Full Text of HR0815 103rd General Assembly
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| 1 | | HOUSE RESOLUTION | 2 | | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | 3 | | Representatives wish to congratulate Dr. Jonah Rice on his | 4 | | retirement after dedicating three decades of his life to the | 5 | | field of higher education and leaving an indelible mark on | 6 | | Southeastern Illinois College (SIC); and | 7 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice began his journey in 1990 as a junior | 8 | | faculty member, and his commitment to SIC has been steadfast; | 9 | | he played a pivotal role in establishing the college's theatre | 10 | | program and coached multiple national championship speech and | 11 | | debate teams; over the years, he progressed through various | 12 | | roles, serving as chair for the Humanities Division and | 13 | | eventually assuming the mantle of interim president in 2009; | 14 | | and | 15 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice is a true product of SIC and Southern | 16 | | Illinois; his educational journey began after graduating from | 17 | | Carrier Mills High School; he earned an Associate of Arts from | 18 | | SIC before furthering his studies at Bradley University, | 19 | | Central Michigan University, and Regent University, | 20 | | culminating in a Ph.D.; and | 21 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice's influence extended beyond the | 22 | | classroom as a distinguished coach for the nationally renowned |
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| 1 | | SIC Forensic Falcons speech program; he also played a crucial | 2 | | role in steering the college through successful | 3 | | reaccreditations with the Higher Learning Commission, further | 4 | | solidifying SIC's reputation for academic excellence; and | 5 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice's leadership and advocacy garnered | 6 | | widespread recognition throughout his tenure; he served as | 7 | | president of the Illinois Community College Presidents Council | 8 | | and received accolades such as the Advocacy Award from the | 9 | | Illinois Community College Trustees Association; and | 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice's steadfast guidance ensured SIC's | 11 | | resilience and continued growth despite facing numerous | 12 | | challenges, including the 2012 Leap Day Tornado, the historic | 13 | | budget impasse of 2016-2017, the dropping district population, | 14 | | losses in the local economy, and a pandemic; his strategic | 15 | | vision, coupled with his ability to forge meaningful | 16 | | partnerships, resulted in transformative initiatives, | 17 | | including the establishment of the Ella Elizabeth Hise Museum | 18 | | of Regional Art on the Harrisburg campus and a new Stanford D. | 19 | | Williams Career and Training Center in Carmi; and | 20 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice also spearheaded the establishment of | 21 | | several innovative programs that have enriched the academic | 22 | | landscape of SIC, including biofuels, outdoor recreation, | 23 | | outfitter wildlife management, and powersports technology; |
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| 1 | | additionally, he played a pivotal role in the development of | 2 | | new campus teams, including bowling, archery, and esports, | 3 | | catering to diverse student interests; and | 4 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice's impact at SIC is defined by his | 5 | | resolute dedication to the institution's mission and his | 6 | | profound impact on countless students, faculty, and staff; as | 7 | | he embarks on a new chapter, he leaves behind a legacy of | 8 | | servant leadership, resilience, and unwavering commitment to | 9 | | educational excellence; and | 10 | | WHEREAS, Dr. Rice cherishes time with his wife, Megin, and | 11 | | their three adult children; he looks forward to pursuing | 12 | | personal interests, including writing, woodworking, cabin | 13 | | rental, consulting, and possibly even venturing into politics, | 14 | | all while cherishing the memories and lessons learned during | 15 | | his tenure at Southeastern Illinois College; therefore, be it | 16 | | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE | 17 | | HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that | 18 | | we congratulate Dr. Jonah Rice on his retirement after | 19 | | dedicating three decades of his life to the field of higher | 20 | | education and leaving an indelible mark on Southeastern | 21 | | Illinois College; and be it further | 22 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
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| 1 | | presented to Dr. Rice as a symbol of our respect and esteem. |
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