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Kaskaskia College is a public community college in Centralia, Illinois. Kaskaskia College's Community College District 501 serves all or part of nine counties, including Bond, Clinton, Fayette, Marion, Washington, Jefferson, St. Clair, Madison and Montgomery.
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Former name | Centralia Township Junior College (1940-?) Centralia Junior College (?-1966) |
|---|---|
| Motto | Success Starts Here! |
| Type | Public community college |
| Established | 1940 |
| Endowment | $7,405,000 |
| President | George Evans |
| Students | 3,370 (Fall 2022) |
| Location | , U.S. 38°33′45″N 89°11′34″W / 38.56250°N 89.19278°W |
| Campus | Rural, 190 |
| Colors | Navy blue, white |
| Nickname | Blue Devils/Blue Angels |
Sporting affiliations | NJCAA Division I Great Rivers Athletic Conference |
| Website | www |
History
editThe college originated in 1940 as the first community college in the state established under the Junior College Act under the name "Centralia Township Junior College".[1]
Academics
editKaskaskia College Associate of Arts and Associate of Science Degrees for students who wish to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The college also offers 50 associate degree career programs and 102 certificates in occupational areas. The college has been accredited since 1964 and is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.[2]
Campus
edit
Kaskaskia College's main campus is located on approximately 190 acres three miles west of Centralia. The college has since constructed additional education centers in the communities of Vandalia, Salem, Greenville, Trenton and Nashville. The college also houses its heavy occupation programs, Heating and Air Conditioning, Carpentry, Welding, Industrial Technology at the Crisp Technology Center on Route 161 East in Centralia.
Animal Disease Laboratory
editIn 2012, the state of Illinois closed the Centralia Animal Disease Laboratory[3] as a cost-savings measure. In 2015, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a vote permitting the Illinois Department of Agriculture to sell the Animal Disease Lab to Kaskaskia College for one dollar.[4] Illinois State Rep. John Cavaletto and Rep. Charlee Meier were the primary advocates for the state to transfer the building to the college.[5] The former lab was added to campus as the Agricultural Building. In April 2024, Kaskaskia College voted to rename the building to the John D. Cavaletto Agricultural Center to honor John D. and Connie Cavaletto and their unwavering support for the college.[6]
Campus Improvements
editIn 2022, the college announced a multi-phase project aimed at modernizing its main campus solidifying the college's infrastructure needs for the next 20-plus years.[7] Improvements consisted of a $25 million renovation to modernize classrooms, a new innovative model to make the registration process more efficient and convenient, and upgraded spaces for the Auto Technology area.[8]
Transportation
editThe main campus of Kaskaskia College is served by South Central Transit. The Cardinals Route and Purple Martin Route provide bus service to Centralia and other nearby communities.[9]
Athletics
editThe Kaskaskia athletic teams are called the Blue Devils (men's teams) and Blue Angels (female teams). The college is a member of the NJCAA and a part of the Great Rivers Athletic Conference[2] (GRAC) offering a number of sports.
Men's Sports:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Tennis
In 2013, the baseball team qualified for the 2013 NJCAA Junior College World Series in Grand Junction, Colorado for the first time in program history.
Women's Sports:
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Soccer
- Softball
- Tennis
- Volleyball
The Softball team were the NJCAA Region XXIV Champions for 2023 and competed in the Softball World Series for the first time.[9]
References
edit- ^ "About KC - Kaskaskia College". www.kaskaskia.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
- ^ a b "Higher Learning Commission". www.hlcommission.org. Retrieved 2022-04-04.
- ^ Shipman, Kay (2017-03-06). "State to close remaining animal disease lab". FarmWeek Now. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ^ WGEL (2015-04-21). "Illinois House Approves Transfer Of Animal Disease Lab To KC | #". Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ^ "Governor Rauner Officially Signs Over Former Animal Disease Lab to Kaskaskia College". WMIX. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ^ "Kaskaskia College renames Ag building to the John D. Cavaletto Agriculture Center". The Leader Union. 2024-04-03. Retrieved 2024-12-10.
- ^ Dennis Rosenberger (2022-08-11). "Multi-phase renovation plan gets under way as KC main campus". Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ "Kaskaskia College Board moves forward with two renovation projects". South Central Illinois' News, Sports and Weather Station. Retrieved 2024-01-15.
- ^ a b "South Central Transit". Retrieved July 24, 2023.