2011 report to the community

R E P O RT TO T H E C O M M U N I TY2011

New Downtown Aurora Campus Opened June 1, 2011

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Accessibility — We remove barriers to learning formed by time, geography, education, culture, experience or beliefs to provide a full range of quality educational opportunities for all who can benefit.

Quality — We constantly redefine what it means to be “the best,” seeking to improve in every area and exceed the expectations of those we serve.

Value — We focus every resource directly on the search for learning, creating tangible benefits in everything we do.

Service — We view the world from the perspective of those we serve — anticipating needs and striving to exceed expectations while demonstrating a caring, knowledgeable, consistent connection with each individual every time they meet us.

Innovation — We are actively engaged on the frontiers of education, continuously improving the learning environment for our students and communities.

Our Core Values

WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2011

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A Message from the PresidentThe past year saw more activity and more changes for Waubonsee Community College than any time since the college’s founding in 1966. Opening a new campus makes for a historic year for any college, and Waubonsee opened two new campuses last year — in downtown Aurora and on Route 34 in Plano. These comprehensive campuses allow students to earn complete associate degrees and access student services.

It is wonderful that such an eventful year also marked my 10th anniversary as Waubonsee’s president. With strong leadership from Waubonsee’s Board of Trustees and collaboration between the college’s faculty and staff, the past decade has seen innovation from all areas of the college, significant expansion of access to the life-changing educational opportunities offered by Waubonsee, and unprecedented student enrollment and degree completion growth.

This Report to the Community highlights how Waubonsee continues to live and breathe our core values of Accessibility, Quality, Value, Service and Innovation. I’m honored to begin my second decade as president of this amazing community of learners. Thank you for your continued support of Waubonsee and our mission.

REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2011

Christine J. Sobek, Ed.D., President

Celebrating 10 Years as Waubonsee’s President

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Accessibility

Waubonsee’s new downtown Aurora Campus

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Opening Doors to OpportunityWhile Waubonsee’s Project Graduation holistically addresses and removes the barriers to degree and certificate completion, students cannot fulfill their goals without easy access to the classes and services that lead to credentials. The two new comprehensive campuses that Waubonsee opened in the past year, in Plano and downtown Aurora, make education even more accessible to more district residents.

These new campuses represent opportunity, offering comprehensive student services, along with a number of certificates and full associate degrees — that means students can take all the classes required for their degree entirely on these campuses.

Conveniently located off of Route 34 on beautiful Lake Plano, adjacent to Lakewood Springs, the Plano Campus opened in November 2010 and began offering classes in January 2011. The 33,000-square-foot campus serves the growing southwestern portion of Waubonsee’s district, providing in-demand career programs, as well as transfer degrees. The modern design of the campus incorporates many eco-friendly features including a permeable paver parking lot. The two-day Grand Opening and Community Open House drew more than 1,000 community members and local leaders to celebrate the new campus and recognize the many individuals who made the campus a reality.

Waubonsee’s new downtown Aurora Campus also offers students all they need to earn a degree — all in Aurora. After serving community members for 25 years in downtown Aurora at an 88,000-square-foot campus on Stolp Island, Waubonsee opened its new 132,000-square-foot downtown Aurora Campus on River Street in June 2011. The campus includes 52 classrooms, a library, assessment center, child care center with playground, tutoring center, grab-and-go-café and coffee bar, bookstore, multipurpose meeting rooms, and Adult Education Learning Center. The campus is home to Waubonsee’s Adult Education and Workforce Development departments. Located in the heart of downtown Aurora on the Fox River, the campus features an upper riverwalk and attractive green space. The Grand Opening celebration hosted more than 1,000 guests and featured the numerous partnerships that assisted in the development of the new campus.

Waubonsee’s network of four campuses — Sugar Grove, Aurora, Copley and Plano —means that a state-of-the-art education is never more than a short drive from home. That truly opens the doors to opportunity, and degrees, for all district residents.

“Waubonsee has a long history of providing access to education and training for all members of the Aurora community in this central downtown location, and I am excited about the new opportunities this expanded, state-of-the-art facility opens to our students, employers and community members.” - Dr. Christine Sobek, Waubonsee President

Waubonsee President Dr. Christine Sobek addresses the community at the Plano Grand Opening in November 2010.

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Increasing College Graduates Benefits Students, CommunityThroughout its history, Waubonsee has helped all types of students realize all sorts of goals. In recent years, Waubonsee has sharpened its focus to remove barriers to degree and certificate completion while encouraging more students to include a college credential in their own goals. This effort, called Project Graduation, affects every area of the institution.

According to a study by the College Board, students who earn an associate degree will earn 28 percent more in wages over the course of their lifetime than a person who only holds a high school degree. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the unemployment rate is 26 percent higher for those with some college but no degree. Certificate and associate degree completion has become a national and state priority as the United States looks to fill an estimated 1 million “middle skills” jobs by 2016, and Illinois seeks to increase its population of working-age adults with college credentials from 41 percent to 60 percent by 2025.

“Helping more students earn college degrees and certificates has been a longtime priority at Waubonsee,” said Dr. Deborah Lovingood, Waubonsee’s Executive Vice President of Educational Affairs/Chief Learning Officer. “We have always tried to highlight how college credentials improve the quality of life for both individuals and the community, so we’re pleased to see that message being echoed and amplified at both the state and national levels.”

In 2010-2011, the Project Graduation Initiative, one of the college’s Academic Quality Improvement Program Action Projects, focused on streamlining college graduation processes, promoting the benefits of degree completion, introducing an online degree audit system, increasing financial aid resources for students, and raising access to the numerous academic support resources available to help students complete their degree. The opening of two new campuses — in downtown Aurora and Plano — also significantly increases access to degrees and certificates.

Waubonsee’s commencement speaker this year, Illinois Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, shared the commitment to degree and certificate completion. While on her Complete College Illinois tour, she witnessed Waubonsee’s largest graduating class, up nearly 7 percent from 2010, cross the stage and receive their degrees in front of fellow students, faculty, and proud family and friends.

This initiative will continue into the next year with even more resources and evaluation, including participation in the Foundations of Excellence® program to improve the first-year and transfer student experience. These efforts all contribute to the creation of a culture of completion at Waubonsee for the benefit of students and the community.

“Your commitment to education is inspiring.” - Sheila Simon, Illinois Lieutenant Governor

Top: Illinois Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon delivered the commencement address at the May 2011 graduation ceremony. Bottom: 2011 Graduate Temeka Strange.

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Quality

2011 Graduate Ruben Garcia


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Value

David Voorhees, Associate Professor of Earth Science/Geology,lectures during an earth science class.

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Grants Help Provide an Even Better Educational Value Despite today’s challenging economic climate, Waubonsee continues to work hard to provide the area’s best educational value. One way to keep tuition low while still improving the quality of teaching and learning at the college is through grant funding. A Title V grant and a National Science Foundation grant were the largest awards the college received in 2011.

“Grants are extremely important given the economy and today’s funding challenges,” said Dr. Karen Stewart, Waubonsee’s Vice President of Quality and Strategic Development. “Being innovative requires fiscal and physical resources, and grants allow you to take risks in a way that you can’t with the college’s general fund. But it’s less about the money and more about the work that money allows us to do — instituting policies and practices that will last for years.”

The $3.2 million Title V grant the college received from the U.S. Department of Education will certainly impact the college and its students well beyond the five-year funding period. Waubonsee’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution, which came in 2009, allowed the college to apply for the award. Titled “Removing Barriers to Student Success,” the project includes four goals:

• enhancing data collection, assessment and monitoring of institutional effectiveness• developing a comprehensive data warehouse to enhance data-informed

decision-making• improving Hispanic student post-secondary transition and success• improving Hispanic GED/ESL transition.

To help accomplish these goals, the grant has funded several new staff positions, including the Director of Institutional Effectiveness, an Institutional Effectiveness Data Analyst, a Data Warehouse Database Analyst, a College Success Advisor and an Academic Intervention Advisor. Also funded is the college’s participation in the national Foundations of Excellence® project, which is a self-study and improvement process focused on the first-year and transfer student experience that will be conducted in the 2011-2012 academic year.

Focusing on the experiences of students in Waubonsee’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programs is the five-year $598,397 STEM grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Thanks to this grant, awarded in August 2010, 18 high-achieving STEM students are spending this academic year as STEM scholars. In addition to receiving financial support for their tuition, fees, books and living expenses, these scholars also benefit from the mentoring of a faculty member, participation in monthly colloquia, and networking opportunities on and off campus.

“Our dedicated faculty and state-of-the-art facilities, including the Science Building on the Sugar Grove Campus and the labs at both the Aurora and Plano Campuses, have made us a great educational destination for students studying STEM disciplines,” said David Voorhees, Associate Professor of Earth Science/Geology and Principal Investigator of the NSF STEM grant. “Even though this is our first year of awarding scholarships, I have seen how we have already begun to change the lives of our STEM scholars through the variety of resources our program offers to help them become successful in their chosen careers.”

Top: STEM scholarship recipients with faculty.Bottom: Student Mario Gomez discusses college career options with Counselor Evelyn Avilés-Davis.

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Waubonsee Encourages Service to Humankind and the EnvironmentWaubonsee’s annual Arbor Day celebration had an added dimension in 2011; the traditional tree was planted, symbolizing the campus’ commitment to serving the natural environment, but so too was a Peace Pole, symbolizing a commitment to serving and respecting humankind.

“This Peace Pole is a visual statement of Waubonsee’s individual and institutional commitment to removing barriers to learning by creating and fostering an inclusive environment where all can see their dreams take shape,” said Waubonsee President Dr. Christine Sobek.

Started in Japan in 1955 as a response to the Hiroshima bombings and bearing the message “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in a different language on each of their four sides, Peace Poles can be found at more than 200,000 sites around the globe, including the Egyptian pyramids, the South African jail where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, and the U.S. Pentagon. Waubonsee’s Peace Pole languages include English, Arabic, French and Spanish, as well as a Braille plate.

“With today’s dedication ceremony, we express that fundamental human desire to have peace, to avoid violence, to see fellow human beings — not as our enemies — but as our brothers and sisters,” said Associate Professor of English Ellen Lindeen, who also teaches a peace studies course at the college.

The Peace Pole project was sponsored by the college’s Diversity Leadership Council.

Right next to the new Peace Pole on the north side of campus, students helped plant a white oak tree while Assistant Professor of Biology Danielle DuCharme highlighted the college’s ongoing sustainability efforts.

“Waubonsee Community College demonstrates its strong commitment to natural resource sustainability in many ways each and every day — through the protection of fragile ecosystems, such as the Sugar Grove wetlands; the design of campus buildings that allow trees to continue to grow undisturbed; the establishment of sustainability courses and programs; and the presence of a sustainability working group and center on campus,” DuCharme said.

Waubonsee was named a 2010 Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. It is one of 113 colleges and universities nationwide and just 12 Illinois colleges to receive this honor.

Waubonsee students, faculty and staff form a human peace sign to celebrate the Arbor Day Peace Pole planting.

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Service

“This Peace Pole is a visual statement of Waubonsee’s individual and institutional commitment to removing barriers to learning by creating and fostering an inclusive environment where all can see their dreams take shape.“ - Dr. Christine Sobek, Waubonsee President

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Innovation

The solar array on Waubonsee’s Sugar Grove Campus provides power and learning experiences for renewable energy technologies students.

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Renewable Energy on CampusThe five kilowatt solar array on Waubonsee’s Sugar Grove Campus is a very visible symbol of the college’s commitment to preparing students for emerging careers in “green” occupations. The solar array, funded by a $120,890 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, not only supplies partial power to Weigel Hall but is also used as a teaching tool by students in the new renewable energy technologies discipline. Students perform annual maintenance and semi-annual positioning of the array to achieve maximum electrical output, preparing them for future situations they may encounter in the workforce.

In addition to photovoltaic courses, the renewable energy technologies discipline also includes a course in geothermal systems, which use the constant temperature of the earth’s core to help heat and cool buildings. And the college’s award-winning automotive technology program is even going green, having launched the nation’s first automotive recycling certificate in summer 2011.

Sustainability-focused course work is also offered through the college’s Workforce Development department. In May 2011, the department announced the Green Works program, a unique partnership with the City of Aurora whereby Aurora residents, licensed contractors and business owners/employees can earn tuition rebates for home energy auditing courses and certifications.

Waubonsee also practices what it teaches. The college earned Tree Campus USA recognition for its dedication to campus forestry management and environmental stewardship. The status is awarded based on five core standards of tree care and community engagement, which include: establishment of a campus tree advisory committee; evidence of a campus tree-care plan; verification of dedicated annual expenditures on the campus tree-care plan; involvement in an Arbor Day observance; and the institution of a service learning project aimed at engaging the student body.

An ongoing service learning project took the form of the Sugar Grove Campus tree inventory. Student volunteers used hand-held GPS technology and GIS mapping software to identify and plot the locations of 400 trees on the college’s 243-acre main campus. Remaining trees will be inventoried in upcoming semesters, and the resulting interactive map will serve as an invaluable tool to Campus Operations staff as they manage the college’s natural resources.

Sustainability is part of every aspect of the college, from preserving natural areas to making environmentally friendly choices in the new Aurora and Plano Campuses, such as water-efficient landscaping, recycled building materials, low-emitting paints and coatings, and individual lighting controls.

Top: A student gets help with a handheld GPS device from Program Development Analyst Cassie Blickem. Bottom: Students conduct a tree inventory at the Sugar Grove Campus.

200110 Years of Growth, Innovation, Change, Service, Recognition, Quality, Accessibility, Progress, Value and Success


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• Student Center opens on Sugar Grove Campus, creating centralized, one-stop student services

• New mywcc college portal launches

• Mr. James Detzler retires from Waubonsee Board of Trustees after 18 years of service; Community elects Mr. Daniel Jaquez to board

• Waubonsee launches Brighter Futures Initiative to help members of the community impacted by the national recession

• Illinois Community College Trustees Association awards its first “35-Year Trustee Award” to Board Chair Mr. Richard “Shorty” W. Dickson

• College completes rebranding process with a new college seal and athletics logo

• Waubonsee launches Project Graduation

• Referenda overwhelmingly pass in November 2002 and April 2003 to provide funding for the 2020 College Master Plan

• Waubonsee co-hosts the first Working for the Fox Valley Job Fair

• 200,000th student, Drew Ullberg, registers at Waubonsee (above right)

• Waubonsee’s yearlong 40th anniversary celebration kicks off at Science Building Grand Opening

• Waubonsee relaunches its brand identity, integrating key elements of the college’s historical background in a new logo (below)

• Traffic light installed at Sugar Grove Campus south entrance

• Waubonsee’s wrestling team finishes second in the nation and Ray Stephens becomes the college’s first national champion wrestler in his weight class

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2006

2009 2010

2002

• Dr. Christine J. Sobek becomes fourth president of Waubonsee Community College

• State approves Waubonsee as one of three community colleges in Illinois to offer distance learning degrees

• Plano Campus opens

• Waubonsee receives full seven-year accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission

• Waubonsee wins Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference All-Sports Trophy

• The new Campus Operations building opens on Sugar Grove Campus, marking the first new building of the 2020 College Master Plan

• Waubonsee’s Volunteer Literacy Program celebrates its 20th anniversary

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2011

10 Years of Growth, Innovation, Change, Service, Recognition, Quality, Accessibility, Progress, Value and Success


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2000-2001:• 125,121 credit hours taken by students • Waubonsee Foundation assets total $1.3

million2010-2011:• 207, 957 credit hours taken by students

(a 66 percent increase in 10 years)• Waubonsee Foundation assets total

$3.1 million• Waubonsee employs 115 full-time faculty

members – 42 more than a decade ago

• Implementation of 2020 College Master Plan begins

• The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools selects Waubonsee to participate in the Academic Quality Improvement Program (AQIP)

• Student Trustee Daniel Jaquez (left) receives prestigious Lincoln Academy of Illinois Student Laureate Award

• Waubonsee launches Learning First! initiative to refocus and strengthen efforts to become a more “learning-centered” college

• “Founding the Future” event recognizes college founders (above left) as part of 40th anniversary celebration

• Waubonsee inducts inaugural class of new Athletic Hall of Fame (above right)

• Waubonsee’s yearlong 40th anniversary celebration concludes with recognition of college’s Fabulous Forty alumni and the grand opening of the Academic and Professional Center

• College forms Diversity Leadership Council

• Automotive Industry Planning Council and Chicago Pneumatic/Tomorrow’s Technician name the automotive technology program best in the nation

• College publishes “Waubonsee Community College, A History, Volume I, 1966 to 1974” by David Robinson and “Volume II, 1973 to 2007” by President Emeritus Dr. John J. Swalec

2007 2008

2011

2003 2004

• International humanitarian and Waubonsee alumna Penny Deligiannis receives American Association of Community Colleges Outstanding Alumni Award

• Working with the City of Aurora, the Illinois State Museum and the Illinois State Geological Society, Waubonsee leads the search for mastodon bones in Mastodon Lake in Aurora’s Phillips Park

• New Aurora Campus opens

• New website launches

• Waubonsee repeats as Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference All-Sports Trophy winner

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Year in Review• Waubonsee student Alexandra Domar (left) finished eighth in the nation in the

national SkillsUSA Automotive Refinishing competition. Domar became the college’s first female auto body and second automotive technology graduate. Finishing fourth in the nation in the SkillsUSA Community Service category was the team of Andrew Dohr, Ryan Harwick and Daniel Hernandez. This past year, the team worked to bring laptop computers and educational software to children at Aurora’s Hesed House and Two Rivers Head Start.

• Workforce Development and the City of Aurora partnered on a course rebate program for Aurora residents, licensed contractors, and business owners and employees for three certificate programs to train home and multi-family building energy auditors.

• Waubonsee student Katie Moritz won first place in the Hammered Dulcimer Composition category at the Mid-East Regional Hammered Dulcimer Championships.

• The Sugar Grove Campus Bookstore celebrated its Grand Re-Opening in August 2010. The Bookstore earned the 2010 Connection Award for outstanding participation and savings achieved as a member of Connect2One buying group.

• The Lifelong Learning Institute celebrated its 15th anniversary.

• The college celebrated the Plano Campus Grand Opening and welcomed nearly 1,000 students during the first semester of classes.

• The college opened the new Aurora Campus on June 1, 2011 and held the Grand Opening celebration with a formal ceremony and ribbon cutting on June 3.

• The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) assisted in the launch of 39 new businesses, the highest number in the state.

• On April 5, 2011, Ms. Karen Cotter, Mr. James Michels and Mr. James Pilmer were all re-elected for another six-year term of service on the Waubonsee Board of Trustees.

• Under the auspices of the Fulbright Occasional Lecturer Fund, Waubonsee welcomed Dr. Igor Dubina, Associate Professor of Economic Information Systems, Post-Doctoral Scholar in the Department of Theoretical Cybernetics and Applied Mathematics at Altai State University in Russia, to campus to discuss “Creativity Across Cultures.”

• Waubonsee was named one of the Top 50 Fastest Growing Public Two-Year Colleges in the nation with enrollments of 10,000 students or more by Community College Week.

• The Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR), the Educational Advertising Awards and the International Academy of the Visual Arts recognized the college with 23 awards for excellence in marketing and communications.

• The Illinois National Guard recognized Waubonsee for supporting the its reintegration program for soldiers returning home from combat. The college served as a site for two reintegration events and the overall Yellow Ribbon Appreciation Dinner.

• The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) selected Waubonsee to serve as a pilot site for phase II of the organization’s Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) project for 2011.

• The Adult Literacy Project recognized 174 volunteers who have provided tutoring for more than 1,000 students this past year during National Volunteer Week.

• The Waubonsee Chorale was featured in a short film by a Chicago filmmaker entitled “Seguridad Insegura” (Insecure Certainty).


Top: Alexandra Domar Bottom: Joe Konopacki works on a project in a Workforce Development Air Sealing and Insulation Training course.

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• The college completed installation of a photovoltaic array (solar panels) on the Sugar Grove Campus and began instruction in renewable energy technologies.

• The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits and Atoms Mobile Fab Lab visited Waubonsee’s Aurora Campus, promoting a better understanding of how a high-tech fabrication lab can assist inventors, entrepreneurs and others to create, or fabricate, prototypes for new products, as well as promoting education and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

• The Kane County Board of Health recognized Waubonsee’s nursing program as a 2010 Public Health Hidden Hero award recipient for the program’s participation in the H1N1 vaccination clinic initiative. The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) pass rate for Waubonsee nursing graduates from Oct. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2010 was 100 percent.

• Waubonsee’s Automotive Recycling Certificate of Achievement was highlighted in the January 2011 Automotive Recycling Weekly and February/March 2011 Iowa Automotive Recyclers News, recognizing Waubonsee as first in the nation to offer this certificate.

• The college inducted a record-breaking 100 new members into the honor societies of Alpha Sigma Lambda, National Technical Honor Society and Phi Theta Kappa. The Waubonsee Phi Omicron Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society received special commendation for fulfilling all requirements to be named a “Four Star Chapter.”

• Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives J. Dennis Hastert provided leadership and instruction for the third Hastert Leadership Series at Waubonsee.

• The Waubonsee Jazz Band won the Community College Division at the Reno Jazz Festival with six students named Outstanding Student Soloists. The band also participated in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference Jazz Festival where two students were named Outstanding Student Soloists and one student received Honorable Mention.

• The Driver Safety Program won Best Performance in the DDC-4 category and a Trend-Setter award in the DDC-Alive at 25 category from the National Safety Council.

• A completely redesigned and enhanced waubonsee.edu website (right)launched in January 2011 along with the expanded internal mywcc portal.

Left: A student walks by the new solar panels on the Sugar Grove Campus. Right: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Ph.D. graduate student Nadya Peek demonstrates inside the Mobile Fab Lab.


Associate Professor of Art/Ceramics Named Outstanding Faculty College faculty are responsible for “building” programs in a variety of ways, from helping recruit students to developing coursework, but it’s only a select few who get to actually build lasting physical structures and learning facilities. Associate Professor of Art/Ceramics Doug Jeppesen falls into that elite category and was named the college’s Outstanding Faculty Member for 2011.While an undergraduate student at the University of Tulsa, Jeppesen was not on the path to becoming a teacher — until he met visiting artist and professor Jim Tanner. “The idea of giving the information and knowledge you had gained back was something I really liked,” Jeppesen said. “Plus, I’d get to be in the studio all the time.”Jeppesen joined Waubonsee’s faculty in 1998 and feels like he hasn’t really worked a day since. “I really, really enjoy what I do,” Jeppesen said. “For my wife (a high school Spanish teacher) and me, our jobs are not jobs; they’re what we do for our lives.”The other thing Jeppesen does in life is create — both artwork and art spaces. He and his students have grown the Sugar Grove Campus kiln yard from a 20’ x 20’ shed with a few kilns to a large outdoor structure (seen above) housing six kilns, including an extremely unique Anagama kiln that is one of just three in the state.

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Distinguished Alumnus Now Serves as a Community College PresidentThroughout its 45-year history, Waubonsee has touched the lives of nearly 300,000 students. One of those students, and the college’s 2011 Distinguished Alumnus, Dr. John Avendano, is now multiplying that positive effect through his leadership as president of Kankakee Community College.

A student-athlete while at Waubonsee, Dr. Avendano made the All-Skyway Conference Team in baseball and served as captain for the Chiefs team that set the school record for wins. He ended up transferring out of Waubonsee just a few credits shy of his associate degree but went on to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. Even with an advanced degree, Dr. Avendano came back and completed his associate degree at Waubonsee. “It was important to me to be able to say I was a community college graduate,” he said.

While his experience as a student culminated with a Ph.D. from Illinois State University, it peaked at Waubonsee. “I’ve had the opportunity to experience higher education at the community college level, at the private institution level, at the university undergraduate level and at the graduate university level,” he said. “The best and most meaningful education I ever received was at Waubonsee.”

That may be why Dr. Avendano returned to Waubonsee to start his career. He held a variety of positions in student development at both Waubonsee and Illinois Central College before becoming the sixth president of Kankakee Community College in July 2009.

“Community colleges are a great start, a great value and a great decision,” Dr. Avendano said.

Student Scholarships are Priority for Distinguished ContributorBecause of her experiences as a teacher, community leader, elected official, dedicated philanthropist and Waubonsee Community College Foundation Board President, the college was proud to recognize Penelope “Penny” Cameron, of Aurora, as its Distinguished Contributor for 2011.

Cameron’s belief in the life-changing power of education led her to major in elementary education at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and get involved with her local chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a group that helped pass the referendum establishing Waubonsee Community College District 516.

Education and politics became two of the defining interests in Cameron’s life, as she served on the Kane County Board for 24 years and joined the Waubonsee Community College Foundation Board of Directors in 1999.

Currently the Foundation Board President, Cameron has shepherded several scholarships through the organization, including the Aurora Republican Women’s Club Scholarship, the Altrusa Scholarship, the Woman’s Club of Aurora Scholarship and the Kane County Republican Women’s Club Scholarship.

Of the countless scholarship recipients she’s met, Cameron says, “I may not remember names, but I remember faces and a little bit about each one. Everyone comes with a different little story.”

Such stories were the impetus for Cameron establishing her own endowed scholarship at Waubonsee seven years ago. She also has an endowed scholarship in her name at NIU.

“As a teacher and a public servant, you don’t earn much,” Cameron explained. “But you set some aside, and if you have the mindset that this is what you want to do, it’s possible. You look at the people donating, and not everyone is a CEO. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”


Top: Dr. John Avendano Bottom (left to right): Board Chair Richard “Shorty” W. Dickson, Penelope “Penny” Cameron, and Waubonsee President Dr. Christine Sobek

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All-Sports Trophy Waubonsee’s many 2010-2011 athletic successes led to the college’s second straight Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) All-Sports Trophy. Waubonsee beat out seven other schools to win the contest with 61 points, which were awarded based on their teams’ conference finishes throughout the year. The Chiefs won ISCC titles in half of the conference’s sports this year, including:

• women’s soccer• women’s tennis• men’s golf• men’s cross country• baseball• softball

Beyond the SkywayWomen’s soccer, men’s cross country and men’s basketball all earned championships in Region IV of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Men’s cross country and men’s basketball went on to compete in the NJCAA national tournaments.

A Milestone VictoryBasketball Coach Dave Heiss earned his 500th career victory this year, the 21st active coach at the NJCAA level to reach that milestone and just the 51st coach to do so in the history of NJCAA men’s basketball.

Basketball Coach Dave Heiss accepts his 500th win award from Assistant Vice President of Student Development Melinda James.

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Hall of FameThree athletes, an administrator and one team composed the 2011 Athletic Hall of Fame induction class. Basketball player David Bacon, soccer player Carlos Gil and tennis player Graham Hill were recognized, along with Waubonsee President Emeritus Dr. John J. Swalec. The 1975 baseball team was also recognized — the college’s first team to earn Hall of Fame honors.

True Student-AthletesNicole Ristick, Morgan Sartain, Taylor Dahlstrom and Emily Chally were named NJCAA Academic All-Americans for earning at least a 3.6 grade point average in 45 or more semester hours while competing in a sport. Megan Pierre and Luke Gilbertson were named NJCAA Distinguished Academic All-Americans for earning a 3.8 GPA or higher.

Coaching HonorsMen’s Baseball Coach Dave Randall and Men’s Cross Country Coach John Bell were each named the ISCC’s Coach of the Year in their respective sports. Earning both ISCC and Region IV honors was Women’s Soccer Coach Leslie Ferguson, while Women’s Tennis Coach Jennifer McMullen was recognized as the Region IV Coach of the Year.

Individual HonorsFor the second straight year, Alexa Schofield was named the ISCC Player of the Year in women’s tennis, and for her efforts on the court and softball field, she also picked up Waubonsee’s Female Athlete of the Year Award. The Male Athlete of the Year Award went to Marcus Cocroft (men’s basketball). Freshman Maxzine Rossler was named Player of the Year for both the ISCC and Region IV in women’s soccer.

The Chiefs 1975 baseball team included (front row, left to right): Robin Reder, Mike Thomas, Coach Bill Prince, Jim Van Ham, Scott Anderson, (back row, left to right) Waubonsee Board of Trustees Chairman Richard “Shorty” W. Dickson, John Knapp, Tim Michels, Jeff Marcley, Pete Buschbacher, Dan Grandgeorge, Ray Lidecka (father of the late Dave Lidecka), Rick Hollarbush and Waubonsee President Dr. Christine Sobek. Other 2011 Hall of Fame inductees included (left to right) Carlos Gil, Graham Hill, President Emeritus Dr. John J. Swalec and David Bacon.

Top: Alexa Schofield Bottom: Marcus Cocroft

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A strong start for a sure finishRaising funds in a tough economy is a challenge, but it’s more important than ever to help students stay on track in completing their degree or certificate. In 2010-2011, 166 scholarship awards valued at $117,050 were distributed to Waubonsee students, including 12 new scholarships that were established through the Waubonsee Community College Foundation. The Foundation helps students meet their education goals by providing financial support in the form of scholarships. A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation assists the college in developing educational opportunities and services for students and citizens of its district. Gifts to the Foundation change the lives of Waubonsee students every day.The Foundation relies on the hard work, dedication and creativity of its board to raise funds from a variety of sources. The “Foundations for the Future” campaign has successfully raised nearly $500,000 to provide scholarships for Waubonsee students. This success would not be possible without the kindness and generosity of all the donors.Four major appeals have been completed: the Land Development and Construction Industry Appeal; the Banking on the Future Appeal; the Lawyers Appeal; and the Real Estate Brokers, Developers and Realtors Appeal. The Foundation’s newest appeal is called Building Healthy Futures. This appeal provides opportunities for the health care industry to fund scholarships for Waubonsee students. Another source of funds for the Foundation is its annual golf outing. This year’s outing raised $22,493 for scholarships. Additionally, each year Waubonsee alumni, board members and staff answer the call to support scholarships through donations and payroll deductions.Gifts to the Foundation change the lives of Waubonsee students and bring them one step closer to achieving their goals. To make a donation, call Waubonsee’s Office of Fund Development at (630) 466-2316.

2010 Dr. John J. Swalec, Jr. President’s Achievement Award recipient Carla Childsspeaks at the October 2010 Scholarship Fest.

Scholarships:

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2010-2011 Board of DirectorsOfficers:Penelope “Penny” Cameron President

Gerald Palmer Vice President

Michael OchsenschlagerSecretary/Treasurer

Directors: Dr. Ellen BarnesDale BermanJohn CordoganGerard DempseyTerrence DuffyRichard FaltzAndrew FavilleStan Free

Eduardo GilTheodia GillespieDr. Sherry GrayRichard HawksDr. Diane HomanDr. Thomas HubertyAngelo KleronomosDaniel KramerCarole MichelsWilliam MurphyJoseph PirconBonnie ProctorJames RhoadesWilliam Skoglund

Rebecca OliverBoard of Trustees Liaison

Dr. Christine SobekWaubonsee Community College President

Dr. Karen StewartVice President of Quality and Strategic Development

Darla CardineAssistant Vice President of Finance and Foundation Executive Treasurer

Katharine Richards Director of Fund Development

New Scholarship Donors 2010-2011

(Top, left to right) Waubonsee Foundation Board President Penelope “Penny” Cameron, Renée Souba, Loi Ngo, Joanne Leibold, Andy Clements, Holly Bliss, Waubonsee College President Dr. Christine Sobek, (Bottom, left to right) Carla Carreno, Beth (Kaetzer) Froehlich and Stephanie Dunkle

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FinancialsWaubonsee Community College operates under a conservative budgeting model that supports fiscal responsibility while providing a strong financial commitment to the college’s teaching and learning focus. For fiscal year 2011, the college again received a clean, unqualified audit opinion from its external auditing firm. This confirms the accuracy, professional competence and transparency exhibited by Waubonsee’s financial reporting. The college’s financial position continues to remain strong.


2011 Operating and Non-Operating Revenues by Source

Revenues for the Years Ended June 30 (in millions)

Operating revenue 2011 2010 2009

Tuition and fees $ 16.0 $ 15.2 $ 13.2

Auxiliary 4.0 4.2 4.2

Other 2.1 2.0 2.1

Total operating revenue 22.1 21.4 19.5

Non-operating revenue

Property taxes 41.2 41.7 40.3

State grants and contracts 10.6 10.9 8.8

Federal grants and contracts 12.5 8.3 4.5

Investment income .5 .8 2.2

Other income 4.9 1.0 1.3

Total non-operating revenue 69.7 62.7 57.1

Total revenues 91.8 84.1 76.6

0.5%Investment Income

44.9%Property Taxes

17.4%Tuition & Fees

13.6% Federal Grants & Contracts

11.6% State Grants & Contracts

4.4%Auxiliary

4.2%Local Grants & Contracts

2.3%Other Operating

1.1% Other Non-Operating

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2011 Operating Expenses

Expenses for the Years Ended June 30 (in millions)

Recognized for Excellence for the 12th Consecutive YearWaubonsee Community College received the “Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting” from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its 2010 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). This was the 12th consecutive year the college has received this award. Waubonsee was one of only 17 community colleges in Illinois and one of 69 colleges and universities in the U.S. to receive this award from the GFOA.

Operating expenses 2011 2010 2009

Instruction $24.7 $21.6 $19.8

Academic support 3.6 2.9 3.1

Student services 10.6 9.1 6.2

Public services 3.8 3.6 3.9

Auxiliary services 5.6 5.2 4.4

Operations and maintenance of plant 8.2 7.6 10.6

Institutional support 14.4 14.2 12.8

Depreciation 4.1 3.4 2.9

Total operating expenses 75.0 67.6 63.7

Interest expense 4.4 4.4 4.5

Total expenses 79.4 72.0 68.2

5.5% Depreciation

19.2%Institutional Support 33.0%

Instruction

10.9% Operations &

Maintenance of Plant

14.1% Student Services

4.8% Academic Support

7.5%Auxiliary Services

5.0% Public Services

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Back Row (left to right): Daniel Jaquez, James E. Pilmer, Christopher Mortenson, James K. Michels and Dr. Richard C. Bodie Front Row (left to right): Rebecca D. Oliver, Richard “Shorty” W. Dickson, Dr. Christine J. Sobek and Karen L. Cotter

Richard C. Bodie, M.D.Aurora Board Member 1998-2013 Retired Physician

Karen L. Cotter Plano Secretary Board Member 1999-2017 Retired Business Executive

Richard “Shorty” W. Dickson Bristol Chair Board Member 1972-1987, 1989-2013 Retired Insurance Executive

Daniel Jaquez Oswego Board Member 2009-2015 Business Professional

James K. Michels, P.E.Elburn Board Member 1987-2017 Consulting Engineer

Rebecca D. Oliver Plano Vice Chair Board Member 1997-2015 Business Executive

James E. Pilmer Aurora Board Member 1993-2017 Higher Education Administrator

Jacob Smith Aurora Student Trustee 2010-2011

Christopher MortensonBataviaStudent Trustee2011-2012

Board of Trustees


Our District• Encompasses 624 square miles

• Includes southern Kane County and portions of Kendall, DeKalb, LaSalle and Will counties

• Serves 22 municipalities, 12 public high school districts and eight private high schools

• Current population: 428,000

• Projected population in 2020: 510,000

Our Offerings• Transfer Programs

• Occupational Programs

• Developmental Education

• Workforce Development

• Community Education

• Student Services

Courses Offered* 2010-20111

Our Staff• Waubonsee is one of the largest employers

in the area, with more than 1,200 employees.

• 92 percent of our faculty members hold a master’s or doctoral degree.

• Our low student-to-faculty ratio creates a positive personalized learning environment for students.

Our Student Body1

• 28, 423 students enrolled

• 207, 957 credit hours generated

• 42% male; 58% female

• Average age of credit student: 27

• Average age of noncredit student: 40

• 33% full-time; 67% part-time2

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*Includes all course sections; 1 Includes summer 2010, fall 2010 and spring 2011; 2 Credit students. Waubonsee Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran’s status, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities. For more information on the college’s nondiscrimination policies, contact the Director of Human Resources at (630) 466-7900, ext.2367; Waubonsee Community College, Route 47 at Waubonsee Drive, Sugar Grove, IL 60554-9454.

Facts and Figures

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

4,134

Credit

650

Adult Education

744

Workforce Development

641

Community Education

Sugar Grove CampusRoute 47 at Waubonsee Dr., Sugar Grove, IL 60554, (630) 466-7900

Aurora Campus18 S. River St., Aurora, IL 60506, (630) 801-7900

Copley Campus2060 Ogden Ave., Aurora, IL 60504, (630) 585-7900

Plano Campus100 Waubonsee Dr., Plano, IL 60545, (630) 552-7900

www.waubonsee.edu

New Plano Campus Opened Nov. 1, 2010

2011 report to the community

Documents

community highlights

new campuses

new comprehensive campuses

past year

amazing community of

plano campus

access student services

comprehensive student