February 2007

Foundation
Board of Directors
President
David C. Heide

Executive Vice President
Cheryl Wilson

Treasurer
Bruce G. Nawara, C.P.A.

Brian Andersen
Frank R. Barre
Marguriet Bobb
Hon. Irene H. Brodie
Vernon Crawley, D.Ed.
Maria DeCaprio-Sunta
Anthony Q. Drake
Philip T. Foster
Barry Gaw
Noreen Ligino-Kubinski
Egon J. Menker
John Moore
Susan Murphy
Omar Najib
William J. Opelka
Maureen Ryan
Dennis Shannon
Brett G. Swiderek
Carolyn Viverito

Executive Director
Sue Linn

Message from the President
As a former Moraine Valley Community College student, you know firsthand about our commitment to excellence and dedication to student success. We pride ourselves on offering excellent educational and career training programs, and your achievements are a testament to that mission.

Many changes are taking place at the college, with more yet to come. We have added new programs to our curriculum and opened an education center in Blue Island. In addition, thanks to a successful bond passage last March, we are moving forward with plans to expand our campus with several new buildings to serve our growing student population.

As a nationally ranked college with award-winning faculty, Moraine Valley is a recognized leader in higher education. We also are an integral part of the southwest suburban communities we serve, opening our doors to nearly 48,000 students annually.

I invite you to take time to reconnect. If you haven’t been on campus recently, plan to visit soon. I think you’ll be pleased to see how we’ve evolved over the years. Consider serving as a mentor for our students or on an advisory board—the sharing of your expertise could prove to be invaluable to students and a rewarding experience for you. Enjoy outstanding entertainment at our beautiful Fine and Performing Arts Center, see astronomical sensations during a monthly open telescope viewing, utilize the library’s resources, join the Health Fitness Center, or enroll in classes that can help you develop your professional skills or pursue a new interest. You are always welcome, and I encourage you to take advantage of all we have to offer.

Here’s wishing you continued success in your future endeavors, and I thank you for your past and future support of Moraine Valley Community College.

Sincerely,

Dr. Vernon O. Crawley
President
 

Dr. Phil’s Scholarship to
Benefit Adult Students

Recognizing that returning adult students face many challenges while balancing family, careers and education, he created this scholarship with the part-time student in mind. Eligible students need only be enrolled in three credit hours. “His generosity has created a legacy that will touch students’ lives for many years,” said Sue Linn, executive director of the Moraine Valley Foundation.
 

“I had just come out of the Army and was living in Palos Hills working for the National Tea Company,” Dennis said. “I decided to take a course or two in business at Moraine Valley. That led to an associate’s degree. I transferred to Governors State, got a bachelor’s degree and then my M.B.A.”

The biggest influence in Dennis’ life was an accounting teacher at Moraine Valley, who has since retired. “I didn’t really know what I wanted my career to be. My instructor,  Mike Parsch, was a very strong influence and deciding factor, and he’s the reason I am doing what I’m doing today.”

Today, Dennis is the vice president of Administration for Rapid Displays (point-of- purchase advertising) and Cadaco (one of the oldest toy and game companies in the country and best known as the makers of Tripoley). He’s been with this family-run operation for 23 years.

His administrative duties don’t stop when the work day ends. He’s a past president of the Chicago South Chapter of the Illinois Certified Public Accountant Society and serves as a mentor to newcomers in the field. He’s also not forgotten about the school where it all started. For the past 12-plus years, Dennis has served on the Moraine Valley Foundation Board.

“I’m a big proponent of community colleges,” Dennis said. “If you think about moving into a college environment, there’s nothing better than a community college. It makes for a smoother transition, and I really do believe you get a better education. Instead of being taught by TAs (teacher assistants) with hundreds of students in your classes your first two years, you’re in smaller classes where there’s more of a connection between the instructors and students.”

Has he taken any classes at Moraine Valley since? “I came back for a ballroom dancing class,” he laughs. “It was critical to the marriage.”

We’re delighted to share these success stories with our readers. If you are a former student and would like us to consider your story for publication, or know of a former student whose story should be considered, please let us know! Call the Foundation Office at (708) 974-5740 or e-mail linns@morainevalley.edu.

Furthering her own education as well as that of others has always been important to her family as evidenced in the fact that Irene and her three sisters all completed their master’s degrees. She continued on for a doctorate and pursued a career in education, as did her late husband, J. E. Brodie.

“I was one of the original professors at Moraine Valley,” Irene said. “Been here since day one, when classes were first held in a cookie factory.” Irene administered the college’s first reading program for men, a program she helped evolve into the Developmental Education subdivision (now the Enrichment Programs and Services subdivision), which offers preparatory courses for students entering college-level coursework.

Furthering her own education made Irene, who was the dean of Developmental Education, an ideal role model when encouraging others to stay in school. For some whose finances were limited, Irene’s hand was in her pocket. “There were many times I would write a personal check for tuition or books and send the student off to the cashier’s office,” she said. Irene’s personal checks continue to help many students as she gives thousands of dollars each year to fund scholarships to students from Robbins, a town she has presided over as mayor since 1989.

She may have retired in 2000 from her classroom and administrative duties at Moraine Valley, but she hasn’t retired from making monetary gifts or donating her time and talents. In 2001, the Academic Skills Center was named after Irene in gratitude for her generous donation to the center. Plus, she serves as a board member for the Foundation helping to secure student scholarships.

“I enjoyed every bit of my time at Moraine Valley, so it was really important for me to stay involved because I want to see these students continue with their education. I’m always reaching for somebody so they can be successful.”

It’s obvious Irene Brodie truly is a woman who practices what she preaches.

With an impoverished lifestyle in his native India, Saunak’s dream was to continue his education; something that was impossible while his family was trying to make ends meet on a gross monthly income of less than $75. “Many simple things were not available to me and my brother,” Saunak said. “Things that people in developed Western countries take for granted, like an education, seemed like dreams to me.”

Saunak’s passion for math and science began to emerge at an early age and flourishes today, thanks in part to coming to the United States in 2005 and being able to further his education at Moraine Valley. “Without education, my dream would never come to fruition,” Saunak said, adding that he is truly thankful for the Moraine Valley Science and Business Scholarship. “A scholarship is the oxygen for students who have financial concerns; it gives you new breath,” he said.

When Saunak completes his studies at Moraine Valley, he plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago to major in biomedical engineering and genetic engineering. He has aspirations to some day conduct research in a clinic or for a pharmaceutical company where he can analyze genes and DNA structure for disease control.

“Because of the Moraine Valley scholarship, I have an opportunity,” he said. “Some people view a degree as an end. Rather, I view that degree as a doorway to the future.”

Fast Facts about Moraine Valley Second largest community college in Illinois Nearly 48,000 students enrolled annually Top 8 percent in the nation among community colleges in degrees conferred 98 percent of transfer graduates would recommend Moraine Valley 93 percent of graduates employed or continuing their education Average age of credit students is 27; average age of noncredit students is 40 111 degree and certificate programs; 131 online courses 4 percent of current Moraine Valley students have at least a bachelor’s degree (includes master’s, first professional and doctoral degrees)

The event, which will be held in the college’s Fine and Performing Arts Center, will feature food, fun, an auction, and a musical journey back in time with a performance by Rich Daniels and The City Lights Orchestra in the Dorothy Menker Theater. The evening, which also is a celebration of the Foundation’s 25th anniversary, will recognize and honor the founders of the college, and feature memorabilia and photo exhibits of area events from 1967, including the great Chicago snowstorm and the tornado that struck Oak Lawn.

Tickets are $100 per person and may be purchased by calling the Foundation Office at (708) 974-5740.

Proceeds from the event will be used to benefit numerous Moraine Valley programs, including Fine and Performing Arts Center programming and student scholarships.

Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
Albert Einstein wasn’t always the top student in class, and Marguriet Bobb keeps that in mind when she selects a recipient for the Robert J. Bobb Memorial Scholarship.

“I look for more than a just a grade point average,” she said. “A lot of people want to go to school. They really want to be there, but they can’t afford it. They have a will and work hard, but just can’t get a 4.0.”

Marge set up the scholarship in memory of her husband, Bob, who, like her, spent many years serving on the Moraine Valley Foundation Board’s scholarship committee. “We go back a long way at Moraine Valley,” she said. “This school has always been one of his favorites.” The Bobb’s philanthropic gestures also include the funding of the Bob and Marge Bobb Student Life Center in the College Center.

“It’s something that’s very rewarding—to see these students who are so worthy but can’t afford it be able to continue their education,” she said.