Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center classroom to be named in honor of Compeer Financial

A classroom and conference center in Illinois Valley Community College’s Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center will be named in honor of Compeer Financial, which contributed $150,000 in support of the new building. Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. It provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Compeer Financial is the third largest cooperative in the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending institutions supporting agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.

Compeer Financial Officer Evan Wixom, an alumnus of IVCC’s agriculture program, said, "I have personally experienced the value of the education offered at the College and the new agriculture center will elevate that impact for generations to come. Compeer believes in the future of agriculture and rural communities and this investment in the Compeer Classroom will inspire youth and enhance the agricultural workforce in the communities we serve.”

In accepting the gift, IVCC President Dr. Tracy Morris said, “We are so thankful to Compeer Financial for stepping up as one of our first major corporate naming partners. The classroom and conference room will be one of our most utilized spaces that will offer tremendous opportunities for our students and community. We deeply appreciate Compeer Financial’s support for our new facility and our agriculture program.”

The $7.6 million capital project is supported by community contributions and public grants, including $3.5 million from the U.S. Department of Economic Development Administration and $240,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Currently, the Ag Forward campaign has secured more than $1.6 million in support of naming opportunities.

Expected to be ready for occupancy in 2027, the new building will help redefine the IVCC agriculture program, outfitting the College to train and upskill agriculture workers while supporting the development of new technology and sustainable practices. Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski, for whom the building is named, was the longest serving president in the College’s history.

Equipped with leading-edge innovation labs and technology, flexible classroom space and room for a future greenhouse, the 10,250-square-foot building puts students at the heart of the College’s 153-acre farm of test plots and cropland, where they can easily apply theory to practice.

To learn more about the Dr. Alfred E. Wisgoski Agricultural Education Center and the IVCC Foundation fundraising effort, Ag Forward, visit www.ivcc.edu/agforward or contact Executive Director of the Foundation Tracy Beattie at 815-224-0550.