JWCC Board Elects Officers, Accepts $350,000 Grant to Train Manufacturing Workers

During John Wood Community College’s (JWCC) annual reorganizational meeting for the Board of Trustee’s held April 15 in Quincy, Lauren McDowell of Quincy took the oath of office as JWCC student trustee for the 2026-2027 academic year. She succeeds Jacob Davis of Barry, who served during the 2025-2026 academic year. McDowell is pictured with Bob Rhea, who served as board chair this year and will continue as board secretary. Andy Sprague of Kinderhook was elected chair, and Paula Hawley-Sargent of Pittsfield will serve as vice chair.

The John Wood Community College Board of Trustees, meeting Wednesday, April 15, in Quincy, held its reorganizational meeting and accepted a $350,000 Advanced Manufacturing Grant from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).

The ICCB grant will help JWCC purchase equipment and better align incumbent worker training with academic pathways in industrial maintenance, automation and robotics, and advanced operator training.

“This grant aligns with our vision to be the community’s partner and leader in workforce training,” JWCC President Dr. Aron Potter said. “We want to help our industries upskill existing employees and show them how their knowledge and skills can translate into academic certificates and degrees. When employees grow, so do our region’s manufacturers and economy.”

The reorganizational meeting of the JWCC Board included the seating of the new student trustee, election of officers, and appointment of trustees to board committees.

Lauren McDowell of Quincy was selected by JWCC’s student body and took the oath of office as student trustee for the 2026-2027 academic year. Trustees recognized Jacob Davis of Barry for serving as student trustee during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Trustees voted to elect Andy Sprague as chair, Paula Hawley-Sargent as vice chair, and Bob Rhea as secretary. As elected officers, Sprague, Hawley-Sargent, and Rhea will serve as the board’s executive committee. As chair, Sprague appointed trustees to the following board committees: Finance and Audit Committee — Larry Fischer and Kent Snider; and Curriculum Committee — Don Hess and Angie Greger.

In other business, the board:

• Authorized submission of a $1.675 million to $2 million grant application to the U.S. Department of Labor for TRIO Academic Talent Search.
• Authorized submission of a $237,895 Adult Education and Literacy grant application to the ICCB.
• Approved a posthumous, non-credential Certificate of Recognition from the College for Life program for Ericka Miller.
• Approved the granting of professor emeritus status to Mary Haas, former JWCC nursing instructor.

The next meeting will be Wednesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. at JWCC’s Quincy campus.