2006 Annual Report to alumni and friends

The IVCC Foundation

2006 year-end report to alumni and friends

Record number of students receive awards

  By the close of the 2006-07 academic year, the IVCC Foundation will have awarded scholarships to a record 206 students.

     Students will receive an average award of over $540 as the Foundation distributes a total of $112,050.

     Over the past four years alone, the Foundation has awarded more than $410,000 to 723 students.

     The number of scholarships has increased to 105, with several of the endowments offering multiple awards.

     This fall’s Foundation dinner attracted 222 students (including Bill Zens, at right), donors, guests and college officials.

alumni.ivcc.edu

Reconnecting through the Internet

     Ever wonder what happened to some of the friends you met while at IVCC or LPO? A new alumni Web site may provide the answer – and more.

     IVCC and LPO Junior College alumni can now reconnect with former classmates via alumni.ivcc.edu.

     Members can create personal profile pages complete with family pictures and career updates.

Free and easy

     Access is free and restricted to former LPO and IVCC students.

     The site allows alumni to:

  q  Easily upload photographs to personal pages;

  q  Do member searches;

     q   Join community groups or chapters; and

     q  Read and submit alumni news.

     IVCC President Larry Huffman said the combined history of LPO and IVCC has created a tremendous – yet largely untapped – alumni base.

     “We’re proud of the thousands of successful alumni who got their start here,” said Huffman. “Feedback and support from our alumni will help guide our future.”

     More than 100 alumni, parents and instructors have registered.

      “This is a resource they can use to get back in touch with former classmates and instructors and to reconnect with the college,” he said.

     Call (815) 224-0524 or email fran_brolley@ivcc.edu.

Ponti’s legacy a gift to aspiring teachers

      Shortly before his 2005 death, Jim Ponti established an IVCC Foundation scholarship that will support aspiring teachers for generations to come.

     Ponti’s gift of over $650,000 is the largest in Foundation history.

     Next spring, one IVCC education major planning to transfer to Illinois State University will be chosen for the award. The recipient will receive full tuition and fees at both IVCC and ISU.

     Ponti, a graduate of IVCC’s predecessor, LPO Junior College, and ISU, named the award in memory of his parents, Louis and Anna, and his sister Barbara. Jim taught science at Peru Washington.

     Deena Pavinato, a friend, lauded Ponti’s generous spirit and insatiable thirst for understanding.

     “Jim truly had a Buddhist heart of compassion and love for all life. He touched many of us in his writings, his visits or his gifts of time or treasure. He was always searching for answers, for truth — certainly now he has found them,” Pavinato said.

Born in La Salle in 1937 to Louis J. and Anna (Rosso) Ponti, he later attended La Salle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College and Illinois State University. He traveled in the Teaching Corps and taught in several countries, including Japan, Germany and Liberia.

In July, Ponti created The Louis, Anna, Barbara and James Ponti Family Scholarship through the IVCC Foundation to honor his parents and sister. The scholarship will one day pay the education expenses of future teachers both at IVCC and at Illinois State.

For information about the Ponti Family Scholarship call 224-0524.

Irish eyes will be smilin’ at March event

   Young lasses from the Keigher Academy of Irish Dance in Morris will again beguile guests at the third annual IVCC Foundation Irish Night March 10 at Pitstick Pavilion north of Ottawa.

     The dancers perform a variety of traditional soft shoe reels and jigs.

     The evening also includes corned beef, Irish songs and a silent auction.

Grand Marshal Dahl

     State Sen. Gary Dahl (R-Granville), a longtime IVCC supporter who funds five nursing scholarships each year, is the 2007 Grand Marshal.

     Previous honorees were former Putnam County State’s Attorney Durley Boyle and Ottawa’s Bill Strong — who has endowed five Foundation scholarships during his tenure as a director.

      “Get Up and Dance DJ Service” will lead dances and songs throughout the evening. The event’s new home is  Pitstick Pavilion’s Beach House.

     IVCC and LPO alumni and friends are cordially invited. The Foundation is seeking sponsors and silent auction donations. Call (815) 224-0551 or visit ivcc.edu/foundation.

Annual Fund Drive

Help IVCC serve our community’s students

      The IVCC Foundation is hosting its annual fund drive to ensure IVCC’s classrooms are accessible to all — regardless of income.

     Each year, dozens of hard-working IVCC students are denied much-needed financial assistance due to a lack of scholarship funding. The Foundation will address the shortfall through year-end contributions to its 2006 Annual Fund Drive.

     Tax-deductible contributions can be made through gifts of cash or securities such as stocks, bonds or mutual funds.

     For more on the campaign, read the enclosed letter from IVCC President Larry Huffman and call (815) 224-0524.

     By acting before Dec. 31, donors will not only experience the joy of giving but also tax benefits in April 2007.

     The Foundation also welcomes gifts through wills, charitable gift annuities and life insurance.

Illinois Valley Community College

Foundation

815 N. Orlando Smith Avenue

Oglesby, IL 61348-9692

Internet sites:

n www.ivcc.edu/foundation

n alumni.ivcc.edu

Foundation Officers

O.J. Stoutner, President

John L. Cantlin,

Vice President

Linda Grove, Treasurer

Directors

Iner Anderson, Princeton

Dr. Ralph Bowermaster, Ottawa

W. Durley Boyle, Hennepin

Mark Buehl, Ottawa

Patty Godfrey, Ottawa

Jane Goetz, Ottawa

Dr. Susan T. Schmitt, Streator

William Strong, Ottawa

Robert E. Walsh, Ladd

Jerry Yendro, Peru

Dr. Francis J. Zeller, Peru

Dr. Larry D. Huffman

IVCC President

(815) 224-0402

Foundation Staff

Francis R. Brolley

Director of Development

(815) 224-0524

Donna Swiskoski

Foundation Secretary

(815) 224-0551