Wednesday, May 20 was the Sixty-Seventh Annual Commencement of Prairie State College. Prairie State College Foundation, on behalf of the college shares a thank you to Dr. DeRionne Pollard for sharing her powerful story of hope. ❤️ The PSC Foundation also extends a heartfelt thank you to Mr. Allan DiCastro for his unprecedented generosity to change lives through Foundation scholarships. Congratulations to all 2026 graduates🎓 now ALUMNI! You Started Near and now we will watch you GO FAR!
On May 21, the Prairie State College Foundation welcomed the Spring 2026 Basic Operations Firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician graduates to the PSC Alumni family with special gifts. The celebratory evening included presentations of the Brian Carey, Star of Life, Harold Kummelehne Leadership, and Dylan T. Cunningham Servant Leader Awards. What an emotion-filled evening of joy and remembrance orchestrated by PSC Fire Science Technology & Emergency Services Coordinator, Chad Vliestra. Congratulations to all! Start Near. Go Far.
Congratulations to Prairie State College student Juana Sanchez Castillo on being named a recipient of The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarship. This outstanding achievement reflects Juana’s hard work, dedication, and academic excellence, and we are proud to celebrate this well-deserved recognition. Best wishes to Juana for big accomplishments in the future.  Nursing Pinning Day @ Prairie State College 💚 Celebrating this determined, tenacious group and thanking the PSC faculty and families who’ve brought them to this day. The Foundation has walked alongside these students in their journey, supporting with tens of thousands of dollars in PSC Foundation scholarship awards. Congratulations Class of 2026!
PSC retirees and those who hold a special place for Prairie State College in their heart ReCONNECTED today on campus for the first annual ReCONNECT event. A huge thank you to the event Committee in partnership with PSC faculty and the PSC Foundation in delivering an exceptional event. Today will be reminisced until we meet again. What a reunion celebrating PSC history! Event Date: Friday, May 8, 2026 Location: Prairie State College - Atrium
It’s Humanities Day at PSC - an amazing celebration where faculty and students come together in a showcase of sheer talent! The Foundation is proud to be a part as we announce the “Arts Unleashed”Scholarship Award recipients. The Rinaldi Family and the John B. Abate’ Prizes made possible by PSC faculty members and their families. We are so grateful for their generosity in support of student success! Start Near. GO FAR!!! Together, we can change lives—your support as an annual sponsor or donor makes all the difference.
Recently, the Prairie State College Foundation hosted it’s annual Economic Forecast Breakfast featuring JASON TURNER, Chief Investment Strategist and Head of Multi-Asset Strategy for Great Lakes Advisors, A Wintrust Wealth Management Company. A sincere thank you to Mr. Turner, our generous sponsors, the Spotlight scholarship recipients and all who attended in support of PSC Foundation Scholarships. It was an enjoyable, informative experience for all!
 By Janice Neumann | Chicago Tribune – Daily Southtown Published February 19, 2026  Marlandy Berrios, a former student of the late Paul Rinaldi, attends an exhibit of his art in the Christopher Gallery of Prairie State College. Berrios said Rinaldi played a big part in her artistic talent. (Janice Neumann/for the Daily Southtown) Marlandy Berrios still feels inspired by her late teacher and mentor, Paul Rinaldi, an acclaimed artist who taught at Prairie State College for more than 20 years. A recent exhibit celebrating his paintings in the Christopher Gallery of the Chicago Heights college brought it all back. “He was a sweet and caring teacher,” said Berrios, now an art student at Governor State University who lives in Park Forest. Berrios said Rinaldi taught her to go from drawing and illustrating comic books to objects, people and landscapes. “He said mistakes are how we grow,” said Berrios. Glancing around the gallery, Berrios was in awe. “It’s so beautiful and so colorful … to think Professor Rinaldi did all this for all these years before I was even born,” she said. That sense of appreciation and wonder was shared by other former students, family members, friends and faculty who attended “Seeing Through Time-Selected Works of a Creative Life.” There were the bright figurative paintings from the beginning of his career, the colorful abstract work and the more nuanced encaustic paintings, using hot wax. Prairie State College recently hosted it’s 37th Annual Jazz Fest with proceeds benefiting PSC Foundation scholarships. The full house witnessed an unforgettable evening of jazz, featuring world-class professionals Orbert Davis (trumpet), Len’l Glenn (saxophone), Valerie Nicholson (piano), Larry Gray (bass) and Ernie Adams (drums). Exceptional student performers shared the stage during the Jazz Master’s Jam. Retiring PSC Professor and Music Coordinator, Valerie Nicholson, was recognized and celebrated for her decades of dedication to the PSC Music Program. ♥️ Thank you Valerie for your unwavering commitment to PSC students and sharing your talents for all to enjoy!
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