Friday, April 11, 2025, the Prairie State College Foundation hosted the 2025 Economic Forecast Breakfast (EFB) at Olympia Fields Country Club with featured speaker, Jason Turner. Jason, who is the Chief Investment Strategist and Head of Multi-Asset Strategy for Great Lakes Advisors, a Wintrust wealth Management Company, presented to a very attentive audience. Prairie State College Professor Michael Massengill's Economics class was in attendance and Foundation recipients volunteered to welcome EFB guests. To learn more about Foundation events and how to participate visit thepscf.org.
Passion for the arts in the Rinaldi family has been limitless. Both Nicholas and Jacqueline taught at Fairfield University and were in education for decades. Jacqueline continued teaching until last year when she finally retired at the age of 89.
“Both of my parents spent a lifetime in education, " Paul said. “We’re a family that really believes in the transformational power of the arts to lift people up. That’s always been my focus in terms of working with my students.”
The Prairie State College Office of Institutional Advancement was elated to welcome Allan DiCastro, an exemplary alumnus, back to campus during Community College Week. “Mr. DiCastro defines Started Near, Going Far, and continues to Give Back to the PSC community, stated Deborah S. Havighorst, Executive Director, Institutional Advancement and the PSC Foundation. “It was heartwarming to see Allan’s genuine interaction with GAP scholarship recipients and his commitment to student success.”
Mr. DiCastro established the Gail Ann Prize (GAP) Scholarship for nearby Serena Hills Elementary School students who attend PSC. His commitment to PSC students honors his late sister, Gail Ann DiCastro. Mr. DiCastro toured campus and was greeted by Dr. Anthony, PSC President, during his time at the College. The legacy Mr. DiCastro leaves behind will change the lives of numerous PSC students.  Sculptor Lorado Taft’s bronze Alma Mater statue on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune)
The largest-ever class of high school seniors is about to graduate, just as colleges are facing major upheaval. Here’s what they could face as they head to campus.  As about 3.9 million students earn their high school diplomas and many of them head to college, the changes at universities could affect their experiences in big and small ways. Sophie Park for The New York Times Colleges are expecting what could be the largest freshman class ever this fall at a moment of extraordinary turmoil, as campuses face financial pressures from the federal government and political conflict over diversity and other cultural issues.
Admissions processes, upended by the Supreme Court decision to ban affirmative action, have been revamped. Budget pressures and worries about financial aid and tuition loom for colleges and families alike. Campuses have been grappling with protests and the sanctity of academic freedom. And that was before President Trump’s return to power. After he took office in January, his administration almost immediately began a campaign to close the Education Department and stop billions of dollars from flowing to colleges. On campuses, universities are shutting down laboratories and confronting civil rights investigations over antisemitism. As about 3.9 million students earn their high school diplomas and many of them head to college, the changes could affect their experiences in big and small ways. Here’s how the commotion might touch students, their parents and anyone else around college campuses this year.
Billionaire Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's higher education reform faces unexpected resistance from universities.
Author: Mark Maxwell
Published: 7:43 PM CDT March 25, 2025 Updated: 7:43 PM CDT March 25, 2025
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois — Gov. J.B. Pritzker's ambitious plan to allow community colleges to offer four-year degrees has hit a significant roadblock, exposing the complex political dynamics of higher education reform in Illinois.
The proposed legislation, House Bill 3717, would enable community colleges to grant bachelor's degrees in applied fields, potentially transforming access to higher education for thousands of students. Despite Pritzker's vocal support, the House Higher Education Committee declined to advance the bill last week. "I'm glad to see negotiations continuing," Chairwoman Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville) said. "I think we need to focus on finding pathways for students to earn the credentials they need to support their careers and on supporting all our institutions of higher education across the state.' From: Illinois Community College Trustees Association March 27, 2025 Gov. JB Pritzker has declared April 2025 as ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE MONTH “in honor of the Illinois Community College System and the significant contribution these institutions are making to every student, every community, and our state.” Below is the full text as well as a link to view a copy of the proclamation. Community College Month Proclamation 2025 WHEREAS, America’s first public community college was established in Joliet, Illinois, in 1901; and, WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges are powerhouses of opportunity at the grassroots with 45 community colleges and 39 college districts throughout the state defining success student by student and community by community; and, WHEREAS, according to the Illinois Community College Board, Illinois community colleges educate 75 percent of the undergraduate students enrolled in Illinois public higher education; and WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges are outcome-driven, ranking number one in the nation for bachelor's degree completion rates among the 54 percent of community college students who transfer; and WHEREAS, in fiscal year 2024, Illinois community colleges partnered with local school districts and offered 15,942 dual credit courses to 91,017 high school students; and, WHEREAS, earning an Associate of Applied Science or long-term certificate from an Illinois community college adds nearly $600,000 in lifetime earnings; and WHEREAS, Illinois community colleges share a common mission to prepare people for the workforce, to transfer students to other colleges and universities, and to continually respond to the communities they serve through adult literacy continuing education services; THEREFORE, I, JB Pritzker, Governor of the State of Illinois, do hereby proclaim April 2025 to be Illinois Community College Month in honor of the Illinois Community College System and the significant contribution these institutions are making to the strength, vitality, and prosperity for our state.  On Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, Career Services and the Prairie State College Foundation hosted its first Major Moves: AlumniConnect with Students event! From 11 AM to 1 PM, twelve alumni, ranging from the class of 1969 to 2024, gathered in the atrium to connect with students and share insights about their careers and academic journeys since graduating from PSC. It was a wonderful chance for current students to see firsthand the lasting value of their PSC experience and how it can shape their future careers. Thank you to all the alumni who participated and made the event a success! Spring enrollment tops 285,000, marking third straight year of growth SPRINGFIELD — Enrollment at Illinois community colleges grew to more than 285,000 in the spring semester this year, an 8.9% increase over a year ago and the largest spring-to-spring enrollment increase since the Illinois Community College Board began collecting systemwide data in the late 1990s.
In a report released Tuesday, the ICCB said 40 of the state’s 45 community colleges reported enrollment growth this spring. There was significant growth in several enrollment categories, including a nearly 20% increase in students enrolled in dual credit programs, which allow high school students to earn college credits. But there was an even greater increase, 23.4%, in students seeking general associate’s degree programs. “With the largest spring-to-spring enrollment increase and the third straight year of growth, our community colleges have not only bounced back from the pandemic — they are now stronger than ever thanks to our historic investments in education,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement. Lumina Foundation-Gallup study finds 90% of currently enrolled college students believe higher education is worth the investment. WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 19, 2025 — A new study from Lumina Foundation and Gallup shows 90% of currently enrolled students believe their investment in college is worth it, even as the perceived value of associate and bachelor’s degrees dropped by five percentage points from 2023 to 2024.
Higher Education Seen as Worth the Investment Regardless of Degree-Holding Status The majority of adults without a degree believe associate degrees (55%) and bachelor’s degrees (70%) are “extremely” or “very” valuable. Among those without a degree, more than seven in 10 say a two- or four-year degree has become more important (38%) to career success over the past 20 years or remained just as important (34%). Most also believe a degree pays off quickly: 58% of current or prospective students say a college degree pays off within five years, and 86% believe it pays off within 10 years. This is true regardless of enrollment or degree status; even among those who have never enrolled in learning beyond high school, nearly six in 10 (58%) say a degree pays off within five years. |
