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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
3Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. John Avendano on the 
4occasion of his retirement as president of Kankakee Community 
5College; and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Dr. Avendano became Kankakee Community College's 
7sixth president on July 1, 2009; during his time at Kankakee 
8Community College, he led the college through a two-year state 
9budget impasse, added new academic programs, successfully 
10implemented two strategic plans, and opened campus facilities; 
11Kankakee Community College also celebrated two national 
12championships and the college's 50th anniversary during his 
13tenure; and
  
 
14    WHEREAS, During the state budget impasse, Dr. Avendano 
15fought for Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) funding for 
16students and appropriations for community colleges, 
17representing  Kankakee Community College and Illinois Community 
18Colleges in conversations with State legislators; on campus, 
19his leadership enabled  the redesign of foundational 
20coursework, the strengthening of collaborations with area 
21school districts, the business community, and local industry, 
22and the creation of new programs, including Millwright and 
23Manufacturing Technology and an apprenticeship program that 
 
 
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1created paths to employment; and
  
 
2    WHEREAS, Under the guidance of Dr. Avendano, the college 
3expanded its community access and established the Miner South 
4Extension Center in Watseka and the Manufacturing and 
5Industrial Technology Center in Kankakee; in 2014, Kankakee 
6Community College's North Extension Center in Bradley opened 
7and became Kankakee County's first LEED Gold Certified 
8building; the Advanced Technology Education Center on the 
9Riverfront Campus, which is currently under construction, is 
10also designed to meet LEED Gold Standards; and
  
 
11    WHEREAS, Dr. Avendano serves on boards for state and 
12community organizations, including the Illinois Community 
13College Council of Presidents, the Grundy Livingston Kankakee 
14Workforce Board, the Riverside Medical Center Board of 
15Directors, and the Economic Alliance of Kankakee County, where 
16he served as chairman of the board for the past two years; he 
17was named one of Waubonsee Community College's Fab 40 Alumni, 
18inducted into the Waubonsee Community College Athletic Hall of 
19Fame, inducted into the Illinois State University College of 
20Education Hall of Fame, and inducted into the Skyway Conference 
21Hall of Fame; he received the Phi Theta Kappa Shirley B. Gordon 
22Award for Distinction and the Illinois Community College 
23Trustees Association Advocacy Award; and
  
 
 
 
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1    WHEREAS, As a former community college baseball player and 
2coach, Dr. Avendano is proud of the Kankakee Community College 
3Cavaliers and their accomplishments at the regional and 
4national levels; the Cavaliers baseball and softball teams both 
5won national titles in 2017 and 2015 respectively, and in the 
6past nine years, Kankakee Community College's athletic teams 
7have won 22 regional titles and recognized 30 All-Americans and 
844 Academic All-Americans; therefore, be it
  
 
9    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE 
10HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
11we congratulate Dr. John Avendano on the occasion of his 
12retirement, and we recognize his commitment to the community 
13and to the State of Illinois; and be it further
  
 
14    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
15presented to Dr. Avendano as an expression of our esteem and 
16respect.