News

District Manager of the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District Tom Muth has been named Waubonsee's 2013 Distinguished Alumnus. 

For all of the ways he has strengthened the ties between the students, staff and faculty of local high schools and colleges, as well as local businesses, Waubonsee is proud to recognize Bernie Looney as its 2013 Distinguished Contributor. 

Safety is among the many priorities addressed by Waubonsee Community College. There are some exciting new projects the college is working on to further enhance the health and safety of our students and college community. 

The American anthropologist Ruth Benedict wrote that “we grow in time to trust the future for our answers,” and nowhere is the truth of those words more apparent than in the dynamic field of higher education. As an institution that demands quality, relevancy and value for its students, Waubonsee Community College faces strategically forward, courts innovation, keeps its finger firmly on the pulse of the community, and embraces change. In my 28 years of employment in at least six different roles at Waubonsee, I, too, focused my vision on the future and welcomed the progress that is the lifeblood of the college.

For the third time in four years, Waubonsee Community College has beaten out seven other schools to capture the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) All-Sports Trophy.

For many teenagers, college after high school is as routine as checking Facebook. This idea of who a college student is and what they experience has become so generalized in our society that, unless you are in the educational environment, your definition of a college student’s life may already be set. For many, that definition is limited to a list of words such as: four years, dorms, bachelor’s degree, parties and so on. The orthodoxy behind these assumptions has even gone as far as labeling college students as being either a “traditional” or a “nontraditional” student. However, for many other students, this perception of the “four-year university” is a distant dream that may be unattainable for a variety of circumstances. I was once one of those students.

For decades, a core mission — and strength — of community colleges has been to prepare students for successful careers. Numerous industries hire community college graduates each year, and many companies hire community college alumni who went on to complete bachelor’s or graduate degrees. Throughout the Fox Valley, it is difficult to find an employer that doesn’t have at least one community college alumnus on staff. In fact, many of our local business leaders started their education at a community college. 

As a younger person, the milestones come quickly. Your birth, your first steps and words, your first day of school, and getting your first car all have significant meaning. As you grow older, your first job, getting married, the birth of your children, and your children’s own milestones become lasting memories. However, no matter how old you are, completing your college degree and receiving your diploma is one milestone that you will never forget. 

The research is clear — children who are curious and explore the world around them fare better at school and relationships, and ultimately, are more successful in life. Yet, as children go through life it’s easy for their curiosity to be stunted. A regimented school day, schedules, tests and grades all have a way of limiting a child’s natural curiosity.

For most people, college is the time to answer the age-old question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” Students are often exposed to new ideas and academic disciplines as they navigate their college curriculum. However, research has shown that students who declare a major field of study early have higher rates of degree completion. The main reasons are two things — time and money.