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| 1 | SENATE RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate wish to | ||||||
| 3 | congratulate Sheila Quirk-Bailey, DM on the occasion of her | ||||||
| 4 | retirement as president of Illinois Central College (ICC); and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, ICC became the first institution in the nation to | ||||||
| 6 | utilize Pell Grants for incarcerated students, demonstrating | ||||||
| 7 | Dr. Quirk-Bailey's unwavering commitment to expanding | ||||||
| 8 | educational opportunity and fostering second chances; and | ||||||
| 9 | WHEREAS, During Dr. Quirk-Bailey's tenure, ICC | ||||||
| 10 | credentialed more than 1,100 students of poverty through the | ||||||
| 11 | Workforce Empowerment Initiative, producing strong completion | ||||||
| 12 | and employment outcomes and setting a national standard for | ||||||
| 13 | workforce inclusion; and | ||||||
| 14 | WHEREAS, Under Dr. Quirk-Bailey's guidance, ICC secured | ||||||
| 15 | nearly $20 million through the Good Jobs Challenge grant, | ||||||
| 16 | becoming the only community college nationwide and the only | ||||||
| 17 | institution funded in both rounds to advance the IT Workforce | ||||||
| 18 | Accelerator program, which offers students industry-recognized | ||||||
| 19 | credentials at no cost; and | ||||||
| 20 | WHEREAS, Dr. Quirk-Bailey was also instrumental in ICC | ||||||
| 21 | receiving a $349,397 National Science Foundation (NSF) | ||||||
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| 1 | Advanced Technological Education grant for its Creating a | ||||||
| 2 | Workforce Pipeline of STEM Technicians Through Water Analysis | ||||||
| 3 | program, giving students hands-on experience in original | ||||||
| 4 | scientific research; and | ||||||
| 5 | WHEREAS, ICC was recognized nationally as the 2020 | ||||||
| 6 | Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Charles | ||||||
| 7 | Kennedy Equity Award winner, affirming Dr. Quirk-Bailey's | ||||||
| 8 | lasting impact on student equity and institutional excellence; | ||||||
| 9 | and | ||||||
| 10 | WHEREAS, Under Dr. Quirk-Bailey's visionary leadership, | ||||||
| 11 | ICC has received the 2025 Illinois Community College Trustees | ||||||
| 12 | Association (ICCTA) Equity and Diversity Award, the | ||||||
| 13 | association's highest statewide honor recognizing leadership | ||||||
| 14 | and innovation in advancing equity, and was named 2025 | ||||||
| 15 | Achieving the Dream Leader College, becoming one of only 15 | ||||||
| 16 | nationwide recognized for sustained improvements in student | ||||||
| 17 | success, equity gains for minority students, and reforms that | ||||||
| 18 | reduce barriers to high-demand careers; and | ||||||
| 19 | WHEREAS, With Dr. Quirk-Bailey at the helm, ICC's | ||||||
| 20 | Workforce Sustainability Center has prepared individuals for | ||||||
| 21 | pre-apprenticeship and entry-level training in 13 high-demand | ||||||
| 22 | programs, earning ICC recognition as a 2025 Bellwether Award | ||||||
| 23 | finalist in two categories, Instructional Programs & Services | ||||||
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| 1 | and Workforce Development; and | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, Dr. Quirk-Bailey will retire at the end of the | ||||||
| 3 | year, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, inclusion, and | ||||||
| 4 | transformation that has strengthened not only ICC but the | ||||||
| 5 | entire Illinois Community College System; therefore, be it | ||||||
| 6 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 7 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Sheila | ||||||
| 8 | Quirk-Bailey, DM on her retirement as president of Illinois | ||||||
| 9 | Central College (ICC), and we thank her for her outstanding | ||||||
| 10 | service, leadership, and dedication to the students and | ||||||
| 11 | communities of ICC as well as higher education and workforce | ||||||
| 12 | advancement in Illinois; and be it further | ||||||
| 13 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 14 | presented to Dr. Quirk-Bailey as an expression of our esteem | ||||||
| 15 | and respect. | ||||||