Lt. Gov. Simon Visiting Elgin Community College Sept. 28

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon will visit Elgin Community College on Wednesday, Sept. 28, as part of her “complete college” tour.

Simon will meet with ECC President David Sam, members of the Community College District 509 Board of Trustees, administrators and faculty to discuss how the college has successfully completed and transitioned students from high school to the workforce. She also will tour the welding lab, which doubled its size after last summer’s construction.

Simon, Gov. Pat Quinn’s point person on education reform, is touring the state’s 48 community colleges as part of an effort by Illinois leaders to increase the proportion of working-age adults with college degrees or certificates to 60 percent, from 41 percent, by 2025. She will see firsthand how each school is preparing highly skilled graduates, from all walks of life, for needs in the labor market. In addition, she will hear from college officials about what state policies can boost college completion and productivity.

ECC is 50th in the nation and third statewide when it comes to granting one-year certificates, according to a June 2011 special report by Community College Week. The magazine also ranked ECC 43rd in the nation in granting associate degrees in multi/interdisciplinary studies.

Statewide, the number of community college completions hit a record high in fiscal 2010. A total of 56,884 collegiate-level degrees and certificates were awarded by Illinois community colleges last fiscal year, up 14 percent since 2006, according to a report from the Illinois Community College Board.

Following her tour, Simon will report to Quinn about ways lawmakers can help more young people and adults statewide earn certificates and degrees that lead to jobs and stimulate the economy.