On April 23, Waubonsee Community College held a groundbreaking ceremony at the Sugar Grove Campus to mark the start of construction on a new Technical Education Center (TEC). The event was attended by students, elected officials, community leaders, employees, and the Waubonsee Board of Trustees.
Adding the 100,000-square-foot TEC to the Sugar Grove Campus will position Waubonsee to continue to meet the evolving and rigorous training and education challenges of future technicians, the makers, and doers that drive the regional economy and beyond.
At the TEC groundbreaking ceremony, Dr. Brian Knetl, President of Waubonsee Community College, welcomed guests and highlighted the significance of the ceremony in the context of National Community College’s April theme, "Cultivating Skills for the Future." He emphasized the relevance of the theme to the event and the importance of developing future skills.
Dr. Knetl expressed heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Christine Sobek, Waubonsee Community College President Emeritus, who recognized the need and began the planning for this building. He also thanked the college's Board of Trustees, faculty, administrators, and staff, saying, "I am deeply grateful and fortunate to carry the vision to its completion, a vision made possible by Dr. Sobek, the Board of Trustees, and the unwavering support of our community and industry partners."
As guests gathered to celebrate the future of the site today, the college also took a moment to honor Chief Waubonsee (Wah-bahn-se) of the Potawatomi, for whom the college is named, and the indigenous owners of the area that the Sugar Grove Campus occupies and whose dispossession allowed for the growth of the institution. Visit Waubonsee’s Land Acknowledgment at waubonsee.edu/Equity.
Board of Trustees Vice Chair Patrick Kelsey said, "We are excited for the opportunity of future generations of students and the evolving technology that will be taught in this building. The world of work needs to continue to evolve, and this is an opportunity to showcase the evolution from our humble beginnings in the 1960s. This building is how we give back and invest in our community."
Upon completion in the fall of 2025, the TEC will house Waubonsee's Auto Body Repair, Automotive Technology, and Welding Technology Programs. The plans include more extensive, dedicated labs with specialized equipment to increase enrollment capacities and allow additional program growth in diesel technology, electric vehicles, welding fabrication, and robotic welding.
“The TEC is a significant milestone for Waubonsee as it will be transformational in the college's ability to meet current and future demand, create additional career pathways and programmatic alignment, provide opportunities for working professionals to reskill and up-skill and ensure economic growth and sustainability for the region,” said Ne’Keisha Stepney, Executive Dean for Business, Technology, and Workforce Education.
The TEC is expected to cost $60 million and will be located near the south entrance of the Sugar Grove Campus, visible from Route 47. Its strategic location and purposeful design are a testament to our commitment to our region's economic growth and sustainability.
Learn how Waubonsee is advancing the local workforce by meeting the needs of students, employers, and the broader community. To view photos from the groundbreaking and to learn more, visit waubonsee.edu/TEC.
Pictured above (from left to right): Waubonsee Community College Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Faculty Ramiro Cervantes, Mark Gloudeman, and Ken Kunz, are pictured with Dr. Diane Nyhammer, Provost; Ne'Keisha Stepney, Executive Dean for Business, Technology, and Workforce Education; Trustee Tina Wilson; Trustee Daniel Jaquez; Vice Chair Patrick Kelsey; Dr. Brian Knetl, President of Waubonsee Community College, Trustee Stacey Ries; Sue Murray, Assistant Provost of Teaching and Learning; Dr. Jeanine McMillen, Assistant Dean for Business, Technology, and Workforce Education; Ashley Hatcher, Student Trustee. Back row: Waubonsee Community College CTE Program Faculty Tyler Friedman, Guy Tiberio
