Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) will open its doors for a Manufacturing Day Open House, Friday, October 4, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., to showcase new technology, educational programs, career opportunities, products, and services. The welcome ceremony, with special keynote speakers, begins at 9 a.m. The SWIC Sam Wolf Granite City Campus, located at 4950 Maryville Road, will serve as the event hub for the day.
The celebration is free and open to the public and more than 1,300 local high school students are scheduled to attend. Visitors will have the opportunity to tour the Precision Machining Technology, Electrical/Electronics, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Aviation Maintenance, and Welding Technology labs. They will also experience firsthand the latest advancements in computerized machining and robotic welding equipment, showcasing how high technology is transforming technical education and manufacturing. Additionally, attendees can meet over 30 regional manufacturers and sign up to tour a local manufacturing facility.
“Our objective is to demonstrate to students and the community the exceptional opportunities available in technical education at SWIC. We aim to highlight the numerous well-paying, secure careers in manufacturing within the Metro East and broader regions,” stated Mark Bosworth, Dean of Technical Education at SWIC.
This event in presented in partnership with the Gene Haas Foundation, IMEC – Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois, Madison County Employment and Training, St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants Department and the Southwestern Madison County Chamber of Commerce. To register for this free event, visit swic.tfaforms.net/217810. For additional information and sponsorship opportunities, visit swic.edu/mfgday or call the SWIC Technical Education Division at 618-931-0600, ext. 7476.
Southwestern Illinois College Announces New Career Technology Education Building on Red Bud Campus
Belleville, IL – Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) is pleased to announce the expansion of Career Technology Education (CTE) programming to the Red Bud campus and the construction of a new seven thousand eight hundred (7,800) square foot facility.
The expansion of the CTE program to the Red Bud Campus will significantly enhance educational opportunities at the campus and the region, providing modern facilities beneficial for workforce training. The project aligns with SWIC’s strategic objectives to enhance educational facilities and meet the growing demand for career-focused education in the region. Proposed programs will provide learning and skill development in vocational and technical fields. The location of the future academy on campus grounds is strategically placed with building and programming additions in mind for the future, and ensures Illinois to be a change agent in the manufacturing sector. Construction of the new facility equipped with the latest CTE training equipment will support student enrollment across the southern Illinois region and boost the confidence of industrial partners—and the community—by illustrating SWIC’s dedication to and investment in these industries.
The Board of Trustees has previously approved a contract with Farnsworth Group for architectural services and with Holland Construction for preconstruction work for the project. SWIC is making a financial commitment that would amount to approximately $5.5M, with funding stemming from Series 2023 Bond proceeds sold in December 2023. Construction completion is expected by Spring 2026, weather permitting. SWIC anticipates serving students through the facility Fall 2026.
SWIC Board member, Tracy Vallett, Sub-District 1 – Red Bud, is excited for the new opportunities this facility will afford to students in the southern-most school districts in the region. She says, “I am thrilled to see the growth on Red Bud’s campus and am proud of SWIC’s commitment to accessibility and transportation. The opening of this new facility will provide a local option for quality education in trades and transfer programs. With the expansion of previously established programming to our southern district students, we will now be able to serve traditional and non-traditional students with training and education that helps them enter the workforce faster.”
Planned programming for the new facility will include the expansion of previously established programming such as Allied Health, welding, plumbing, and construction management while also offering a facility that is adaptable to new and transfer programs.
Governor JB Pritzker Attended Ribbon Cutting at New Advanced Manufacturing Academy
Belleville, IL – In preparation for the official fall 2024 opening of the Advanced Manufacturing Academy on its Belleville campus, Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) held an official ribbon cutting on Thursday, July 11, 2024. SWIC would like to thank Governor Pritzker, Senator Christopher Belt, General Assembly Leader Jay Hoffman, Representative Katie Stuart and former Representative Latoya Greenwood, Mayor Patty Gregory, and numerous industry partners for attending.
Through the leadership of Governor Pritzker and SWIC President Nick Mance, coupled with the generous DCEO and other source funding, the new Advanced Manufacturing Academy will reinvigorate the regional manufacturing industry with a sustainable, high-skilled workforce to further reestablish Illinois and the U.S. as a center of global manufacturing. SWIC is utilizing State funding to launch a multi-phase plan to create an academy that focuses on the needs of local manufacturing partners and builds the relationships necessary to solidify southern Illinois as a hub for manufacturing education and industry. By reinforcing the strong manufacturing opportunities available to the community and highlighting the success of SWIC’s manufacturing students, the college will continue to improve the overall image of U.S. manufacturing in the region.
Sustainable manufacturing is becoming increasingly important in the changing landscape of the industry. SWIC will be at the forefront of manufacturing innovation with its state-of-the-art equipment and program offerings and will spur modernization throughout the regional industry. Planned programming for the new facility will include revision of previously established programming as well as the addition of new and innovative manufacturing programming.
Governor Pritzker commented, “I chose to come to SWIC because of your successes, to demonstrate my own intent to put community colleges at the forefront of our economic revitalization of the state. SWIC and other community colleges are the dynamic institutions that are capable of building the workforce of the future, creating opportunities for hardworking Illinoisans, and maximizing economic growth potential for the entire state and particularly for this region.”
During the month of March, we observe Women’s History Month to celebrate the remarkable achievements of women, today and throughout history. At SWIC, we not only recognize the contributions of women who help lead the way and inspire, but also acknowledge their diverse interests and passions. Thank you to all the women, past and present, at SWIC, whose dedication and hard work has helped make Southwestern Illinois College your first choice!
Jill Baudendistel Student Services CoordinatorLaura Vahlkamp Associate Director of Recruitment & OutreachBrandi Brown-Harris College Inclusion & Outreach CoordinatorMelissa Epps – MPH, RPh Adjunct Pharmacy Technician Program CoordinatorDanielle Chambers Chief Student Services OfficerKatie Dawson Director of Financial Aid, Veteran Services & Student EmploymentKourtny Shaw Director of MarketingAlicia Johnson Career and Employment SpecialistBethanie Garcia Admissions CoordinatorElizabeth Alvarez RN Program CoordinatorVicki Channer Administrative Assistant – AthleticsAnnjanee Jones Director of Advising, Enrollment, & RecordsPaula Haniszewski Director of the William and Florence Schmidt Art CenterMindy Schubert Events SpecialistJami Houston Director of Student Success Programs Myki Rhodes Director of Student FinanceLiz Jennings Associate Director – FoundationCasey Robacker Internal Communications SpecialistSamantha Rogers LibrarianSarah Samples Associate Director of Marketing
Jill Baudendistel, Student Services Coordinator – Reading a captivating book is my favorite way to relax.
Laura Vahlkamp, Associate Director of Recruitment & Outreach – My top hobbies are: Physical Fitness (boxing, strength training), Food (love to bake and eat snacks), going on adventures with my teenagers, traveling, coffee, wine.
Brandi Brown-Harris, College Inclusion & Outreach Coordinator – I enjoy roller skating. I also spending time with my Bichon Frise, Penny Lane and watching my favorite shows on TLC and The Food Network channel.
Melissa Epps – MPH, RPh, Adjunct Pharmacy Technician Program Coordinator – Wreath making has been a cherished hobby of mine for quite some time, I love it!
Danielle Chambers, Chief Student Services Officer – My hobbies include helping others, cherishing moments with family, and eating!
Katie Dawson, Director of Financial Aid, Veteran Services & Student Employment – I love being involved in the Belleville community! My family and I shop and eat local as much as possible and never miss a parade or festival on Main Street.
Kourtny Shaw, Director of Marketing – My primary focus and passion outside of work is being a mom.
Alicia Johnson, Career and Employment Specialist – Besides spending time with my beloved service dog, my favorite way to pass time is to read.
Bethanie Garcia, Admissions Coordinator – Collecting and decorating my office with plants. Being surrounded by plants brings me a sense of joy and enhances my productivity.
Elizabeth Alvarez, RN Program Coordinator – Puzzles are my favorite way to relax but I also love reading and camping!
Vicki Channer, Administrative Assistant – Athletics – I love maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise.
Annjanee Jones, Director of Advising, Enrollment, & Records – I enjoy spending my free time gardening.
Paula Haniszewski, Director of the William and Florence Schmidt Art Center– I love hanging with my husband and two girls, art, real estate, and reading.
Mindy Schubert, Events Specialist – In my spare time I enjoy making quilts for my kids.
Jami Houston, Director of Student Success Programs – Getting my Ed.D from the University of Illinois and Illini basketball!
Myki Rhodes, Director of Student Finance – In my free time, I’m all about roller skating!
Liz Jennings, Associate Director – Foundation – I’ve been getting into tennis lately. It’s been really fun picking up a new hobby!
Casey Robacker, Internal Communications Specialist – I love collecting figurines and decorating my office with them. It’s awesome to see them around every day, brings a little extra joy to my space!
Samantha Rogers, Librarian – I like to travel and explore. 2022 took me to the Island of Hvar. 2023 the Isle of Skye. This summer I will be looking for wild ponies along the coast of Exmoor.
Sarah Samples, Associate Director of Marketing – Hiking is the best! The fact that my entire family enjoys it adds an extra layer of enjoyment to the experience.
Southwestern Illinois College’s Precision Machining Technology program ranked No. 8 on stateuniversity.com’s list of Most Popular Schools for Machine Tool Technology/Machinist Major & Degree Programs in the nation.
The website stateuniversity.com is a national college and university ranking website that rates educational institutions on a variety of topics including best vocational programs, most affordable tuition and safest campuses.
“It’s exciting to be nationally ranked for our outstanding program,” said Dean of Technical Education Bradley Sparks. “At only $122 per credit hour our program is the best value in the region.”
SWIC offers a two-year, 72-semester-credit Associate in Applied Science degree in Precision Machining Technology. Certificates include: Precision Machining Technology, CNC (computer numerical control) Machining, Mastercam, SolidWorks and Advanced CNC Programming.
The SWIC PMT program prepares students with the skills and experience necessary to enter a variety of machining fields. Students learn to safely set up and operate machine-shop equipment such as lathes, mills, drill presses, grinders and computer numerical control machines. They also learn computer software programs to design parts and create programs for CNC machines.
“At only $122 per credit hour our program is the best value in the region.” – Bradley Sparks
PMT courses are held at the Industrial Technology Center on the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus. Students train on the latest most advanced equipment from HAASCNC and up to dated technologies used in industry today.
The SWIC program is recognized by NIMS, the National Institute for Metalworking Skills; and PMT students regularly earn medals at the SKILLSUSA challenge.
The website stateuniversity.com ranks institutions statistically based on U.S. government surveys and reports provided by the schools themselves. StateUniversity.com uses many different measures in ranking schools including ACT/SAT scores, student retention, faculty salary, and student/faculty ratio. For more information about the SWIC PMT program visit, swic.edu/pmt. Registration for Spring 2021 Semester begins Oct. 26.
NTMA St. Louis Chapter President Tony Maus called Southwestern Illinois College Industrial Technology Coordinator Mark Bosworth an “Education Super Star” as he presented Bosworth with the William E. Hardman Award for Excellence in Training on Nov. 10 at the Sam Wolf Granite City Campus.
Bosworth, who has been with SWIC since 2008, has grown the Precision Machining Technology program from a handful of evening students to more than 60 day and evening students.
“I love working with the students and watching their skills develop,” Bosworth said. “I like to see them on track for a well-paying, solid career that will last a lifetime.”
The National Tooling and Machining Association is a US-based membership trade association with a collective force of 1,100 tool & die and precision manufacturing companies representing a more than $35 billion industry. NTMA’s focus is supporting the future of American manufacturing through small and medium-sized companies, and family-owned businesses. The William E. Hardman Award is a national award recognizing the high standards and achievements of educators.
“Today we are here to recognize Mark Bosworth’s role in training our next generation of precision manufacturing professionals and our industry’s next generation of leaders,” said NMTA president Roger Atkins. “The William E. Hardman Award for Excellence in Training is for a company or individual that has consistently demonstrated strong support and active participation in structured training for the precision custom manufacturing industry.”
In 2019, Bosworth won the Madison County CTE Business Supporter of the Year award for supporting local industry’s workforce needs and for serving as a conduit between industry and secondary/postsecondary CTE programs in the region.
In addition to being program coordinator, Bosworth teaches classes in all areas of the PMT program, which includes manual machining, computer numerical control (CNC) programming, and MasterCam programming, and some courses for Industrial Maintenance Mechanics.
In 2016, Bosworth was named SWIC Full-Time Faculty Member of the Year and won the Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award.
Before joining SWIC, Bosworth taught at Ranken Technical College for 12 years and was a machinist for 11 years for five different companies in the St. Louis area.
Bosworth has a master’s degree in Adult Education and Administration from Jones International University and a bachelor’s degree in Management from National-Louis University. He’s also a member of the NTMA and SkillsUSA.
Bosworth lives in Belleville with his wife, Sue, and their daughter, Emily.
For more information about the PMT program visit swic.edu/pmt.
