Waubonsee Community College to celebrate inauguration of new president

Waubonsee Community College has announced the celebration of its fifth president, Brian Knetl, with inauguration events and activities leading up to his formal investiture ceremony on Sept. 21. The week of events will celebrate the history and mission of WCC and are open to the community.

Knetl has selected the theme “Waubonsee Together: A New Dawn” for the celebration.

According to a news release, Waubonsee has awarded 55,000 certificates and degrees over a span of 57 years since the college’s founding. To celebrate this milestone, the college will hold an alumni dinner on Sept. 16, which will also commence the inauguration events and activities. The evening will offer food, networking opportunities and recognition of the achievements of Waubonsee’s 42,000 alumni.

On Sunday, Sept. 17, the community is invited to join in a “Bike the Burbs” group ride along the Fox River Trail to celebrate Waubonsee’s diverse community and Knetl’s love of biking.

Waubonsee is one college with four campuses, and on Sept. 18, the spotlight will be on the Aurora Fox Valley and Plano Campuses. Community members will have the opportunity to discover (or rediscover) these campuses and all they offer, along with meeting Knetl.

On the morning of Sept. 19, the Waubonsee community will have the privilege of attending the State of the College Breakfast at the Sugar Grove Campus. The event will feature Knetl and a celebration of the 2023 Distinguished Contributor Award recipient. This is an excellent opportunity for attendees to learn about the latest initiatives at Waubonsee and gain insight into the college’s future direction.

Prior to the start of Knetl’s investiture ceremony on Sept. 21, the college will commemorate the International Day of Peace at the Sugar Grove Campus peace pole. The investiture ceremony will take place at the Sugar Grove Campus Auditorium at 3 p.m. Those interested in attending can do so in person or watch the livestream of the ceremony, available in English or Spanish, on the college’s inauguration webpage. A reception will follow.

To learn more about these events and to register, visit waubonsee.edu/inauguration. Advance registration is requested.