Thirty-three students were recognized for their accomplishments during Illinois Valley Community College’s annual Adult Education Recognition Event on May 20.

Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) completer Ana Jones, Illinois High School Diploma graduate Kai Renz, and diploma and ICAPS completer Blair Stuepfert (appearing in a pre-recorded segment) shared their struggles and triumphs.

Jones studied to improve her English proficiency, then moved to a career bridge program. A pregnancy forced her to drop out of the certified nursing assistant (CNA) program, but her family encouraged her to try again. With her husband and mother-in-law helping with childcare, Jones completed her CNA certificate and moved on to study nursing.

“I was afraid to take the bridge course, but I did it. The Adult Education team helped me in my difficult moments, encouraging me to do my best, and reminding me how wonderful I am doing. Now, here I am taking classes because I want to be a nurse, or maybe a nurse practitioner! This would never be possible without my family or IVCC,” Jones said.

Personal struggles might have destined Renz to a lifetime of unskilled minimum wage employment, until “IVCC completely changed the trajectory of my life. Graduating with my GED and enrolling in classes has improved my mental health, given me a second chance on my education, and an opportunity for a bright and successful future,” Renz said.

After efforts to earn a GED online were derailed, IVCC provided Renz with tools to succeed, and adult education staff and instructors supplied the confidence to begin and follow through. Now, Renz is majoring in computer science courses to pursue a career in software development or computer programming.

Encouraged by instructors and coordinators, Stuepfert’s college career exceeded his expectations. While earning a high school diploma, he earned tuition savings on his first truck driver training class.

“That was a great start! I got some real-world experience driving, then decided I wanted to come back for agriculture and welding. Coming to IVCC allows me to stay home and help on the family farm and grow my trucking business instead of going to a college hours away.”

He knows his welding and truck driving skills will grow more valuable over time when he can use those skills that other farmers have to hire out.

President Dr. Tracy Morris recognized the graduates and she and members of the IVCC Board of Trustees handed out diplomas as Ryan Myers, assistant superintendent of the LaSalle, Marshall, Putnam County Regional Office of Education, announced their names.

Additionally, several graduates received scholarships to continue their educational journeys at IVCC. Those recipients include: Kai Renz, Bentley Delhotal, Dillen Barry, Brookelynn Carter, Anthony Lozano and Amanda Smith.

Graduates and completers are:

Illinois High School Diploma recipients – Dillen Barry; Caleb Blickensderfer; Elijah Blickensderfer; Kaleb W. Bodie; Joseph D. Bolz; Eliza A. Brown; Brookelynn N. Carter; Braden M. Craft; Samantha Cuevas; Bentley Delhotal; Joseph Harlan; Crystal Holliday; Tiffany Johnson; Maribel Lopez Morales; Anthony R. Lozano; Anthony McKinney; Angelo G. Quintana; Pedro R. Roberts Jr.; Jeremiah Rodriguez; Hailey Sharp; Amanda Smith; Guinevere A. Vincent, and Tessa Walker.

ICAPS Completers – Samantha Cuevas, Anthony Lozano, and Ana M. Jones.

Bridge Completers – Fabian Escobedo; Denisse Espinoza Rodriguez; Taisa M. Lannen; Akiko Okada; Marielle Ramalho Faria, and Maricruz Soria.

For information on Adult Education programs, call Director Sara Escatel at (815) 224-0355 or visit www.ivcc.edu/adulted.