Court Reporting Program Open House and Free Evening Class “Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand” Coming to Oak Forest Center

Posted on September 26, 2019October 17, 2019 by Webmaster

OAK FOREST, IL–South Suburban College (SSC) is hosting a Court Reporting Open House on Wednesday, October 23rd from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. in Room 5190 of the college’s Oak Forest Center. The Open House will showcase this unique profession and wide-open job market, along with SSC’s program and curriculum.

New this fall is the free NCRA A to Z program, an evening Court Reporting for beginners class which is an opportunity for potential students to learn the alphabet in steno, write on a real machine, and decide if pursuing an education in court reporting or captioning is the right choice. Sign up and learn from the experts through Intro to Steno Machine Shorthand on Tuesday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. from November 5th through December 10th. Enrollment into the Court Reporting Program is open for the spring semester so this fall is the perfect time for individuals to take the introductory course and assess their interest in the field.

SSC is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and its Court Reporting Program is one of a few in the Chicagoland area that is certified by the National Court Reporters Association. Court reporters use machine shorthand to capture the spoken word quickly and accurately. The use of sophisticated computer equipment has broadened the nature of the profession. SSC’s program focuses on the theory behind it all, with an emphasis on judicial reporting.

Court reporting is an interesting, challenging field that can provide a flexible work schedule with excellent income potential. Annual salaries of court reporters and captioners can reach upwards of $80,000 and beyond. There is a severe shortage of skilled reporters in the Chicago area, and courts need court reporters to record trials of all types. Reporters also provide closed captioning of live television such as the news and sporting events such as football, baseball, and basketball games to aid the hearing impaired.

To RSVP or for more information, call (708) 596-2000, ext. 3217 or email LCooke@ssc.edu Fall Registration is in progress at SSC with classes beginning August 20th. The Oak Forest Center is located at 16333 S. Kilbourn, Oak Forest, Illinois.

South Suburban College Earns Maximum 10-Year Reaccreditation from Higher Learning Commission

Posted on September 19, 2019September 20, 2019 by Webmaster

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL – South Suburban College officially received its full accreditation for the maximum period of ten years from the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). Ron Kawanna, Associate Vice President of Accreditation and Institutional Effectiveness, delivered the news to the Board of Trustees in a presentation at the college’s September Board Meeting.

“The 10-year reaccreditation is a testament to the high level of professionalism of everyone at the college,” said Chairman Frank M. Zuccarelli. “Everyone came together and worked hard during the self‐study process, and I congratulate you.” This reaccreditation marks Zuccarelli’s fourth during his tenure serving on the Board.

The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) is an independent corporation that was founded in 1895 as one of six regional institutional accreditors in the United States. HLC accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in the North Central region, which includes Illinois and 18 other states. HLC accreditation is a critical component for credentialing degrees and transferable college credit.

SSC’s new Executive Leadership Team led by Dr. Lynette D. Stokes, President, in partnership with the Board of Trustees, led the reaccreditation process with the HLC’s Institutional Actions Council (IAC) culminating with a site visit in March. IAC confirmed in a letter to the college announcing the “maximum Reaffirmation of Accreditation of South Suburban College through fiscal year 2028.”

“It is with much enthusiasm that we announce our reaccreditation success,” said President Stokes. “A big thank you to faculty, staff and administrators who worked tirelessly to write the HLC report and provide evidence of compliance, and special thank you to our students for participating in the open forum and focus group session. We appreciate their candid conversations and recommendations of how to move SSC closer to becoming the premier institution of higher learning in the Southland community.”

HLC published information about this action on its website at www.hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/recent-actions.html.

SSC is a community college located in South Holland, Illinois, and with an extension site in Oak Forest, serving 21 communities including parts of the Chicago Southland and northwest Indiana. SSC provides a variety of support services and leadership opportunities in addition to a wide range of academic programs to support student success.

Leadership and Winter Preparedness/Snow and Ice Conference Coming to South Suburban College

Posted on September 17, 2019September 19, 2019 by Webmaster

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL–South Suburban College is presenting a Leadership and Winter Preparedness/Snow and Ice Conference designed for public works directors, supervisors and operators as well as commercial snow removal contractors from September 23-26, 2019.

Included will be workshops on winter operations for operators and commercial snow plowing contractors that will cover safety, sensible salting, new chloride regulations, techniques and changes. Other workshops are designed for leaders (directors and supervisors), covering winter operations, ethics, effective communications, professional development plans, succession planning, emergency management and the future of public works.

The conference will be offered in six sessions, some at SSC’s South Holland campus and others at the college’s Oak Forest Center. Award winning presenters include Chris Walsh, retired Director of Operations of Beloit Public Works, and currently an Adjunct Professor of Emergency Management at Texas A&M and winner of the American Public Works Association (APWA) Presidential Leadership Award, and Brian Usher, former President of APWA and former Public Works Director of Zion, IL and Largo, FL. Cost of the workshops range from $30-$70 per person. New chloride regulations require training as part of compliance.

The workshop schedule for public works operators is as follows: The Basics of Snow & Ice – Monday, September 23, from 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., and Thursday, September 26 from 7:45-11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

The workshop schedule for leadership personnel is as follows: Winter Operations and Emergency Management Training – Tuesday, September 24, from 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., and Wednesday, September 25 from 7:30-11:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

The Conference is sponsored in part by Baxter & Woodman Consulting Engineers and SNI Solutions. For more information, please email Nancy Burrows at NBurrows@ssc.edu. The Oak Forest Center is located at 16333 S. Kilbourn, Oak Forest, IL, and the Main Campus is located at 15800 S. State Street, South Holland, IL.

South Suburban College Fall 2019 Music Calendar of Events

Posted on September 12, 2019September 19, 2019 by Webmaster

Please note: This calendar is correct at the time of publication and is subject to change. All events are held in the Kindig Performing Arts Center (PAC) on SSC’s Main Campus and admission is FREE for these events (donations are appreciated to benefit the Music Scholarship Fund). For more information or to confirm dates and times, please call (708) 596-2000, ext. 2316. South Suburban College is located at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois.

October 7, 2019 – 7:00 p.m.
Orchestra & Chamber String Ensemble Concert
The SSC Chamber String Ensemble, under the direction of instructor David Howard, will be performing with the SSC Orchestra under the direction of instructor Phil Bauman. The SSC orchestra will present a diverse program of string music encompassing a wide range of musical styles.

October 9, 2019 – 7:00 p.m.
Jazz Orchestra Concert
Under the direction of instructor Sam Hankins, the SSC Jazz Orchestra will be performing smooth jazz hits from the most beloved artists.

October 16, 2019 – 12:00 p.m.
Tuba Lecture Recital
John Weber, SSC Tuba Faculty presents The Tuba Family.

October 18, 2019 – 7:00 p.m.
SSC Voices & Symphonic Band Concert
The SSC Voices, under the direction of instructor Doug Ulriech, will be performing famous choral works. Under the direction of instructor Jeff Brath, the SSC Symphonic Band will present various styles of band music.

November 2, 2019 – 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Orchestra Festival with clinician Philip Bauman

Friday, December 8, 2019 – 7:00 p.m.
Holiday Concert
Featuring the Symphonic Band, PAC Rats Theatre Company, and SSC Voices.

Genaro Palacios Exhibition “Textures of the World” on Display at South Suburban College

Posted on September 11, 2019September 11, 2019 by Webmaster

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL–The Art & Design Department of South Suburban College is pleased to announce a special guest artist exhibition titled “Textures of the World,” photographs by artist Genaro Palacios in the Photo Four Gallery through October 4, 2019.

Genaro Palacios was born in Mexico City. He studied Mechanical and Electrical Engineering at Tec de Monterrey (CDMX)/Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Spain). When his children were born, he decided to change his profession radically and chose to do something that gave more meaning to his life. He moved with his family to Colombia (one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity on the planet) where they lived for five years. He began there his photographic studies and a close and intimate relationship with nature. He started to work with elements and textures from nature reinterpreting it from a different perspective.

“I work with nature most of the time, looking for shapes, abstract landscapes, lines, patterns and textures.” said Palacios. I require patience and a narrow observation. I usually use color as my main ally trying to excite the sensibility of my spectator, but I also work in black and white. Through these transformations and reinterpretations of reality, my goal is to get the attention of the viewer and inspire others to awaken their capacity for wonder in such simple things that we can find around us in nature in order to preserve it.”

Palacios has taken several courses and workshops with renowned photographers such as Kike Calvo from National Geographic and John Quintero, as well as at the Escuela de Fotografía Motivarte from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Palacios has collaborated with travel magazines like “Four Seasons Magazine” and “Revista Equipaje.” He is a 2015 International Color Awards Nominee.

SSC Galleries are open at minimum Mondays through Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., and Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. The galleries are closed on weekends and holidays. The public is welcome to visit art exhibitions and receptions at no charge. For more information, please call (708) 596-2000, ext. 2445 or visit www.ssc.edu/art. SSC is located at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois.

Auvers-sur-Oise — **Pictured:** “Genaro 1 & 2” by Genaro Palacios

Forklift Operator Training Coming to Oak Forest Center

Posted on September 10, 2019September 11, 2019 by Webmaster

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL– South Suburban College’s Business & Career Institute is offering Forklift Operator Training on three separate sessions in October at the Oak Forest Center. This certification course covers the basic fork lift driving skills needed to obtain a Fork Lift Operator Certification. A Certification Card from the National Safety Council will be issued to the student upon successful completion of the program.

The sessions will be held from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 19 (course code TQM-E50-722), Monday, October 21 (course code TQM-E50-723), and Saturday, October 26 (course code TQM-E50-724). The cost for each course is $175.00 per person.

Illinois requires all forklift operators to obtain a license to avoid OSHA sanctions and possible penalties. Forklift driving is no simple matter; it causes more than 100 deaths each year. These sessions are designed for individuals who are seeking career advancement employers who are seeking safety and in compliance for their forklift operators.

For more information, please contact Gervaise Edwards at (708) 225-6032 or email gedwards@ssc.edu. SSC’s Oak Forest Center is located at 16333 S. Kilbourn, Oak Forest, Illinois, with convenient

PAC Rats Theatre Company Presents Spinoff at South Suburban College

Posted on September 5, 2019September 5, 2019 by Webmaster

SOUTH HOLLAND, IL– Stolen money, passports, travel brochures and identical briefcases… perfect ingredients for a recipe of confusion, mayhem and laughter come to South Suburban College’s Kindig Performing Arts Center. Performances will take place on September 20 and 27, 2019, at 7:30 p.m., and September 21, 28 and 29, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.

Spinoff, written by Jack Sharkey, is the story of bank official Peter Colton (Pat Nevins of Homewood), who unwittingly comes home with the loot from a bank robbery masterminded by his superior at the bank, Willy Nicholas (Eric Pradelski of South Holland).

Willy, frantic to retrieve the money, enlists Peter’s services to help him find it. Willy also enlists the help of Peter’s secretary, Victoria Wickey (Jennifer Crick of Homewood). Meanwhile, Laurel Colton, Peter’s daughter (Kimberly Azana of Posen), has found the loot and erroneously supposes it is her father who has robbed the bank. She recruits the aid of her boyfriend, Carlos Ortega (Scott Fimoff of Homewood), whose uncle is a retired forger of passports, to help her father flee the country.

The arrival of Sheila Mahoney (Rose Backlund of Lansing), a travel agent who is helping Peter plan a surprise vacation to Rio for Laurel, complicates matters even further, since she thinks Victoria is married to Willy and is planning a honeymoon in Rio for the two of them. By the time Victoria shows up with the passports for the surprise vacation, Willy shows up with his passport and Victoria’s for a quick escape, and Carlos shows up with a pair of forged passports to help Laurel and Peter attempt their escape.

Paul Braun of Highland, IN and Catherine Hundt of Thornton make cameo appearances as the voices on a television all-points bulletin.

Park Forest resident Kevin Hathaway makes his directorial debut with this show.

The behind the scenes artists are costume designer JoAnna Tassin of Park Forest with costume assistants Joan Sehlke of Dolton, and Judy Welch of Sauk Village. The sound designer is Jordan Swierczyna of Robbins. Angela Martin of Midlothian is the stage manager. Heather Young of Chicago and Rachel Hawkins of South Holland are the prop designers. Ellie Shunko of Lansing is the set designer.

Tickets are just $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 55 or better, $6 for students. SSC staff and students will enjoy a buy one, get one offer with an I.D. Call the 24/7 box office voicemail line at (708) 210-5741 or email at boxoffice@ssc.edu. Group rates are also available. South Suburban College is located at 15800 S. State Street in South Holland, Illinois, between Sibley Boulevard and 159th Street. The campus is convenient to Routes 94, 80, 57, and 294. Free, ample, well-lit parking is available.