Unity Fest aims to bring the campus and the community together on April 20, 2024
4.05.2024
4.05.2024
Founded in 1829, Illinois College is a residential liberal arts college fostering academic excellence rooted in opportunities for experiential learning while preparing students for lifelong success. The college is located in Jacksonville, Illinois. With an enrollment of more than 1,000 students, the college offers over 50 undergraduate programs. In 1932, the society of Phi Beta Kappa established a chapter at Illinois College, and it remains one of only 11 in the state.
Illinois College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
Visit www.ic.edu for more information.
Media Contact Information
Emily Titsworth '19, Writer
Office of Marketing and Communication
217.245.3219 | emily.titsworth@ic.edu
I want to congratulate and thank Illinois College for establishing and working on this new nursing school. This morning I met with some of the leaders of Illinois College with President Farley and they talked about their goals. America would be proud to hear that Illinois College is part of the future, not only in Jacksonville and central Illinois and the Midwest, but the national effort to make sure that Americans have the best healthcare in the world.Senator Dick Durbin Last year, IC announced a partnership with Memorial Health to combat the growing nursing shortage in the area. This partnership includes scholarships for eligible residents from 38 surrounding counties interested in pursuing a career in nursing, covering the cost of tuition for the first two years at IC. In years three and four, students have the opportunity to continue receiving support while working part-time at any Memorial Health site, allowing them to gain hands-on experience while continuing their education. These nursing scholarships are in addition to Illinois College’s Advantage Plus Program, which covers 100% of financial need for Illinois residents.
Illinois College is dedicated to nursing education. The federal support announced today will support the expansion of our program to recruit and educate the future nursing workforce.Illinois College President Barbara Farley Funds from this federal grant will directly impact current and prospective nursing students in addition to a generous grant from Memorial Health. The IC+MH academic partnership announced in June 2023 included a $4.2 million grant to renovate facilities, provide scholarships to nursing students, and support student success. The renovation project, slated for completion by August 2024, focuses on expanding the nursing program labs. This reaffirms Illinois College's dedication to delivering a high-quality, hands-on education that prepares students for the evolving demands of the healthcare industry. This endeavor creates additional state-of-the-art learning environments in Baxter and Parker Halls, providing nursing students with increased opportunities for hands-on learning and cutting-edge training. Ed Curtis, Memorial Health president and CEO, gave remarks at the conference about the important partnership between IC and Memorial Health. “[In the healthcare field] we continue to say that health care was the first in the pandemic and the last out. Why? Because of the labor issues and the impact the pandemic caused, accelerating retirement rates even further and leaving the profession. We have worked to increase the number of graduate nurses, and we're doing that successfully because of Illinois College.” In addition to the four-year BSN, the College added a fully online MSN program in 2022 after securing federal Community Project Funding sponsored by Congressman Darin LaHood. To learn more about the nursing program at Illinois College, visit ic.edu/nursing In the News
Being able to lay the foundations that were founded in the business department and in the agribusiness program prepares them for a strong, successful career in the agriculture community.Dr. Jeff Galle Prior to joining the faculty at Illinois College, Galle built a foundation for himself in the swine industry, having taught at John Wood Community College in their swine management program. His expertise is not restricted to the classroom, however. Galle has been involved in all aspects of the Pork Producers organization at the local, state, and national levels, having served as the President of Pike County Pork Producer then moving up the ranks to become the President of the Illinois Pork Producers Association. Jeff served as a delegate for several years and eventually ran and was selected by the Pork Producer delegates, and then appointed to the National Pork Board by the United States Secretary of Agriculture in 2006 and served until 2009. Galle credits his connections to industry leaders with his 30+ years teaching and working in the industry and utilizes those connections to recruit students to join the agribusiness program at Illinois College. “My experience working in higher education gave me exposure to a tremendous amount of people in the FFA and 4H communities and the Dept of Agriculture,” Galle explains, “It gave me the contacts that are necessary to make this program visible.” The agribusiness program is currently in its sixth year and is a part of the well-established business department. Since the start of the program, course offerings have expanded to include an asynchronous online program, providing students the flexibility to fit coursework into their lives. “Online students are able to take one course every eight weeks,” Galle explains, “These students are given all the resources they need to complete the classes at their own pace.” The agribusiness program is an ideal fit for anyone looking to break into the agricultural industry, whether its accounting, finance, or management. IC made it even more accessible through an articulation agreement with community colleges in the state of Illinois. “This agreement is designed for students who graduate with an associates degree and are looking to continue their education,” Galle says, “These students have the opportunity to transfer to Illinois College and complete a bachelors on campus or online.” Galle emphasizes that agribusiness is not something that can only be achieved at the local-level, it’s an international market. His time in the swine industry has taken him all over the world. He was invited by the Illinois Director of Agriculture to visit Hungary on a trade mission with several other industry leaders. He’s spent time in Brazil and Argentina as a part of an Illinois Ag Leadership Program Class to evaluate their agriculture and the effect of hyperinflation. He was also a key evaluator of the success of Freedom Farms International’s potential for long-term livestock production in Ukraine. Most notably, however, Galle has established an international business in the southeast Asian country Laos with the creation of the brand Laos Fresh Meats under his company Global Pork Production Enterprises. “Our hope for our students is that we help prepare them to go out and be successful in the workplace, to be able to look for career opportunities that are going to be long term and enjoyable for them,” Galle notes, “The agribusiness program gives them the chance to see and do things that prepare them for being involved in the industry after graduation.” To learn more about the agribusiness program, click here. Learning