OAK FOREST, IL – South Suburban College (SSC) monthly Board of Trustees meeting included a special dedication to former Board Trustee and Vice Chair of the College’s Board John A. Daly Sr. The SSC Oak Forest Center now houses the newly renovated John A. Daly Conference Room. The dedication occurred on Thursday, November 9, 2022, among local community partners, the SSC community, the Daly family, and former colleagues of the late Daly. The ceremony commenced with brief remarks from SSC’s President, Dr. Lynette D. Stokes, who remembered Daly as a man who dedicated his life to service and advocacy for others.

Dr. Stokes stated, “As we reflect on his contributions, we have the opportunity to ask ourselves – ‘What are you doing for others?” We can all pick up the mantel of service and become better stewards of our local community.” The SSC Board Chairman, Terry Wells, mirrored similar sentiments of Dr. Stokes as he reflected on Daly’s robust career in leadership. He cited that Daly was an exemplar of someone whose life was dedicated to public service. Chairman Wells emphasized Daly’s public service by noting, “John was an elected Alderman in the City of Oak Forest, City Administrator, a past Chairman of the Chicago Southland Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and a member of the Southwest Conference of Mayors. Daly also chaired the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association’s Management & Finance Committee. “He concluded his brief remarks with anecdotes highlighting Daly’s devotion to SSC.

Mayor Kyle R. Hastings of Orland Hills, Illinois, reminisced on his relationship with Daly as he recalled his stoic persona while discussing his role as an Orland Hills administrator. The ceremony concluded with a letter from Illinois 15th district Senator Napoleon Harris, brief remarks from SSC Board Secretary Janet M. Rogers, and final sentiments from the son, Kevin Daly. Kevin remarked, “As you walk past the John A. Daly Conference room at this location, let it be a reminder of my father’s acts of service. ” As the event concluded, the SSC Board of Trustees, the SSC President, and the Daly family gathered for a celebratory picture. The dedication represented Daly’s long-term tenure as an SSC Board of Trustees member, his advocacy for students, and his devotion to the SSC Oak Forest Center. Daly also supported the SSC Foundation, where the Daly family established the John A. Daly Memorial Fund to help future SSC students.

If you want to learn more about the SSC Foundation or the John A. Daly Conference Center, please contact Zanetta Miller, SSC’s Executive Director of Public Relations and Resource Development, at (708) 225-5846. SSC’s main campus is at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois. The college’s extension site, the Oak Forest Center, is located at 16333 South Kilbourn Avenue, Oak Forest, Illinois.