A longtime Illinois Valley Community College trustee and a College-business partnership that addressed a growing healthcare shortage were recognized Friday, June 6, by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA), an advisory organization supporting trustees of the 48 state community colleges.
Jane Goetz of Ottawa received the Illinois Community College Trustees Association’s Ray Hartstein Trustee Achievement Award in recognition for exemplary service on the IVCC Board of Trustees. Goetz’s 21 years of service on the IVCC Foundation and College boards capped a distinguished career in elementary education and administration.
“The Harstein award is one of the most prestigious honors that is awarded each year and Jane is so deserving of this recognition. She has served IVCC, the Foundation, and the local community with tremendous dedication and commitment and we are so thankful to have her support of IVCC for so many years,” said IVCC President Dr. Tracy Morris.
OSF Healthcare received the Business-Industry Partnership Award for developing a successful collaboration with IVCC to train surgical technicians. The College established an accelerated non-credit program to provide certification-based training, while OSF supplied on-site training and employment. Financial assistance reduced financial barriers to students.
“This partnership reflects how community colleges are able to respond to local industry needs. Jennifer Scheri and her team in the Continuing Education and Business Services department were amazing in this work with the team from OSF. To be recognized at the state level is so incredible and is a testament to the work we can accomplish when we work together with our industry partners,” stated President Morris.
The nomination submitted by the College praised Goetz’s immersion and leadership. “Those who know Jane … have known a dedicated and passionate representative not only for IVCC, but for all community colleges and the students we serve. Her advocacy for IVCC and the community we serve is tremendous. Jane not only serves, but she always steps up to lead.”
Goetz called the award “quite an honor, and very humbling” and thanked the College administration, trustees, community and her family. Working with Board colleagues and visionary leaders such as retired president Dr. Jerry Corcoran and current President Morris has been particularly rewarding, she added.
Goetz was appointed to represent IVCC on the ICCTA, where she shared ideas with other trustees from around the state. Through connections from the Ottawa Sunrise Rotary, she helped initiate a partnership to supply equipment to the agriculture program. She retired from her trustee role this spring.
Every trustee brings different life experiences to the table, and “my background has been education, and I brought that experience,” Goetz said. She considers IVCC “a jewel that a lot of people do not realize.”
The Business-Industry Partnership award nomination cited the surgical technician program’s impact on the field and the area. “This collaborative approach ensures graduates are well-prepared for the demands of the field, reinforcing the program’s effectiveness in developing a skilled workforce for the region,” the nomination read.
In the accelerated program, students were quickly prepared to enter the workforce, and OSF was prepared to hire them with paid training before students transitioned into full-time employment.
Nearly 50 students enrolled in the first two classes, and 14 were employed through OSF and several others were employed by other healthcare systems in Central Illinois, according to Heather Bomstad, President of OSF Saint Clare in Princeton and OSF Saint Paul in Mendota, and Chief Nursing Officer for OSF’s I-80 corridor facilities.
IVCC assessed local healthcare needs and responded promptly to OSF’s concerns that the surgical technician shortage was becoming critical as healthcare services in the Illinois Valley expanded. Nurses were being assigned to cover the role or skilled workers were being imported from outside the area, Bomstad added.
“We identified a need for surgical technicians and there wasn’t a local program. This position is essential for surgical procedures,” Bomstad said.
The healthcare system and the College have long been strong partners in nursing and CNA programs, and Bomstad said the pair are exploring additional areas of collaboration.
In addition to Goetz and OSF Healthcare, the College recognized other distinguished individuals and students in various categories for their accomplishments. They include Walt Zukowski, Distinguished Alumni Award; Edgar Lucero Castillo, Pacesetter Award; Donald Leynaud, Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award; and Samantha Whiteaker, Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Award. IVCC students Ashton Watkins, Emma Garretson, Elizabeth Huffaker, and Maggie Yang were nominated for recognition. Past award nominees for IVCC can be found at https://www.ivcc.edu/awards/iccta-awards.
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