DANVILLE — Danville Area Community College President Stephen Nacco said there were a lot of 2023 highlights for the college, and officials look forward to the new year.
New Programs
In 2023, DACC introduced Music Production, Music for Business, Cancer Registry, CCMSI Claims Representative Certificate, and Barbering Certificate. The Computer Science Department developed courses in Python, Power BI, Introduction to Unreal 3D Engine (for game design), Introduction to 3D Graphics, and a Design and Computer-Aided Drawing degree.
DACC appointed a director of sonography to lead the accreditation process that would lead to the introduction of an associate in applied science degree. Earned accreditation for the Cancer Registry certificate for health-information technology.
Corporate Education launched a popular program in mixology for aspiring bartenders.
Facilities
Nacco said they installed “HyFlex” classrooms on the Danville campus and in the Hoopeston Higher Learning Center. These classrooms enable students to participate fully in classrooms whether they’re attending in person or remotely.
The college began the $3 million renovation of Hegeler Hall to become the college’s future home for corporate and community education.
DACC installed a $1.3 million security system that included a new video-surveillance system and keyless entry.
Online Learning
Through a collaborative vetting process involving faculty and students, DACC decided to replace its soon-to-be-defunct Blackboard online-learning platform with Canvas.
Customer Relationship Manager
To improve student retention and completion rates, the college completed technical implementation and integration of CRM Advise system with the ERP (Colleague) and LMS (Blackboard). This system will automate the former, manual Operation Graduation process, sharing data in real time with each students’ identified success team and setting various retention strategies into place as needed (some automatically and some through assigned alerts to staff). CRM had a “go live” on May 18, 2023.
Enrollment Incentive
To encourage students to enroll early and keep on track for graduation, for the Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 semesters, DACC introduced the “Early Bird” $600-bonus program. The incentive successfully boosted overall credit enrollment by more than 20 percent during the Spring 2023 semester and by another 9.8 percent during the Fall semester.
Vermilion County Works
DACC partnered with College Express to offer job seekers (including DACC students) a virtual-reality tour of business and industry using Oculus Quest equipment.
Personnel
DACC appointed Dr. Carl Bridges as the college’s first provost, responsible for managing DACC’s academic programs and student services.
Jonathan Jett became DACC’s new director of financial aid.
Dawn Nasser became DACC’s first-ever director of enrollment services.
Community Events
On Oct. 4, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and other State officials attended a tree-dedication ceremony on the DACC campus to honor the late Sen. Scott Bennett.
For the first time since 1978, DACC hosted the Vermilion County Principals’ Association boys’ and girls’ basketball and cheerleading tournament.
Under director Angie Mansfield, DACC students and local performers produced the first college play in five years — To Kill a Mockingbird.
For the first time since 2018, DACC hosted the popular Family Science Night.
The DACC Library opened a permanent exhibit honoring Carl and Mark Van Doren, the locally born and raised brothers who each earned Pulitzer Prizes in 1939 and 1940 respectively.
Athletics
The DACC Board of Trustees restored volleyball to the college’s intercollegiate-sports program.
The City of Danville entered into a lease agreement with the college to give the Lady Jaguars softball team a field of their own in the Winter Park complex.
DACC’s eSports program joined the NJCAAe with 70 students participating on the team.
Both men’s and women’s basketball programs played in their national tournaments, with the men earning 3rd place and the women taking 8th.
The softball team returned to the national tournament for the 2nd year, ending their season 7th in the nation.
Grant Programs
A $220,000 Illinois WorkNet grant funded a construction program that provided free tuition for up to 30 students.
The Illinois Green Economy Network funded a $95,000 grant to support a program to repair geothermal heating-and-air-conditioning units.
The $400,000 PATH grant has supported nursing scholarships and equipment purchases throughout 2023.
DACC’s Voluntary Separation Program saw 15 employees take advantage of it.
Spring 2024 classes begin Jan. 16.
DACC is partnering for a Career Expo on April 24.
Jaguar Players will present the musical “Bye Bye Birdie,” with its opening on May 3.
Other expected 2024 happenings: completion of Hegeler Hall by May 2024; accreditation for associate in applied science for echocardiography and sonography programs; speech pathology associate-degree program launched in Fall 2024; Direct Service Professional certificate program begins in Fall 2024; and Certified Nursing Assistant program becomes a prerequisite for nursing degree in Fall 2024.
Electric Vehicle training begins during the Summer 2024, thanks to a $90,000 grant from the Illinois Green Economy Network.
DACC hosts county boys and girls basketball and cheerleader tournaments, Jan. 12-20.
DACC hosts NJCAA Men’s National Division II Basketball Tournament, expanded to 20 teams this year, Mar. 18-23.
DACC pilots developmental mathematics and English programs as corequisites with college-level math and English.
College expands associate-degree and transfer programs for Danville Correctional Center students with the extension of Pell Grants to inmates.
DACC will explore the feasibility and economic benefit of an on-campus solar farm.
The Higher Learning Commission will conduct its standard mid-cycle review of the college on March 4-5, 2024.
The number of HyFlex classrooms will increase to 10.