IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame
2024 IVCC-LPO HALL OF FAME
Induction Ceremony
Saturday, October 12
7pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
Dr. Mary Margaret Weeg Cultural Centre
The ceremony is open to the public. A dessert reception will follow the ceremony in The Ralph Scriba Conference Center, CTC 124/125.
This event will be live-streamed on IVCC's YouTube page and a video will be available
after the event on this webpage.
LIVE STREAM LINK: https://www.youtube.com/live/CY4_TMIeSAw
Class of 2024 Inductees
Ray D’Alessio, IVCC ‘89
Award winning and prominent figure in broadcasting, starting placekicker for IVCC
and Eastern Illinois University, kicked the decisive field goal that secured IVCC's
playoff spot, leading to their ’87 Midwest Bowl Championship
Robert Eschbach, IVCC ‘72
Visionary mayor for the City of Ottawa for 20 years, instrumental in IVCC’s first
full-service satellite center in Ottawa, IVCC debate champion, founding board member
of the Starved Rock Country Community Foundation
Kim “Howard” Johnson, IVCC ‘75
Nationally recognized authority, author and teacher on improv theater, sketch comedy,
and all things Monty Python
Jason Kotecki, IVCC ‘96
Successful entrepreneur of Escape Adulthood, published author, cartoonist, artist,
national speaker
Dr. Holly Novak, IVCC ‘74
Esteemed cardiac surgeon, first woman President of staff at OSF St. Joseph having
developed the first cardiac catheterization lab and open-heart surgery program there,
IVCC’s 2022 Distinguished Alumnus
Dr. Kim Novak, IVCC ‘72
One of the youngest and among the first women in the U of I School of Veterinary Medicine
and first woman veterinarian in multiple county area, IVCC Foundation Board Director
John Ossola, LPO ‘60
LPO basketball player in the 1959 National Tournament, IVCC Eagles #1 super fan for
almost 20 years, Korean War veteran
Richard “Rick” Sipovic, IVCC ‘72
Public address announcer for IVCC football/basketball, WLPO sports broadcaster for
40 years, 2005 media inductee into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame
William Uebel, LPO ‘49
Revered LPO and IVCC sociology instructor, part of the initial full-time faculty when
IVCC was established, social science division chairman serving LPO/IVCC for over 40
years, U.S. Army veteran and reservist
Inductee Directory
Hall of Fame Inductees 2008-2016
Nominations for the next IVCC-LPO Hall of Fame will reopen in 2025.
For more information, contact Susan Monroe, Alumni & Donor Relations Coordinator at
susan_monroe@ivcc.edu or call (815) 224-0549.
Thank you for your support of Illinois Valley Community College, the IVCC-LPO Alumni
Association and the IVCC Foundation.