2010-2019 | Elgin Community College (ECC)

Exterior of former Renner Drive building. Six ECC trucks are parked in the back lot.

2010 - Connecting McLean Boulevard and Randall Road

ECC stops offering classes and services at Fountain Square Campus on the River. Spartan Drive reopened after extensive resurfacing and landscaping improvements, connecting McLean Boulevard and Randall Road. The college breaks ground to remodel and renovate former industrial facilities at 410/466 Renner Drive as general classroom space (Building K).

2011 - Building K

ECC's Building K, a new multipurpose classroom building, features 26 classrooms and five computer labs after renovating two former light-industrial properties that combined 71,000 square feet. It is home to the Adult Basic Education Center, which offers English as a Second Language classes, GED Prep Courses, and Citizenship Classes. The term with the greatest number of adult ed/ESL students enrolled was Spring 2010, with 2,360 students.

2011 - Building B, Jobe Lounge

Jobe Lounge reopens following a significant renovation to create a more student-centered space. This expansion included the removal of the cantilevered staircase.

David Sam and board members pose for a photo in the lobby of Building A for its grand opening.

2012 - Named a Leader College

The college debuts new single-letter designations for all buildings as part of a wayfinding and signage program on the Spartan Drive campus. Achieving the Dream™, Inc. names ECC a Leader College.

Student and staff member next to a wheel used in a financial literacy activity to randomize surprise expenses or incomes.

2013 - Financial Literacy Recognition

ECC received the 2013 Innovation Award from the National Association of College and University Business Officers for its financial literacy program. Additionally, ECC was honored with the Bellwether Award in the Instructional Programs and Services category by the Community College Futures Assembly for its Alliance for College and Career Student Success for College Readiness initiative.

Sparks fly as a construction worker welds the HVAC system for the Burlington location.

2014

ECC was honored with the Central Regional Equity Award by the Association of Community College Trustees, acknowledging contributions from trustees, equity programs, executives, faculty, and staff. ECC also celebrated the groundbreaking of the Public Safety Training Center in Burlington, Illinois. Moreover, the Aspen Institute recognized ECC as one of the nation's Top 150 for Community College Excellence for exceptional student outcomes.

Staff member points to information on a page for a prospective student at Hanover Park opening event.

2014

ECC celebrates the Education and Work Center's grand opening in Hanover Park, a collaborative effort involving Elgin Community College, Harper College, the village of Hanover Park, and Illinois State Representative Fred Crespo (D-Hoffman Estates).

Staff member poses next to a wall mural of the nursing department seal.

2015

ECC's accreditation is renewed by the Higher Learning Commission for a full decade, with a perfect score in all five categories. ECC earned the "Ready to Respond" campus designation from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, and Reflejos honored the Accelerating Opportunity Program with the Reflecting Excellence Award. The United Way of Elgin recognizes ECC's successful United Way Giving Campaign with the Jack Shales Spirit of Community Award. ECC is renewed as a Leader College by Achieving the Dream, Inc., and the college receives acclaim for its financial literacy programs from the President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans and the US Financial Literacy and Education Commission.

Graduate with multiple stoles and cords raises hands in victory on the graduation stage.

2015

From summer 2014 through spring 2015, ECC awards students a record-breaking 2,578 degrees and certificates.

ECC alumnus Cecilia Ureda in cartoon-patterned scrubs at St. Joseph hospital

2015

The ECC Nursing Program marks its 50th anniversary, highlighting a half-century of student success. Over this period, ECC has proudly granted more than 3,362 nursing students their Associate of Applied Science credentials.

David Sam and board members pose in front of banner that reads "Center for Emergency Services Grand Opening"

2016

The Illinois Community College Trustees Association honors ECC President David Sam with the 2016 Gary W. Davis Ethical Leadership Award. The Elgin Community College Center for Emergency Services celebrates its grand opening. The Burlington facility represents the last major construction effort funded by the April 2009 bond referendum. ECC receives Bellwether finalist recognition for its "Integrated Career and Academic Preparation System (ICAPS) Program—A Story of Success, Sustainability, and Scale" in the Planning, Governance & Finance category. ACT selects ECC as a National Exemplar in Career Preparedness. The honor was announced at ACT's national gala in Washington, DC.

2017

For the second time, the Aspen Institute named ECC to the nation's Top 150 for Community College Excellence list of community college excellence based on the Aspen Institute's selection process, which involves a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation of various factors, such as student performance, degree completion rates, faculty engagement, and overall institutional impact.

Exterior view of Spartan Drive campus from across Spartan Lake

2018

ECC hosts its first Regional Workforce Development forum and establishes a Department of Workforce Development at the college. Hanover Park Education and Work Center received a $225,000 operations grant to help equip residents with the basic skills necessary to further their educational goals and access better jobs. The Center is a partnership between Elgin Community College, Harper College, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, and the village of Hanover Park.

Current President Dr. Sam giving out ECC neck tie

2019

For the third time, the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program lists ECC among the top 150 colleges in the United States. ECC is eligible to compete for this biennial prize that recognizes institutions with outstanding achievements in learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings, and high levels of access and success for minority and low-income students.