EDWARDSVILLE - Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy Consortium (BIB) student Donald Jackson has received the prestigious Kathy Bryan Memorial Scholarship from BBI International, a company that produces and manages globally recognized bioenergy publications and events.
A student at Southeastern Illinois College (SIC) in Harrisburg, Ill., Jackson was awarded one of two $2,000 memorial scholarships. They are distributed annually to students, who are pursuing degrees that may lead to a career in the ethanol industry and who are working to build a sustainable future that reduces carbon emissions.
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“This award reflects the consortium’s commitment to connecting students with in-demand careers that directly contribute to Illinois’ and the nation’s economic and environmental sustainability,” BIB Project Manager Courtney Breckenridge said. “We are incredibly proud of Donald’s accomplishment and wish him continued success in his career.”
Jackson has worked as a board operator for Cardinal Ethanol near Union City, Ind. since 2008. He takes classes online while working full time. Except for a two-week break in October 2015, he has completed two assignments every week since April 2015. He believes that his continued education will improve the possibility of moving up in the company.
“SIC’s online biofuels program continues to grow under the leadership of Biofuels Instructor Renee Loesche,” Breckenridge added. “Renee’s commitment to making education accessible to all students through flexible, accelerated scheduling and competency-aligned programming ensures students like Don are able to complete education programs that further their careers. We truly appreciate her dedication to student success.”
SIC is a member of SIUE’s BIB consortium, which is comprised of five higher education institutions spanning the state of Illinois. In addition to SIUE and SIC, partners include Lewis and Clark Community College (L&C) in Godfrey, Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) in Springfield and Carl Sandburg College (CSC) in Galesburg. The consortium was established in 2014 through a $9,956,011 award by the U.S. Dept. of Labor’s Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) initiative.
The project management team for the BIB consortium is located at the NCERC at SIUE.
To learn more about the Building Illinois Bioeconomy Consortium visit www.buildingillinoisbio.com.
About Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT)
This round of funding builds on the Obama Administration’s focus on job-driven training by requiring grantees to expand employer engagement throughout the grant process. These employer and industry partners have identified necessary skills and competencies and will assist in designing curricula, programs, assessments or credentials that will help quickly connect ready-to-work Americans with ready-to-be-filled jobs.
The grants will expand programs in growing industries, such as advanced manufacturing, transportation and health care, and encourage geographic and industry sector collaboration. All course materials developed using these public funds will be available as Open Educational Resources so that others can access and build on successful training models. A White House fact sheet is available for further details.
About SIUE
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville provides students with a high quality, affordable education that prepares them for successful careers and lives of purpose. Built on the foundation of a broad-based liberal education, and enhanced by hands-on research and real-world experiences, the academic preparation SIUE students receive equips them to thrive in the global marketplace and make our communities better places to live. Situated on 2,660 acres of beautiful woodland atop the bluffs overlooking the natural beauty of the Mississippi River’s rich bottom land and only a short drive from downtown St. Louis, the SIUE campus is home to a diverse student body of nearly 14,000.
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