2023 | Elgin Community College

Project Backpack

Events | Student Resources

Published 05/31/2023

ECC’s Project Backpack provides supplies to local students

Elgin Community College and its partners are preparing for Project Backpack, a community-based initiative to benefit area students in need from school districts U-46, CUSD 300, CSD 301, CUSD 303, D20, or ECC District 509. The committee is coordinating backpacks, school supplies, and/or resources for students in need this fall.

ECC students and SkillsUSA 2023 Welding Fabrication team Joshua Palmer, Meralia Gomez, and Colin Dameron

Academics | Accomplishment

Published 05/30/2023

ECC students place at SkillsUSA Illinois State Championship

Elgin Community College career and technical students traveled to Peoria, Illinois, to compete in the SkillsUSA State Leadership and Skills Conference on April 29-30.

ECC student at a commencement ceremony

Commencement

Published 05/09/2023

ECC’s Spring 2023 commencement ceremonies take place on May 20

Elgin Community College recognizes the spring Class of 2023 with May commencement ceremonies. Three ceremonies will celebrate students earning their State of Illinois High School Diploma, associate degree, or career certificate.

ECC's kids college class

Academics

Published 05/08/2023

ECC Kids’ College brings ballet, videography, and firefighting

Elgin Community College’s summer Kids’ College returns in June with back-by-popular-demand classes and several new ones. Children ages 5 to 16 can find something that sparks their interest and feeds their passion at elgin.edu/kidscollege.

Student trustee Ryan Kolbusz and student body president Victor Senese

Academics | Accomplishment | Student Profile

Published 05/02/2023

Student leadership set for the 2023-24 academic year

Five student leaders will represent the students of Elgin Community College for the 2023-24 academic year. Ryan Kolbusz, South Elgin, was elected as the District 509 Board of Trustees student trustee.

Anthony Ramos, EdD, ECC’s executive director of equity, diversity, and inclusion (center) with NADOHE President Paulette Granberry Russell and Interim Awards Chair James Felton III. Photo credit: Tim Trumble for NADOHE

Accomplishment

Published 04/28/2023

ECC wins national award for excellence in diversity efforts

Elgin Community College receives the 2023 Inclusive Excellence Award from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education (NADOHE). ECC won the Institutional Excellence Award for a two-year institution. The winners were announced during the NADOHE Annual Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.

ECC forensics team members Aleah Janae, Hannah Carpenter, and Damian Hacz

Accomplishment | Events

Published 04/26/2023

ECC forensics team wins big at Phi Rho Pi National tournament

The Elgin Community College Forensics Team showed the nation what they could do during the Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in Bethesda, Maryland. Phi Rho Pi Nationals is the final tournament of their competitive season, with over 50 schools competing.

Heather Martin, DeD, assistant dean of the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching, Assessment, and Learning

Accomplishment | Administrator Profile

Published 04/24/2023

ECC’s Heather Martin named COABE 2023 State Advocate for Adult Education Fellow

Heather Martin, DeD, assistant dean of the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching, Assessment, and Learning at Elgin Community College, is the 2023 Illinois representative for the Coalition On Adult Basic Education (COABE)’s State Advocate for Adult Education Fellowship (SAAEF).

ECC Physical Therapist Assistant student Natalia Martinez

Academics | Accomplishment | Student Profile

Published 04/20/2023

ECC student Natalia Martinez earns IPTF Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Scholarship

The Illinois Physical Therapy Foundation (IPTF) granted Elgin Community College physical therapist assistant program student Natalia Martinez the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Scholarship. The IPTF, along with the Illinois Physical Therapist Association (IPTA), provides the DEI scholarship to recognize the importance of promoting greater diversity within the physical therapy profession to better serve the residents of Illinois and its members.

ECC culinary student AJ Thomsen

Academics | Student Profile

Published 04/14/2023

ECC culinary arts students participate in annual Fisher Nuts scholarship recipe contest

Eight Elgin Community College culinary students competed for scholarship prizes in the annual Fisher Nuts Recipe Competition on Wednesday, April 12, at the college’s Spartan Terrace Restaurant.

From left to right: Frank Cassara, instructor of HVAC; Soma Chattopadhyay, PhD, assistant professor of engineering; and Christopher Purdy, instructor of mathematics

Accomplishment | Faculty Profile

Published 03/24/2023

ECC board grants tenure to three faculty members

At the March 14, 2023, board meeting, the Community College District 509 Board of Trustees accepted the recommendation by the Elgin Community College administration to grant tenure to three ECC full-time faculty.

ECC alum Chef Riley O’Dette

Events

Published 03/24/2023

Alumni Chef Riley O’Dette visits ECC culinary arts department

Chef Riley O’Dette, a 2017 Elgin Community College Culinary Arts program graduate, returned to campus this week to speak with current students, provide a cooking demo, and host the Visiting Chef Dining Night at the Spartan Terrace Restaurant.

Members of the ECC student newspaper, The Observer

Academics | Accomplishment

Published 03/20/2023

ECC student journalists win national honor

The Elgin Community College student newspaper, the Observer, won first place for its digital newsletter, two-year school category, at the 2023 ACP Spring College National Media Conference in San Francisco.

Events

Published 03/08/2023

Community invited to ‘Experience ECC’ at April 5 event

On Wednesday, April 5, Elgin Community College is hosting its annual Experience ECC event at the Spartan Drive Campus from 6 to 8 pm. This event will allow community members and prospective students to learn about ECC’s 130+ degree and certificate programs.

Accomplishment

Published 02/27/2023

Double-digit increase in ECC’s enrollment continues into the spring semester

Elgin Community College’s spring enrollment of more than 8,800 students, tabulated on the 10th day of the semester, reflects a 15.1% increase over spring 2022. Enrollment numbers continue to increase because of late-start spring registrations for 12- and eight-week sessions.

Sharla Suggs, instructor of truck driving and ECC alum, trains a student

Academics

Published 02/23/2023

ECC’s SBCT division expands truck driving program

Truck driving students can get trained and on the road faster with Elgin Community College’s new 8-week CDL program. Students interested in a career behind the wheel can enroll in this new accelerated session, which provides the same comprehensive training, smaller class sizes, and behind-the-wheel training with experienced, dedicated instructors as the 16-week program.

Lisa Rock of the tribute band

Arts Center | Events

Published 02/09/2023

The ECC Arts Center presents “Close To You: The Music of the Carpenters” on Feb 11

The Elgin Community College Arts Center will host the longest-running Carpenters Tribute band in North America on Saturday, February 11, at 7 pm in Building H on Elgin Community College’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. The tribute band consists of Lisa Rock and her six-piece backing band honoring the legacy of Karen Carpenter, half of the brother and sister duo of The Carpenters.

Apollo's Fountain in the gardens at Chateau de Versailles; photo taken by Travis Linville, professor of photography at Elgin Community College

Accomplishment | Faculty Profile

Published 01/31/2023

Four ECC faculty members heading abroad this summer

Four Elgin Community College faculty members will lead summer study-abroad experiences through the Illinois Consortium for International Studies and Programs (ICISP). Students from all ICISP-member institutions, including ECC, can apply for these experiences.

Black History Month 2023: Resistance Through Black Excellence

Events

Published 01/31/2023

Black History Month 2023: Resistance Through Black Excellence

Elgin Community College is celebrating Black History Month through the 2023 theme Resistance Through Black Excellence with in-person events. Join ECC this year in honoring BHM with peer and employee networking and critical conversations through formal discussions, creative outlets, and community gatherings.

ECC students in a music production class

Academics

Published 01/18/2023

ECC expands options for students seeking music production careers

Elgin Community College now offers an Associate of Fine Arts in music production, allowing students to develop the skills necessary to record and produce music professionally. This degree allows ECC students to pursue a Basic Vocational certificate in music production or a full associate degree.