, IncHampton, Lenzini, and Renwick Lamp IncorporatedPilipuf Grist & AssociatesRiver Valley Land Improvement

Company, Inc.Serigraphics Sign SystemsStructural Technologies, Inc.TraneWaukegan Steel LLCWeiss Sugar Dvorak & Dusek, Ltd.W.R. Meadows, Inc.

A sampling of informational facts that were strategically placed throughout the course.

Golfers and other friends of ECC and the Foundation mingle during the dinner reception.

ECC Foundation board members Bob Werderich, Illinois Aviation Academy, and Jenni Betancourt, Dewberry, lead the Fund-A-Student segment of the dinner program.

Page 8: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

8 Elgin Community College Foundation8 Elgin Community College Foundation

scholarship Awards ReceptionNearly 100 guests attended the ECC Foundation’s Scholarship Awards Reception on Monday, April 2, in ECC’s University Business Center. Scholarship recipients and donors had an opportunity to meet and greet each other, in most cases, for the very first time, which inspired passionate conversations.

The annual event recognized the 2012-2013 ECC Foundation scholarship recipients and the generous donors who made those scholarships possible. The reception included remarks by Dr. David Sam, ECC president, and Caren Nickelsen, chair of the ECC Foundation’s Board of Directors. Scholarship recipients Virginio Casas, III and Laura Bedolla spoke to attendees conveying their genuine appreciation for their respective scholarships and noting the significant impact the awards had on them and their families.

If you would like to make a donation to help ECC students like Virginio and Laura, please return your gift in the enclosed envelope or visit elgin.edu/eccfoundation to make a gift today.

(Counterclockwise from top photo) Employee and community donors, scholarship recipients and other distinguished guests attending reception; Dr. David Sam addressing audience; Ursula Wilson, EFS Foundation corporate secretary, posing with recipients of ECC Foundation scholarships funded by EFS Foundation, Sabrina Kozin (left) and Blanca Luna.

new Initiative Recognizes ECC Alumni and Their EmployersECC Alumni Relations is launching a new initiative to identify members of the ECC alumni community. The “Stand Up and Be Counted” project asks alumni to connect with the college while giving ECC the opportunity to recognize local employers for hiring its graduates.

“The focus for the Stand Up and Be Counted project is to find our alumni who work in businesses in District 509 and celebrate that connection,” says Katherine Sawyer, executive director of institutional advancement and the foundation. “This will help update our alumni database, create a relationship with local businesses, and provide resources and recognition to their employees who are ECC alumni. This project is a win-win for everyone.”

The benefits of participation in the program for businesses and their employees include:

• Businesses that have 10% or more employees who are alumni will be included in a full-page ad in the Daily Herald Business Ledger. Owners or business leaders who are alums will also be included regardless of the percentage of employees who are alumni.

• The business with the largest percentage of alumni will receive special recognition.

• The business with the largest number of alumni employees will receive special recognition.

• Employees will have access to networking opportunities, alumni events, continuing education, and updates from their alma mater.

To participate in the program, contact ECC Alumni Relations at 847-214-7746 or [email protected]. Deadline to be included in your employer’s count is Friday, November 1, 2013.

Page 9: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

IMPACT summer 2013 9

Spotlight on ECC Foundation Board Members

Jack Shales has devoted most of his life to impacting the lives of others. At 82, he wants to leave a legacy of philanthropy and benevolence for his children to follow. Shales, an Elgin native, joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1951. A few years later, he returned to his hometown, where he rekindled his relationship with his high school sweetheart, Marlene, whom he married in 1954.

Shales has spent nearly six decades in construction management. He started working as a laborer while attending Elgin High School in the late 1940s. In 1983, he founded Seagren-Shales, Inc., known today as Shales McNutt LLC.

Shales is currently serving his third term as a member of the Elgin Community College

Foundation Board. For nearly two decades, he has donated a combined $2,000 a year for two student scholarships—a nursing scholarship to honor his wife, Marlene, and another to honor his friend, the late Vic Masi.

“I believe in Elgin Community College,” says Shales. “It’s a great institution. People go there and go on to do bigger and better things. I feel strongly about education. As long as I can afford to give, I will.”

Shales is actively involved in other local charitable organizations, including the Salvation Army, United Way of Elgin, and the Provena St. Joseph Hospital Foundation.

Although Larry Jones has had two successful careers that span more than four decades, the Larkin High School grad is not slowing down any time soon.

He spent 30 years as a South Elgin police officer before retiring as chief of police in 2000. After a brief stint as the deputy inspector general for the Illinois Secretary of State, he was hired as South Elgin’s village administrator, a role that he has held for the past 12 years.

Jones also plays an active role in the community at large. Since 2008, he has served on the Elgin Community College Foundation Board. This year, he will serve double duty as both board secretary and chair of the governance committee. For Jones, being a Foundation board member was an

opportunity that he did not want to pass up. Jones is currently serving his second term.

“The ECC Foundation is very important,” he says. “It gives opportunities to students who would never have the chance to move forward with their education. In turn, these students become trailblazers in their family. They show family members that attending college is an attainable goal.”

Jones also serves on the U-46 School District Foundation Board and is board president of the Family Services Association of Greater Elgin. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and riding motorcycles. He also has an affinity for antique cars.

Jones resides in South Elgin with his wife, Whitney, and their daughter, Lindsey.

Elgin native Tim Kellenberger has returned to the place that put him on the path to success.

The Elgin Community College alumnus is the newest member on the ECC Foundation Board. Inspired by his wife, Marcia, a former U-46 educator, Kellenberger wants to play a role in helping students chart their own course in life.

“During my wife’s 17 years as an educator, I realized how difficult it can be for many students to afford a good education,” he says. “My goal as a board member is to offer whatever I can to help students reach their goals.”

In 1977, Kellenberger enrolled in a business program at ECC. During his second year, he lost his father to stomach cancer, which dramatically changed his life’s course. With two younger brothers to support at home, Kellenberger

changed his career path to follow in his father’s footsteps in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers apprenticeship program.

Twelve years later, he started his own electrical contracting business, Kellenberger Electric, Inc. Over the last 23 years, the business that began in Kellengerber’s garage has grown to over 40 employees and now is located in a 12,000-square-foot building on Fleetwood Drive in Elgin.

Kellenberger also has served on several local charitable organizations. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Directors of Apostolic Christian Resthaven.

He and his wife, Marcia Ginzel, have been married for 34 years and have three daughters, all married and living in the Fox Valley area.

Jack Shales

Larry Jones

Tim Kellenberger

Page 10: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

10 Elgin Community College Foundation10 Elgin Community College Foundation

Alumni Profile: Diane LukasSpeaking during the “Pathway to Knowledge” brick dedication ceremony in May, Diane Lukas said her path to becoming a civil engineer began with the first mature decision she made as a 17-year-old high school graduate. It was then she decided to attend Elgin Community College, and she would soon discover that her education here was all she really needed to prepare for an engineering career.

“ECC was my formal education and that’s it,” says Lukas, a member of the college’s 1971 graduating class. “I feel good about that. I received a great education and got a great foundation upon which to build my career.”

That career has led Lukas, of Woodstock, to her current role as president of Elgin-based Hampton, Lenzini and Renwick, Inc., a civil and structural engineering firm. As a civil engineer, her roadway designs can be seen across northern Illinois, throughout the Fox Valley, and most notably, at the ongoing reconstruction of the U.S. 20/McLean Boulevard interchange, which is near ECC and only yards from her office.

That’s progress considering her office didn’t exist when she graduated from Elgin’s Larkin High School in 1969. U.S. 20 was a new bypass route and McLean Boulevard was a two-lane road through open farmland. ECC’s current Spartan Drive Campus was being finished in time for its 1970 grand opening.

“Attending ECC in 1969 required precise scheduling and a reliable car,” Lukas said. Her classes were spread out among several buildings throughout Elgin. She was grateful to be among the first students to attend the then new campus the following year.

ECC was ideal for Lukas. With an interest in math and science, she entered the drafting and design technology program. Her professors, Maynard Roberts and Jim Kimmey, encouraged her to apply for a part-time drafting job with the Illinois Department of Transportation—which would be the beginning of an eight-year career there.

“I was the only woman in the program, so I sort of stood out,” she said. “They saw a spark of talent in me that I had not yet recognized.”

Lukas remains connected to ECC today as she has employees take night classes here and has ECC alumni on her staff. Current and former ECC students have interned for her company, most notably former ECC women’s basketball stars and aspiring civil engineers Cassie and Alex Dumoulin and their cousins.

“I received a great education and got a great foundation upon which to build my career,” Lukas said in her keynote speech at the brick ceremony. “So thank you, Elgin Community College for playing such an important role in my life and in the life of my community.”

Located between Buildings B, C, and G, the “Pathway to Knowledge” connects to several points on campus and serves as a place for students to relax and study. The path is lined with more than 250 bricks that are personalized with names of family and friends, and inspiring messages for students.

Bricks are still available for purchase. For more information, contact the ECC Foundation at 847-214-7377.

Brick dedication

ECC Class of 1952 admiring their commemorative brick. L to R: Wes Dusek, Stan Swan, John Westby and Jim Anderson.

Alumni Speaker Diane Lukas ’71 is now the president of an engineering firm in Elgin, IL and told her amazing story at the “Pathway to Knowledge” Brick Dedication Ceremony on May 7, 2013.

Robert ’55 and Barbara ’56 Haase were recognized at theBrick Dedication Ceremony by Dr. David Sam. They met while attending college at ECC and are husband and wife.

Page 11: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

IMPACT summer 2013 11

ELGIn CoMMUnITY CoLLEGE FoUndATIon BoARd oF dIRECToRs 2013

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEChairCaren nickelsenPediatric Dentistry Ltd. (retired)Parti Particulars (retired)

Vice ChairIan Lamp Vice President of

Marketing & SalesLamp Incorporated

Immediate Past PresidentBrett Lundstrom President & CEOLundstrom Insurance

SecretaryLarry JonesVillage ManagerVillage of South Elgin

TreasurerJohn sleetingPartnerBSC Private Wealth

Management, LLC

Assistant Treasurersharon KonnyVice President, Business

and FinanceElgin Community College

College Presidentdavid sam, Phd, Jd, LLMElgin Community College

Executive DirectorKatherine sawyerInstitutional Advancement

and FoundationElgin Community College

BOARD MEMBERS

Jenni BetancourtArchitectDewberry Inc.

Bruce dahlquistPartnerDLA Architects, Ltd.

Paul dawson Managing Director, ConstructionElgin Community College

Phyllis Folarin, EddPresidentAchievement SolutionsU-46 School District (Retired)

Kim Gilmore (’91)PresidentGilmore Marketing Concepts

John hurlbutPrincipal AttorneyHurlbut & Hurlbut, PC

Tim KellenbergerPresidentKellenberger Electric, Inc.

Carolyn Kirk-LikouProfessor EmeritusElgin Community College

shawn dalton Kluber Batavia

Eric Larson, EddPresident EmeritusBlackhawk Technical College

Michael McKay Financial Advisor, Limited PartnerEdward Jones

J. Emeka onwuta, MdPhysician

david PfeifferSenior Vice PresidentSt. Charles Bank & Trust

Jack shalesChairmanShales McNutt Construction

Robert WerderichPresidentIllinois Aviation Academy, Inc.

EX-OFFICIO LIAISONSBoard of TrusteesAngela Causey

Faculty LiaisonRoger Ramey

DIRECTORS EMERITIharry BlizzardElgin, IL

Betty BrownElgin, IL

Charles BurnidgeElgin, IL

Tom Finnegan Jr.Palatine, IL

Paul heath, Edd*Cedarville, OH

John KluberBatavia, IL

William LauderdaleElgin, IL

Leo nelsonGeneva, IL

Michael s. shirley, PhdBloomington, IL

don Waters, EddElgin, IL

*deceased

Leading the Pack: ECC Financial AidElgin Community College’s student financial services and financial aid offices are leading by example on student financial literacy locally and being recognized nationally by the likes of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin. Durbin and others have praised the college’s proactive efforts to limit student debt while educating students on healthy borrowing through its mandatory loan counseling. The college’s financial aid work was recognized this spring by the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

Kim Wagner, managing director of student financial services, discussed the college’s financial aid practices with the Foundation Board at its annual meeting in June. Here are highlights from her presentation.

At ECC, percent increase in FAFsA applications in the last three years.

32.4% A large majority of ECC students are 18-32 years in age, with the

highest amount of need, and are part-time students.

Percentage of freshman at two-year institutions that have financial problems that will interfere with their schoolwork.

- Noel-Levitz Freshman Attitudes Report and

Addendum 2012

64.5%

PELL Grant increase from $2.8million disbursed in 2006 to

$12.2 million in 2012

150% increase in number of financial aid recipients

from 2006 to 2012

72% decrease in amount of uncollected tuition and fees from 2006 to 2012

$28millionFederal, state, and institutional aid awarded by the Financial Aid Office in 2011-2012.

Foundation scholarships awarded:

2012-13: $113,449 to 178 students

2011-12: $205,465 to 225 students

Page 12: IMPACT Newsletter - Issue 5, Summer 2013

515

Return Service Requested

Samantha MigatzElgin Community College alumna Samantha Migatz first learned about the ECC Foundation from her academic counselor at South Elgin High School. Even then she knew she would need financial assistance to further her education.

After completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Migatz learned that she only qualified for student loans. She decided to reach out to the ECC Foundation in hopes of securing a scholarship to avoid student debt. The Foundation, which currently awards more than 125 scholarships annually, was able to assist Migatz with a $1,000 ECC Foundation General Scholarship to help cover tuition and expenses.

“I applied for scholarships because I knew that was the best route for me to enhance my education without having to worry about money to pay back,” she says. “Even though ECC offers the lowest tuition in the district, affording school can still be difficult.

While maintaining two jobs and a high GPA at ECC, Migatz was deliberate about serving the institution she was proud to attend. She was involved in campus organizations and activities, including acting as vice president of Phi Theta Kappa. She graduated from ECC in May 2013. She credits the Foundation with helping her complete her degree.

“The Foundation scholarship is a huge part of the college,” she says. “I’m so grateful to know that people at ECC could come together to help students with their education. It shows that ECC puts students and their success first.”

Scholarship Recipient Profile