During the summer, beginning May 13, KCC's College Center and Auditorium will be remodeled.
The area to be closed during construction includes the College Center area, the Auditorium, lower level Cavs Corner, Food Service and the Cavalier Room. The suggested detour is to walk outside or go to the second floor.
The Center for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Student Life Office will be temporarily located at the far east end of the first floor during construction.
To reach Student Affairs, registration and advisement, enter the Welcome Center doors, and go to the right. Take the stairs or elevator to the second floor and follow the hallway to Student Affairs.
The remodeling project is expected to be complete by Aug. 16. Food Service plans to re-open on Monday, Aug. 19.
The Hammes Bookstore, located across from the Miner Memorial Library, will have beverages, snacks and dry food items. The hours are Monday - Thursday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. The Bookstore will be open Fridays, May 31, June 21 and July 5, 8:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
KCC is closed on most Fridays from May 17 to July 26. For all dates when the college is closed, and holidays, visit the academic calendar.
Renderings provided by Demonica Kemper Architects.
As she completes the registered nursing program at KCC, Sarah Quick is also nearing the end of her tenure as president of the Illinois Student Nurses Association.
Quick recently took part in one of her final activities with SNA.
"What an unforgettable Student Nurse Political Action Day," Quick said regarding the April 16 event, held in Springfield. "From the heartwarming stories to the powerful advocacy, not only from amazing nurses, but also amazing student nurses!
"We had an amazing day with (people from) many colleges and universities from around Illinois that drove hours to come. We had a amazing speaker."
The keynote speaker was Marcus D. Henderson, a registered nurse and doctoral candidate at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing.
Quick, of Kankakee, will take part in the Registered Nursing pinning ceremony Friday, May 10 at KCC. She also will graduate from KCC during the college's commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11.
Quick has accepted a position as a registered nurse at the Illinois Veterans Home Manteno. She also will continue her education to complete a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
With the Illinois Student Nurses Association, Quick remains as president until the state convention in September. At that time, a new SNA board will be elected.
KCC’s two-year registered nursing program has a competitive entry process, and accepts new students each fall and spring semester. It incorporates classroom lectures, clinical experiences and lab demonstrations. The program is designed to prepare students for work in hospital departments, as well as in long-term care, home care, business and industry, outpatient clinics, public agencies, and physicians’ offices.
For information about entry requirements, consult with a KCC advisor or contact the program director, Jenny Rogers at jrogers@kcc.edu or phone 815-802-8828.
In the photo: At Student Nurse Political Action Day, Sarah Quick, far left, along with members of the Student Nurses Association of Illinois board and co-consultants.
Regina VanDeVelde, clinical education coordinator for the Physical Therapist Assistant program at KCC, recently presented a research poster at a conference hosted by the Acute Care Section of the American Physical Therapy Association.
VanDeVelde conducted the research in collaboration with Governors State University in University Park.
The information VanDeVelde (far right in the photo) shared is about the intra-professional relationship between physical therapist and physical therapist assistant students in the clinical setting.
It's full title is "Inpatient interprofessional clinical experience lends to increased knowledge and awareness of the PT:PTA role."
KCC offers an Associate Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. It is a competitive entry program, with a maximum of 20 students entering it each fall. The five-semester program integrates professional standards, theory and clinical education in a variety of physical therapy settings. Students progress through the program as a cohort group.
Graduates are prepared for employment as entry-level physical therapist assistants who work under the direction and supervision of a physical therapist. Employment settings for physical therapist assistants include hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, home health, hospice facilities, school districts, and research centers.
For more information about KCC's Physical Therapist Assistant program, contact VanDeVelde at rvandevelde@kcc.edu or the program director, Kimberly Libby, at klibby@kcc.edu.
Almost 450 degrees and certificates will be conferred at the 55th annual Kankakee Community College commencement ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 11 in the George H. Ryan Gymnasium in the college's Activities Building.
The speaker at KCC’s ceremony will be a 2012 graduate, Fawn Hendershott. Hendershott is executive director of UpliftedCare, a non-profit that provides care and comfort to individuals who struggle with serious illness. She earned a degree in Registered Nursing from KCC, and also held roles as a nurse case manager, CNA supervisor and clinical staff educator with UpliftedCare. Hendershott began her career at Riverside Healthcare in telemetry and post-acute care units.
Two students will be honored as members of the All-Illinois Academic Team, a special recognition based on outstanding academic performance and service to the college and community. They are Allie Kohl of Herscher and Connor O’Malley of Kankakee. Kohl is earning an Associate in Arts degree and will transfer to Olivet Nazarene University. O’Malley is earning an Associate in Science degree and will transfer to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The KCC Outstanding Faculty Member Awards for 2024 will be presented to Clay Sterling, professor for the Electrical Engineering Technology Program; and Randy Gerdes, adjunct professor for the Emergency Medical Technical program.
The recipient of the John M. Fulton Distinguished Alumni Award is Eric Peterson, a 2012 KCC graduate who is chief executive officer and founder at Project Headspace and Timing, a non-profit that assists veterans. He is a U.S. military veteran who served in Afghanistan with the Illinois Army National Guard. Peterson also has worked as a paramedic and a private investigator.
The ceremony will stream live on commencement.kcc.edu. Social media users can use #KCCgrad2024 to congratulate graduates.
The ceremony will last about 90 minutes.
For guests needing assistance or special accommodations, entry will begin at 8:45 a.m. General seating will take place from 9-9:55 a.m. Guests are asked not to bring balloons and other large items that could obstruct the view of others. The college also will have an overflow room where the ceremony will be streamed live.
KCC is located at 100 College Drive in Kankakee, south of downtown Kankakee.