Sauk Valley Community College hosting annual commencement ceremonies Friday

DIXON – Sauk Valley Community College will host its 58th annual pinning and commencement ceremonies Friday, May 10, in the campus gym at 173 Route 2, Dixon.

The event will begin with the health profession’s pinning and commencement ceremony at 4:30 p.m., followed by the traditional commencement ceremony at 7 p.m. Both ceremonies will be livestreamed for friends and family who cannot attend; links to join and a virtual program are available on SVCC’s website.

During the 7 p.m. ceremony, Linda Giesen will be presented the honorary degree; Bob Sondgeroth will be honored as a distinguished alumnus, and Karli Ewaniuk will be recognized as a Rising Star alumnus. Chloe Coil and Michael Jankins are scheduled as the student speakers, according to a news release from SVCC.

SVCC’s honorary degree was established in 2017 to recognize individuals who have made notable contributions and achievements to the school and the surrounding community. Its recipient is chosen by the SVCC board. This year, Giesen was selected.

“[Giesen is] a strong supporter of not only our school but also of our community,” SVCC Vice President of Advancement Lori Cortez said during an interview with Shaw Local.

Cortez noted that Giesen and her husband gave SVCC the Illinois Law Library, which dates back hundreds of years. She also has served as adjunct faculty for the school’s criminal justice department and played a role in the criminal justice student club.

Within her career in the Department of Corrections, she was the first woman to be warden of an all-male institute when she became warden of the Dixon Correctional Facility, Cortez said.

After the honorary degree, the two alumni awards will be presented. Each year, SVCC receives applicants and nominees for alumni awards, and the recipients are selected by the alumni committee.

Sondgeroth was selected for the “longevity of his continued involvement at Sauk and his career in education,” Cortez said.

Sondgeroth is a board member of the Sauk Valley College Foundation and was instrumental in forming SVCC’s Impact Program, which allows students to cover tuition fees through community service, Cortez said.

Ewaniuk, a 2023 SVCC graduate, was selected because of her involvement in community service at SVCC and the surrounding community.

“[She’ll be] freezing while directing traffic at the Rock Falls holiday lights displays” or sweating while outside helping to lay mulch, Cortez said.

At SVCC, Ewaniuk was a member of the Rotaract Club and served as treasurer for the Business Club. She is now attending Northern Illinois University and majoring in finance.

After the awards, two student speakers are scheduled. Coil is the student trustee on the SVCC board and Michael Jenkins made the president’s list for high academic achievement during the fall semester.

Then, the presentation of candidates will begin. A total of 141 students will graduate with an associate in arts degree, 26 with an associate in science, one with an associate in engineering science, eight with an associate in fine arts, 79 with an associate in applied science, four with an associate in liberal studies, and 183 students will earn certificates in various fields, according to SVCC’s 2024 commencement program.

For information, visit SVCC’s website.