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As we celebrate Black History Month, many influential Black leaders come to mind, such as Maya Angelou, Malcolm X, Harriet Jacobs, Katherine Johnson, and Mamie Till. And though the list goes on and on of all the men and women in the Black community who have had a profound impact on society, there is one name that will always stand out to me above the rest: Rebecca Gant. Many may say, “Well, I’ve never heard of Rebecca Gant,” so let me introduce you to her. 

In honor of Black History Month, Waubonsee Community College is proud to unveil community programming during February to celebrate the many contributions that African American leaders have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality. These events are designed to provide enriching opportunities for all ages to experience Black culture and tradition. All events are open to the public and free unless noted. 

So, it’s a new year… a new me, right? But what will make this new year’s resolution different from the last? What’s going to make it stick?

The Waubonsee Community College Foundation recently welcomed four new members to the board of directors: Jimi Allen, of Aurora; Carl Dekker, of St. Charles; Kevin Pennington, of Aurora; and Kris Wano, of Geneva.

Waubonsee Community College will host a free spring jazz series, featuring art and live music performed by Waubonsee students and faculty, as well as other middle school, high school, college, and professional musicians. The series will kick off at the college’s Aurora Downtown Campus, 18 S. River St., on Friday, Feb. 3 from 5 to 8 p.m. This free, family-friendly event is open to the public and is being held in conjunction with Aurora Downtown First Fridays.

Each year, current and prospective Waubonsee Community College students unsure of how to pay for their education can receive help from the Waubonsee Foundation scholarship program. Research has shown this financial support can have a direct impact on student success, as Foundation scholarship recipients are over two and a half times more likely to graduate than non-recipients. 

Waubonsee Community College was recently awarded one of eight Illinois Skilled to Build grants in the amount of $50,000 from the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center (IMEC). Waubonsee is matching with an additional $50,000 for a total project budget of $100,000.  

Waubonsee Community College is home to more than 30% of students who identify as Latinx. As one of the region’s Hispanic Serving Institutions, Waubonsee is committed to helping students reach their educational goals, whatever they may be. This spring, Waubonsee’s Latinx Resource Center (LRC) will host learning events at its Aurora Downtown Campus, located at 18 S. River St., offering families and students the opportunity to enrich their knowledge about the college landscape. All events are free and open to parents of area high school and Waubonsee college students.

Nominations are currently being accepted for Waubonsee Community College’s 2023 Distinguished Alumnus and Distinguished Contributor Awards. Nominations must be received by Tuesday, Feb. 28 to be considered for this year. 

Waubonsee alumna Sharkisha Jones, of Aurora, has been teaching lessons and planning curriculum for children in a classroom as long as she can remember. In her current role, Jones partners with the Office of Governor Pritzker in redesigning early learning and care systems with families at the center.