IVCC dental health, manufacturing coordinators receive tenure

Two faculty members whose tenure was recently approved by the Illinois Valley Community College Board of Trustees were commended for enhancing and advancing the dental health and manufacturing programs they coordinate.

Lyndsey Beetz began her IVCC career as an adjunct dental clinical instructor before she was selected to develop and coordinate the new dental hygiene program, which graduates its first class this spring. While teaching, developing curriculum and mentoring students, she earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene – then completed a Master of Education degree in 2023, just days before submitting the required accreditation documentation for the dental hygiene program.

Beetz’s innovative instructional and assessment strategies that enhance learning drew praise from the tenure committee. Her class activities, including group projects and role-playing exercises, foster critical thinking and active participation, and her assessment methods ensure students demonstrate their understanding through practical application, the committee said.

Partnerships with local dental offices provide opportunities for student internships. Students join Beetz in preschool visits to deliver oral health education to youngsters and assist in the summer youth camp at IVCC, SCRUBS. Beetz coordinates the IVCC dental clinic and leads an annual field trip to a convention in Chicago that exposes her students to valuable industry trends.

She is involved in her community through youth sports, VFW Auxiliary and local health fairs, and continues to maintain her professional dental licensure.

Scott Fox earned associate’s degrees in manufacturing and engineering technology at IVCC, and has added certifications in machinist, tool-and-die and vehicle air conditioning during his 20-plus year professional career.

While still working in industry, Fox was determined to create new opportunities for students and future employees on campus, and advanced rapidly from part-time instructor to full-time program coordinator. At IVCC, he has improved apprenticeship programs, upgraded the program’s manufacturing equipment and led creation of a Basic Skilled Trades certificate to be piloted at IVCC in Fall 2025.

The review committee commended Fox’s partnerships with other workforce divisions to create a robust experience that introduces a variety of skillsets across divisions and praised the workshop environment he has created. Students work independently and in teams on projects that help them practice competencies but also build portfolios for future employers. Working on more than 20 machines, students produce from-scratch projects incorporating varied skills and fabricate components needed for those projects.

In his community, Fox has served on a local school board and on a mounted search-and-rescue unit.