Lt. Governor Sheila Simon is conducting a statewide tour of community colleges to find out about barriers to college completion.
Her next stop is Chicago Heights, and she will learn about completion efforts in the Chicago Southland.
Simon is visiting with representatives from the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium at Prairie State College on Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 8 a.m. at the Chicago Heights campus.
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During the meeting with presidents and senior administrators, Simon will learn how the SMHEC member schools work collaboratively focusing on programs that promote college readiness, support college completion, and identify economies and efficiencies that result in streamlining and cost savings.
SMHEC’s partnership of two-year, four-year, and for-profit institutions that share resources to enhance educational opportunities for individuals in the Chicago Southland is unique in Illinois.
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"SMHEC is a very unique consortium and a model for collaboration. We're very proud of the significant accomplishments which we've achieved at lower costs through our cooperation," said Dr. Eric Radtke, president of PSC and the SMHEC President’s Council.
After the meeting, Simon will spend the next few days touring the SMHEC member community colleges to learn the specifics of each college’s degree and certificate completion efforts.
In addition to PSC, the SMHEC members are DeVry University, Governors State University, Illinois Institute of Technology, Joliet Junior College, Kankakee Community College, Lewis University, Moraine Valley Community College, Northwestern College, South Suburban College, Saint Xavier, and the University of Saint Francis.
Her visit at SSC will take place at 11:30 a.m. with presentations in the College’s Board Room, followed by a tour of student services areas throughout the college concluding at 1 p.m.
Simon will stop off at Moraine Valley at 3 p.m. to talk with administrators and students.
For information on the upcoming visit, contact Jennifer Stoner, PSC executive director of communications and marketing, (708) 709-3949. For information on SMHEC, contact Genny Bosen, SMHEC executive director, (708) 534-4984.
