The Incredible Moment When Illinois Will Go Dark That Will Go Down In History

(Elizabeth Crozier, onlyinyourstate.com Please click on the link for the full article.  Here is an excerpt below.)

For the first time in most people’s lives, there will soon be a total eclipse of the sun, and you don’t want to miss it. It’s been nearly 100 years since the last one, and the next won’t happen for another seven years.
There are various places across the United States to view this incredible phenomenon. From Portland, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina, the line of sight for the eclipse cuts diagonally across the states with part crossing through the southern portion of Illinois. Check it out:

NOTE:  I will start ramping up the eclipse coverage as it gets closer to the date.  There are some links you can click from after getting to the onlyinyourstate.com website.

by Reece Rutland, Rend Lake College Public Information/Sports Information Director

INA, IL –  Homegrown is a term that has popped up in this story series more than a few times. Rend Lake College has been the beneficiary of many qualified individuals who have returned to the benefit of the institution and its students.

Each and every one of the homegrown products have helped shape and mold RLC in their own unique way, but only one person has transitioned from sitting behind the desk as a student to sitting behind the desk in the head office, current RLC president Terry Wilkerson.

Rend Lake College President Terry Wilkerson

Launching his relationship with RLC in 1990, Wilkerson was famously reluctant to attend college after graduating from Hamilton County Senior High School as valedictorian. At the time, the young farmer saw more value in getting started shouldering his share of the work on the family farm.

“At that point in my life, I didn’t see the value of an education. I just needed to get to farming and making a living,” said Wilkerson. “I got curious to see what it would do for me. The college was close to home and the class times were flexible. I could still farm.”

He wasn’t prepared for what he found in RLC’s Ag Department, an atmosphere of teachers and students who were all interested and eager to learn and talk about the same things he was. It was an experience that altered the entire course of his life.

Wilkerson went on to earn his an Associate Degree in Applied Science at RLC in 1992, followed by a Bachelor’s Degree in Plant and Soil Science in ‘94 and a Master’s Degree in Agronomy in ‘95, both from nearby Southern Illinois University.

For someone who wasn’t even going to go to school, Wilkerson found plenty of success in the classroom.

At RLC, he earned the “Agri-Achievers” designation from the Ag Department Staff in 1991 for recognition of his academic performance and leadership skills. He also earned the distinction as co-winner of the prestigious “Outstanding Ag Student of the Year” Award for 1991-92. He also won a one-year scholarship to SIUC due to his spotless GPA, a trend he continued throughout his academic career, finishing all three of his degrees with a flawless 4.0.

“Wilk” returned to the college in 1997 to teach in the very department he studied in following the death of one of his mentors, Agriculture, Automotive and Architecture (AAA) Department Chair Doug Leeck. Always the farmer, it didn’t take long for Wilkerson to identify similarities between the field and the classroom.

Terry Wilkerson, center, works with a group of students when he joined RLC’s Agriculture Department in the late 90s. (Rend Lake College Photo)

“Teaching is a lot like farming. Every year there’s a new crop, and you help it grow,” said Wilkerson. “I enjoyed bringing practical lessons I learned on the farm to the classroom.

“If it’s time to plant corn, it’s time to plant corn. You can’t be stagnant and do nothing,” he added. “Education is like that. If you stand still, you fall behind.”

 Something must have resonated; he spent 11 years in the classroom before moving into RLC’s Chair of the Applied Science and Technology Division, a position he called home for four years.

During those early professional years with the college, he served as Academic Council Chair seven of 10 years, beginning with 1998-99. He was also hand-picked by administration for the first RLC Emerging Leaders Institute, designed to identify and develop potential future campus leaders in 2006.

Wilkerson contributed heavily to the successful Higher Learning Commission Self-Study and the subsequent reaccreditation visit in 2008, and also was a contributing author to the Career Technical Education Assessment follow-up report in 2011.

Then, in April of 2012, Wilkerson was selected out of a wide pool of applicants to take the helm as the college’s seventh president.

“The RLC Board of Trustees spent two months assessing applicants and interviewing a group of highly qualified individuals for the position of Rend Lake College President,” said then-RLC Board Chair Bryan Drew.

“In the community college setting, it is common for the Board of Trustees to receive input from faculty, staff and current administration in the search for a new President. In this case, it was a clear choice by everyone involved as to the best person to lead Rend Lake College into the future.

“Terry Wilkerson is a proven leader who has the rare ability to be as comfortable in a meeting with local politicians and business leaders as he is with students and faculty,”

“I would like to thank the Board of Trustees and the campus for the confidence they have placed in me to continue our work of providing quality education and building relationships throughout our district,” the newly-named president said.

Like many before and after him on this list, the student-turned-teacher-turned-administrator is also dedicated to giving back to the community and its students. He was honored with a Rend Lake College Foundation Bronze Seal award for his numerous contributions which, all total, exceed $10,000.

“I give to the Foundation because it’s important to me that I give back to this institution that has given so much to me,” Wilkerson said. “I am definitely an advocate for supporting RLC through the Foundation and I won’t ask anyone to do anything I’m not willing to do myself.”

The college isn’t the only place the home-grown product has found success. Wilkerson has successfully maintained and operated the farm he shares with his family in Hamilton County.  

In 2009, he was recognized as one of 10 national finalists for the Outstanding Farmers of America Fraternity’s four “Outstanding Young Farmer” Award-winners.

On the farm, he was cited as being quick to adopt new technologies as they come online, such as GMO technology; he was one of the first in the region to incorporate it into his cropping practices. He offers his land to University and extension representatives for research in analyzing zinc in high-yield corn, manganese in soybeans, magnesium in wheat, and nitrogen and sulfur in double-crop soybeans.

That innovation is an approach that he has also brought back to the president’s office.

Amid the state budget crisis, Wilkerson has ensured that the college has remained on firm ground though innovation and adaptability. The college’s dedication to students and the community at large has never wavered despite the adversity, and the quality and depth of what RLC has to offer continues to grow and evolve.

“We want you here. We want to help you get to where you’re going. Never doubt it,” Wilkerson expressed. “We are the most affordable path to a higher education when compared to the larger institutions around us, and that is by design. We believe we are the best choice for higher education and career training for our community, in terms of both quality and price.”

“You’re more than welcome to come for a visit, whether you want to learn more about a certain program or just to have a look at the campus. This is your community college, so come out and take a look.”

For more of our 50 Influencers stories, visit www.rlc.edu/50.

by Reece Rutland/Rend Lake College Public Information

INA, IL –  Over the course of the 50 Influencer series, patterns have emerged. Several of those recognized in the first half of the project display a multi-generation legacy, an impactful return or an enterprising spirit. This week’s entry demonstrates all three.

The Rubenacker family of Dahlgren is one of the deepest names in the annals of RLC’s history. The width and breadth of their support and significance to the college and its students cannot be questioned.

Richard Rubenacker, the family patriarch, graduated from Wayne City High School in 1952 and went directly to work on the family farm in November 1956, he married Margarette (Jody) Biggerstaff and the couple had three sons – Randy, Rodney and Terry.

From the onset, Richard was described as being proud of Rend Lake College. So much so, that he entrusted all three of his sons to the college’s care with each of them graduating from the Agricultural Department to prepare them for working in the family’s farming operation.

Richard Rubenacker – (RLC photos)

In 1987, Rubenacker and his children formed 4R Corporation and bought a Case-IH farm equipment dealership in McLeansboro. The family also owns Prairie Tile Systems and owns and operates Rubenacker Farms Inc., a trucking business that hauls grain from its farms and custom hauls for Pioneer Seed Co. in McLeansboro.

The Rubenacker family and the college quickly formed a symbiotic partnership. Not only did the family support the college by sending their children to Ina, but they were also quick to give back by assisting in numerous Rend Lake College Foundation projects.

For the college’s part, the Rubenackers also provided a fertile training ground for countless Ag Department students to gain valuable work experience over the years in the form of internships, providing not only the Rubenackers but farms and agricultural businesses around the country with highly qualified workers.

“We are fortunate to have a college of this caliber this close,” Richard was quoted as saying in 2005.

He backed up those words by having the vast majority of his employee base being RLC graduates. Even a young Terry Wilkerson, current president of RLC, spent time as an employee on the farm.

“We are a fairly large employer and I think it’s nice to have RLC graduates working here. A lot of the credit for any type of award needs to go back to the people who work for you. My family has been successful because of the people we have surrounded ourselves with.

“The college has always been a good resource for us whenever we have needed to hire new employees for the farm or the dealership,” Rubenacker said.

It was high praise considering where it came from.

Rubenacker’s farming abilities were recognized in trade publications. In 1983 he was selected as a Master Farmer by Prairie Farmer Magazine, and he accepted a lifetime membership in the National Registry of Who’s Who and was featured in the 1998 edition.

He was also no stranger to community involvement. Richard held seats on the Hamilton County Unit 10 School Board, Hamilton County Board of Supervisors, Southeastern Illinois Planning Commission, Wayne/White Counties Electric Co-op Board, Federal Land Bank Board of Directors, Farmers Home Administration Board, Rend Lake Agricultural Advisory Board and Market Street Bancshares Board. He also served on various church committees, including the Knights of Columbus.

So, when a seat came open on the Rend Lake College Foundation Board in 2003, Rubenacker was a natural fit.

He served in that capacity until his death on Feb. 25, 2005. Yet, the mantle was quickly picked up by his son Randy who succeeded his father in April of that year.

Such was Richard’s impact that the 2005-06 RLC Trustees approved a resolution to recognize the man and his accomplishments.

The resolution concludes with:

“Whereas, Richard R. Rubenacker exemplified the qualities deemed important to be highly regarded as a representative of the RLC Foundation Board – very respected and influential within the community; a caring individual; a great believer in education, in general, and the benefits of a comprehensive community college, in particular, and a successful individual leader with a vision for the future and a willingness to share it with others, now

Therefore, be it resolved, Richard R. Rubenacker leaves a legacy that will impact Rend Lake College and the RLC Foundation, students and staff for many, many years to come, and

Be it finally resolved, Richard R. Rubenacker and the kind influence he exuded will be missed by Rend Lake College and the Rend Lake College Foundation.”

With the college, Richard had been a valued member of the Rend Lake College Ag Advisory Board almost since its inception before relinquishing his seat to son Randy. Businesses owned by the family contributed money in order to sponsor student scholarships since 1987.

Another company owned by Richard R. Rubenacker, Prairie Tile Systems, donated gifts-in-kind worth $10,000 in drainage tiles and installation for the Rend Lake College Prairie Tile Research Project in conjunction with the Ag program and Applied Science Division.

In recognition of everything, Richard and Jody were presented the RLC Foundation Gold Seal Major Gift Award at the Annual Dinner Dec. 2, 2004. The family was highlighted for their $25,000 lead gift to the Rend Lake College Foundation Challenge Grant II Campaign for the establishment of an endowed “Rubenacker Family Scholarship,” as well as for past contributions to the scholarship fund. Jody was cited for her work with the Theater renovation project. A music practice room carries the family’s name as a testament to their contributions.

The Legacy

It wasn’t just Richard and Jody who have left a lasting impact at the college.

As earlier mentioned, all three of their sons graduated from the Agricultural Department.

In addition to assuming his father’s spots on the RLCF Board and the RLC Agriculture Advisory Council. He also holds the distinction of being just one of seven to hold a degree from RLC and a seat on the Board of Trustees.

Randy Rubenacker

Randy was named the 2008 RLCF “Alumnus of the Year” for his tireless efforts on behalf of the college and its students.

While he was a student, he was presented the “Outstanding Agricultural Student of the Year” Award by the Rend Lake College AAA Department faculty and staff in 1978.

“While Randy brings a lot of the same qualities and assets to our organization his father did, he is his own person and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and business experience. We are looking forward to benefiting from that expertise he adds to our outstanding group of community leaders,” said former RLCF CEO Pat Kern when Randy was selected to fill his father’s spot on the Foundation Board.

Randy’s wife Debbie is also a graduate of RLC. She is the daughter of Vic and Betty Rapp who were ardent supporters of RLC in their own right.

Rodney, the middle brother, tragically passed away in 2010 at the age of 49.

He was a member of the Hamilton Co. Unit 10 Board of Education and a member of the Knights of Columbus. He and his wife Carmin are Rend Lake College Foundation Bronze Seal Award Winners for their contributions. He was immortalized with the Rodney R. Rubenacker Memorial Scholarship.

Terry followed in his eldest brother’s footsteps, earning his own “Outstanding Ag Student of the Year” honors in 1985. He is a partner in the family’s businesses with his brother Randy.

It didn’t stop there, both Randy and Rodney’s children followed in their fathers’ footsteps, attending and graduating from RLC before going on to find success in their own rights.

Farmers, businessmen, community stalwarts, students, award winners, board members and patrons; the Rubenacker family has gone above and beyond to make the community and RLC a better place for everyone involved.

“The Rubenackers have been good neighbors to the college in every sense of the word,” said Wilkerson. “They have given back so much, but the time they have invested in students has been the most important.”