Sauk Valley Community College receives historic donation

DIXON – Sauk Valley Community College has received a $1 million donation, the largest one-time gift from an individual in the institution’s history.

The anonymous donor is from Fulton, and the $1 million will fund piloting the college’s earned tuition program for Fulton and Prophetstown students.

“On behalf of the students whose lives will be impacted, I am incredibly grateful for this transformational gift,” Sauk President Dave Hellmich said. “This act of philanthropic leadership will transform lives and help propel the region into a period of increased growth and stability.”

The donor hopes to inspire and motivate others to give to the program that college and regional leaders anticipate will help reverse regional declines in population, workforce participation, community involvement, and college completion rates, according to a news release.

In 2018, the college, the Sauk Valley College Foundation Board of Directors, and community leaders began work to develop the Sauk Impact Program, an earned-tuition program that would open doors of access to higher education for thousands of prospective students in Sauk’s six-county region.

The program allows high-schoolers to earn up to 3 years of tuition and fees at the college by building up community volunteer hours.

Students would need to meet five criteria to qualify, consisting of registering for the program by Sept. 1 of their freshman year, graduate on time or early with their class, participate in 25 hours of community service a year totaling 100 hours, graduate from high school or an accredited home school program within the district, and apply for at least one other local/state/national scholarship as well as complete FAFSA.

The cost of books will be covered for students who graduate in the top 10% of their present high school class.

Students will be required to maintain good academic standing, and enroll in a certificate, degree or transfer program.

The pilot program will be open to soon-to-be freshmen in Fulton and Prophetstown, and the plan is to roll out the program to all area high schools next year.

It’s estimated that more than 1,200 students could be earning their tuition by 2028.

There will be quarterly surveys and focus groups with parents and students in the pilot program to identify what might need to be changed. The college is also working on an app where students will be able to track their service hours, and organizations throughout the region would be able to post volunteer opportunities.

The college is looking to raise $10 million for the program.

“The SVCC Impact Program initiative will help hard-working students achieve their goals and make their mark on the region,” said Lori Cortez, dean of institutional advancement. “Our mission is to get students in the class, get that degree or certificate in their hands and get them working, living and contributing to the growth of our communities. This $1 million gift represents a large step toward making that happen, and is a powerful demonstration of confidence in the Impact Program to unlock the potential of Sauk Valley area students for generations to come.”

Go to svcc.edu/impact or contact the Sauk Foundation at foundation@svcc.edu to donate or for more information.