OGLESBY, IL -
The Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA) Education Foundation awarded Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) $25,000 in scholarship funds for meeting a series of set standards and performing at a high level of active engagement to foster greater educational opportunities within the field of manufacturing. IVCC is the first of six institutions across the state that will receive a scholarship from the IMA Education Foundation this summer.
Several years ago, IVCC began construction of a new campus facility with a goal to fill the space with the latest technology and equipment so that students could be well positioned to move into high-paying manufacturing jobs available in the IVCC district and across the nation. In 2013, IVCC opened the Peter Miller Community Technology Center, a new 80,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility, currently housing career and technical programs for the manufacturing industry.
"Illinois Valley Community College has a great reputation for always responding to the needs of the community we serve with high quality programs and services,"
said Jerry Corcoran, president, Illinois Valley Community College.
"Now, with the backing of the Illinois Manufacturers Association and our local chief manufacturing executives group, our Foundation has prioritized the need to build our endowment so that more scholarships can be awarded to those who have the will to be successful in career and technical fields, but not the wherewithal. We thank the IMA Education Foundation for its outstanding generosity and tremendous professional support."
"Being a founder of the Illinois Valley Community College, as well as the IMA Education Foundation, I think IVCC is an institution that displays all the qualities for which this scholarship program is intended,"
said Bloke Carus, vice chair of the IMA Education Foundation.
"This scholarship award will assist manufacturing students with the cost of tuition, books, fees, transportation and childcare services so students can alleviate some of their financial concerns while focusing on their education and training."
Among the objectives of the Foundation is a provision for IMA to provide, through the Foundation, scholarship opportunities for deserving students following a pathway of study to a manufacturing career. Community colleges receiving funding must demonstrate active engagement with the manufacturing community by meeting certain set standards demonstrating their commitment to education and training focused on the manufacturing and technology sector.
"The students at Illinois Valley Community College have the potential to ensure our state will continue to build a strong pipeline for the workforce and fill the skills gap that is facing our industry,"
said Greg Baise, president and CEO, Illinois Manufacturers' Association.
"We hope to continue broadening participation and working with these institutions to increase success across the board for students pursuing opportunities in the manufacturing sector."
The IMA Education Foundation Board of Directors is providing contributions to six schools for the 2015-16 academic year and will make a second round of contributions in the 2016-17 academic year to incentivize underperforming schools to improve.
-##- The mission of the Illinois Manufacturers' Association Education Foundation is to be the premier influencer of education programs to attract and develop Illinois' future manufacturing workforce. We do this by providing both financial support to school districts, community colleges, vocational schools and Illinois' four-year institutions and by encouraging member companies of the IMA to provide internships at their manufacturing facilities for students and opportunities for educators to observe and discuss the needs of manufacturers in their area. For more information, visit http://www.ima-net.org/ima-education-foundation
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