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"More than 23,000 students are getting their degrees from
Southwestern Illinois College," Blagojevich said. "These new
technology classrooms on the Granite City campus will help better
prepare students for the work force. I'm also honored to join the
community in renaming this campus after Representative Sam Wolf. As
a longtime member of the House, Sam helped establish this campus and
worked very hard to bring state dollars home to build facilities
like the Industrial Training Center."
The $3.36 million was included in the fiscal 2007 state budget
passed by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Blagojevich.
The governor announced the funding Monday at Granite City with state
Sen. William Haine and state Reps. Jay Hoffman and Dan Beiser.
Blagojevich also joined the college president, Elmer Kirchoff, and
former Rep. Wolf to officially rename the campus.
Granite City resident Sam Wolf served 18 years in the Illinois
House of Representatives before retiring in 1992. As a member of the
General Assembly, Wolf helped Belleville Area College, now
Southwestern Illinois College, establish a campus in Granite City
and secured state funds to build a new industrial training center
there. He also pushed legislation to establish voting subdistricts
for the college's board candidates to provide more effective
representation for all areas of the district. Wolf has been a member
of the SWIC board of trustees since October 1995.
"I am pleased that Governor Blagojevich has once again made
Southwestern Illinois College a priority," said state Rep. Jay
Hoffman, D-Collinsville. "These funds will help the Sam Wolf Campus
continue and improve its service to the Granite City area."
The state funding will go toward constructing new classrooms for
specialized instruction, including computer software training and
accessibility to computers for individualized learning. The existing
interior space in the Main Building will be remodeled for student
and administrative services, including financial assistance,
counseling, a business office, a print shop, community services,
health services, career and veterans services, minority transfer,
and administrative offices.
"These capital improvements will make the college campus
buildings much more attractive for our students," said Sen. William
Haine, D-Alton. "This project will enhance the learning environment
and improve the image of our entire community. That is why we
supported the funding for these improvements."
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The project will also improve the appearance of the campus,
construct new entry roads to eliminate confusion and traffic
problems, and correct water drainage problems at the site. The
current north campus entrance will be removed, and the south
entrance will be reconstructed to serve as the main entry point. A
new ceremonial drive will lead students and visitors to the new
building expansion and a new, central entrance lobby. Reconfigured
green space on the front lawn and screening of the facility's
service buildings will improve the college's visual appearance and
present a more professional image to the community. "It's a privilege to be here today to honor Representative Wolf
and to see once again that Governor Blagojevich considers education
in the Metro East region to be a top priority," said state Rep. Dan
Beiser, D-Alton. "These funds will allow the newly named Sam Wolf
Granite City Campus to continue its stellar service to the region."
The SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus is located in a former high
school built in 1973 on a 73-acre site at the southeast corner of
Illinois Route 203 and Maryville Road. Southwestern Illinois College
purchased the property in 1985 and has since developed a strong
industrial technology training curriculum there.
"Once again Governor Blagojevich has collaborated with our
hardworking area legislators to demonstrate their collective
commitment to Southwestern Illinois College," said SWIC President
Elmer H. Kirchoff, Ph. D. "We are also thankful the governor took
time to help us recognize the long-standing contributions of college
trustee Sam Wolf on the occasion of the campus being renamed the
Southwestern Illinois College Sam Wolf Granite City Campus."
Southwestern Illinois College is the largest Illinois community
college outside of the Chicago area, with campuses in Belleville,
Granite City and Red Bud, as well as 26 off-campus sites, including
Scott Air Force Base and East St. Louis Community College Center.
Annually, more than 23,000 students from the Metro East region
attend the college, and 26 percent of high school graduates in the
district enroll at Southwestern. The college offers 64 associate
degree programs and 95 certificates of proficiency. There are 139
full-time and nearly 700 part-time faculty members. Southwestern
serves the diverse needs of citizens and businesses in the region
through its Center for Training Innovations, Programs and Services
for Older Persons, and Career Activities and Employment Center.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
