(L-R) Cale Downs, Chad Emery, Crystal Brinkley, Kelly
Trummel, HCC President Keith Cornille.
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Heartland Community College
partnership with Constellation graduates first students from
specialized degree program
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[May 20, 2022]
The first group of students in a customized degree program at
Heartland Community College for employees of Constellation’s Clinton
Power Station have graduated.
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In
August of 2018, Heartland Community College formalized an agreement
to offer customized programs to provide Constellation’s (formerly
Exelon) employees with a pathway to an Associate in Applied Science
(AAS), Industrial Technology degree and develop in their careers at
the carbon-free nuclear power plant.
The Heartland degree program structure was designed to be flexible
with the employees’ schedules, which varied based upon their work
area. With the unique demands of employment at Clinton Power
Station, many employees could not participate in the traditional
college schedule.
The program began in the Spring 2019 semester, but was delayed by
the pandemic during the 2019-2020 academic year. Adjustments were
made to the instructional schedule and classes were held the last
couple years at the power plant, on Heartland’s Normal campus, and
online.
“What made this program different was in our response to student
availability,” said Chris Miller, Heartland Industrial Technology
instructor. “We provided flexible times for courses and had open lab
times outside of the regular scheduled times. For example, security
personnel from Constellation are on an entirely different schedule
than other departments. The best part of this cohort is how
motivated and responsive the students were. They wanted to be here
and they made it through challenging materials and the twists and
turns of the schedule.”
As part of the partnership, Constellation employees were eligible
for full tuition and textbook reimbursement from their employer.
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Students graduating from the program range in service at
Constellation from four to fourteen years. The group graduating this May
includes Crystal Brinkley, Cale Downs, Chad Emery and Kelly Trummel.
“The Heartland program has been invaluable in helping our
employees take control of their careers by investing in their development,” said
Tom Chalmers, Site Vice President of Clinton Power Station. “Heartland’s
Industrial Technology AAS Degree gives them the educational courses and
knowledge needed to advance into roles such as electrical maintenance and plant
equipment operator. We are proud of their achievement and look forward to seeing
how they succeed in the year to come.”
Students in the program pursue the Industrial Technology AAS, Industrial
Technology Certificate, Electronic Skills Certificate, Renewable Energy Skills
Certificate and Industrial Maintenance Skills Certificate.
Heartland Community College celebrated this year’s graduates at a commencement
ceremony held on May 13, 2022 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.
[Steve Fast
Assistant to the President, Public Information and Communication
Heartland Community College]
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