For the second time, Allie Kohl of Herscher has been selected to receive a Coca-Cola academic scholarship.
In 2023, Kohl received a $1,000 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship. This year, she has earned $1,500 as a Gold Scholar on Coca-Cola’s 2024 Academic Team. The award stems from Kohl’s score in the All-USA Academic Team competition.
Kohl is an Early College program student at Kankakee Community College. She is taking KCC courses during her junior and senior years at Herscher High School. In May, Kohl will graduate from both KCC and high school. At KCC, Kohl is taking general education courses. She plans to transfer to Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais to study social work.
“Allie’s drive for academic success at such a young age is inspiring,” said Jaclyn Montemayer, co-advisor for KCC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for community college students. Kohl is president of the chapter.
“I am highly honored to have been awarded a second Coca-Cola academic scholarship,” Kohl said. “To be named a Gold Scholar on Coca-Cola’s 2024 Academic Team is an accomplishment I am immensely proud of. It's moments like these that reaffirm the significance of my hard work and keep me committed to continuing my academic journey with passion and determination.”
Out of 2,200 applicants, only 50 were chosen as Gold Scholars. Fifty Silver Scholars and 50 Bronze Scholars were also chosen. They received scholarships of $1,250 and $1,000, respectively.
In addition to being president of KCC’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Kohl is also president of KCC’s Psychology Club. At Herscher High School, she is Student Council executive board secretary, Student Council class co-secretary, and a member of Students Against Sexual Harassment. Kohl is a member of the Kankakee County Swine Youth Team and Cabery Specials 4-H Club. She also volunteers with Clove Alliance and Harbor House.
“The Coca-Cola Academic Team recognizes high achieving college students who demonstrate academic excellence and intellectual rigor combined with leadership and service that extends their education beyond the classroom to benefit society,” according to online information from Phi Theta Kappa.
Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The honor society has more than 3.8 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 countries, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at www.kcc.edu/student-resources/clubs/#phi-theta-kappa.
On Monday, April 8, STEM Club members traveled to Vincennes, Indiana, for the solar eclipse.
"We experienced four and a half minutes of totality!" said club advisor Michael Caparula.
KCC students in the picture are (left to right), Morgan Krause, Amanda Paulauskis, Nigel Mills, Jaxon Miller, and Michael Miramontes..
Photo credit: Caparula.
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences has awarded the Kankakee Community College Medical Laboratory Technician associate degree program continued accreditation until 2029.
Seeking accreditation is voluntary, but KCC’s MLT program has been accredited by NAACLS since 1981. There are 240 accredited MLT programs in the U.S. and 10 in Illinois.
To continue accreditation, the program provided documentation of established standards and showed continuous quality improvement over the past five years of the 10-year accreditation cycle. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognizes NAACLS Accreditation.
Accreditation by NAACLS is highly esteemed within the field, said KCC’s medical laboratory technician program director, Lamanda Baade.
“It signifies that a program has met rigorous standards of quality and excellence in education for laboratory professionals,” Baade said. “Being accredited by NAACLS reflects the dedication of our faculty in maintaining high educational standards. With this recognition, students and employers can be assured that the program exceeds national benchmarks for quality education. We are very proud of our graduates and the skills they bring to future employers.”
A medical laboratory technician works behind the scenes to conduct lab tests, analyze specimens, and maintain equipment for patient care. Graduates of the program are also prepared to enter medical laboratory science bachelor’s degree programs at selected state universities with junior status.
Medical Laboratory Technology is a two-year associate degree program. Fifteen students can be admitted into the program each fall semester. Classroom and clinical experience prepare students for entry-level jobs performing general tests in all laboratory areas. The program has clinical affiliations with 20 Illinois hospitals.
KCC’s graduates go on to work at hospitals, reference laboratories, clinics, research labs, public health facilities, business and industry, Baade said.
For more information about the program, contact Baade at lbaade@kcc.edu, phone 815-802-8837, or submit an information request at https://healthcareers.kcc.edu.
The next vice president for academic affairs at Kankakee Community College has more than 20 years of experience as a higher education administrator.
Beginning May 20, Dr. Quincy Rose-Sewell will become KCC’s chief academic officer, responsible for administering the college’s credit and non-credit instruction and workforce development programs. She will be responsible for the management of educational curriculum and assigned academic support services throughout the college.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity to work alongside Dr. Rose-Sewell,” said Dr. Michael Boyd, KCC’s president. “She comes to KCC very well-prepared, and I’m confident that she will help KCC maintain our current momentum and meet the goals established in our Strategic Plan.
“We’re working on a lot of great initiatives right now, and I know she’ll help us move forward,” Boyd continued. “I also know that she is going to bring new ideas to KCC’s academic enterprise, and the college is ready to get behind her great ideas as we work together to enhance quality of life through learning.”
Rose-Sewell is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Most recently, she was vice president of academic support and instruction at Pueblo Community College in Colorado.
“I am looking forward to serving and leading our academic team to support the vision of the president in KCC’s crucial role in providing affordable education and creating pathways to family-sustaining careers,” Rose-Sewell said. “By developing, engaging and nurturing relationships within our community and with our workforce partners, as a team we have an opportunity to collaborate to support innovation and reimagine education with student access, success, professional and personal growth at the forefront for all who seek a quality education. This is indeed an exciting time to serve on the KCC team where our current and new initiatives will certainly catapult us to the next level! “
Rose-Sewell has served as assistant vice president for academic affairs at Baltimore City Community College and dean of the College of Education at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. She also has held leadership and instructional positions at Grambling State University in Louisiana and Tusculum University in Tennessee.
“Dr. Rose-Sewell will be a great addition to our community, and I know she’s excited to get involved and make an impact,” Boyd said.
Rose-Sewell has two degrees from Delaware State University, a bachelor’s degree in primary education and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction. She has a doctorate in innovation and leadership, with a concentration in organizational leadership, from Wilmington University in Delaware.
Within the next few months, she and her husband, Rodney, are planning to move to the Kankakee area from Colorado.
The current vice president, Sheri Cagle, will retire from KCC on June 30. Cagle has worked at KCC full-time since 2007, in faculty and administrative roles.