SR0270 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0270 LRB103 32302 MST 61608 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to congratulate Dr. Jerry Corcoran on the occasion of his retirement as president of Illinois Valley Community College on July 1, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Corcoran was appointed the tenth president of Illinois Valley Community College on March 18, 2008 and has had a 33-year career with the school; he began his career with the dislocated workers center as farm grant coordinator; he then became director, followed by director of purchasing, the college's first director of human resources, vice-president for business services, and finance/treasurer; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Corcoran is the third longest-serving president in the Illinois Valley Community College's 99-year history; and

WHEREAS, In his 15 years as president of Illinois Valley Community College, Dr. Corcoran oversaw numerous improvements, including the opening of the 80,000 sq. ft. Peter Miller Community Technology Center in 2014, the opening of the college's first satellite campus, the demolishing of the 40-year-old "temporary buildings" on the east campus, the relaunching of the successful agriculture program, the addition of a 600-vehicle parking lot, the completion of a new ADA-only parking lot, the enhancement of the truck driver training program and facilities, and the addition of a student-life center and cyber café; the school's foundation raised more than $2.1 million in support of its first capital campaign, and a $7.5 million endowment is now in place in order to award more scholarships; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Corcoran holds a Doctorate of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Northern Illinois University, a Masters of Arts in Educational Administration and Supervision from Chicago State University, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Corcoran and his wife, Katherine, live on the family farm north of Ottawa; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Dr. Jerry Corcoran on his retirement as president of Illinois Valley Community College on July 1, 2023, and we wish him the best in all his future endeavors; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Corcoran as a symbol of our respect and esteem.