History mural dedicated
Illinois Valley Community College President Dr. Tracy Morris told an audience gathered on Tuesday she hopes a new mural at the C Building entrance inspires students for years to come.
During a ceremony dedicating the new art commissioned for the College’s centennial, Morris said, “I hope every student who walks by this mural can see our history, see themselves in the present and look ahead to their future. Today we celebrate this artwork and the impact it will have on students for future generations.”
The mural’s creator, artist Ray Paseka of Westclox Studios, explained how he conceived the mural using two pairs of students and two iconic building images – the LaSalle-Peru High School clock tower at one end and the current ultra-modern entrance at the other -- to bridge the century. The high school originally housed LPO Junior College, which became IVCC.
A 1920s couple using a manual typewriter and a modern couple huddled over a laptop share a backdrop of neuron pearls that represent the College’s programs and people of influence through its history.
Dr. Morris pointed over her shoulder to the student pairs, adding, “We see students who are collaborating towards their future together!”
Another part of the College’s history spectrum were Paseka’s assistants, artists Emily Maze and Morgan Phillips, who both attended IVCC.
Morris recapped the College history for her audience. LaSalle-Peru-Oglesby Junior College was established on April 24, 1924. Thirty-two freshmen attended the first day of classes on Sept. 15.
The year 1966 brought a new name -- Illinois Valley Community College – and a relocation to Oglesby. District voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to finance a new college. The first College classes convened in 1968 in temporary buildings while a new $20 million permanent campus rose on the river bluff. The building was dedicated in 1972. The Peter Miller Community Technology Center expansion was completed in 2013.
The ceremony was attended by community members and representatives from the Board of Trustees, Foundation, and College employees.