Published:
By Heidi Knecht and Mike Ortiz, KWQC
Video
Transcript
MOLINE, Ill. (KWQC) – The president of Black Hawk College already has some fields of study in mind if community colleges can offer bachelor’s degrees.
On Wednesday, Gov. JB Pritzker said he wanted to give more people the chance to earn four-year degrees without leaving their community.
BHC president Jeremy Thomas said leaders at the school were having this discussion before the State of the State.
With four-year degrees, BHC could offer something to students that state universities don’t.
“Respiratory care is not offered at any of the four-year degree schools right now. And so it allows us to offer something and fill a niche.”
Other areas of study considered for bachelor’s are advanced manufacturing, nursing and early childhood education.
“We are workforce driven,” Thomas said. “It’s going to allow us to meet the needs for industry now and hopefully bring in more.
“These are these are technical degrees that we know. As a blue-collar community, they’re asking for so it allows us to address that need.”
Thomas said even if BHC does offer four-year degrees, it wouldn’t be competing with area universities and partnerships will remain.
“This won’t change that at all, because we’re not duplicating effort. This is about programs that are not being covered, not trying to address things they’re already doing.”
The Illinois Community College System covers the entire state with 48 colleges in 39 community college districts.
There are 12 public four-year universities, and 10 are above Interstate 70. Only Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and SIU-Edwards are below.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker during in State of the State address
“Along those lines, I want to offer one final proposal focused on one of the jewels of the Illinois education system – our community colleges. Illinois is home to one of best community college systems in the nation – third largest in size and still growing. Last fall, enrollment at Illinois community colleges grew for the third consecutive year –outpacing the national average by almost 3 percent.
One of those students is Melissa McKaig of Jerseyville who is here today. Will you stand and be recognized? Melissa is a nursing student at Lewis and Clark Community College, and a student trustee, along with being a devoted mother and grandmother. Melissa wants to pursue a baccalaureate degree in Nursing – but the cost and the commute to a school farther away will make it too expensive.
There are people like Melissa all across Illinois – who want to get a four year degree to make a better living. We should make that easier for them.
That’s why I’m proposing we allow Community Colleges to offer four- year Baccalaureate Degrees for in-demand career paths – like nursing, advanced manufacturing, early childhood education, and beyond. With lower tuition rates and a greater presence across the state — especially in rural areas — community colleges provide the flexibility and affordability students need. This is a consumer driven, student-centered proposal that will help fill the needs of regional employers in high-need sectors and create a pathway to stable, quality jobs for more Illinoisans.”
Media Coverage
More to Explore
Leadership
About Us
