A team of Illinois Valley Community College employees are fanning out across the college’s 2,000-square-mile-district to promote the value of higher education and encourage enrollment in fall semester classes beginning Aug. 20.

One arm of the initiative involves 16 employees hanging posters in downtown stores, factories, grocers, health care providers and other high-traffic businesses. The other involves presentations to civic groups by President Jerry Corcoran and others. 

Themes for the poster campaign are “Big dreams start at IVCC” and “Valuable investment; Remarkable opportunity: IVCC.” The posters feature IVCC graduates Luanne Aussem of Ottawa, an ER nurse and John Carter of Streator, a CNC programmer.

Merchants in Princeton, Spring Valley, Granville, Hennepin, Oglesby, La Salle, Peru, Streator, Ottawa, Utica, Tonica, McNabb, Marseilles, Mendota, Minonk, Ladd, Lostant, Earlville, DePue, Seneca, Serena and Wenona, among others, are being asked to display the posters.

Corcoran has already made presentations to the Streator Area Chamber of Commerce and Peru Noon Rotary. Several other groups are on his schedule over the next month.

“I welcome the opportunity to speak to any group,” said Corcoran. The presentation focuses on the critical need for education beyond high school, IVCC’s response to today’s employer needs and offers specifics on how education pays.”

“Associate degree graduates can expect to make nearly $1 million more over a lifetime compared to someone who drops out of high school,” said Corcoran. “They’re also far more likely to own a home and find employment in fast-growing occupations such as information technology, healthcare or STEM-related fields.”

To register for fall semester classes call (815) 224-0437. To request a presentation for a civic group call (815) 224-0402 or email jeanne_hayden@ivcc.edu. For a poster, call (815) 224-0465 or email kim_stahly@ivcc.edu.