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Sauk Valley CC’s Impact program draws volunteers, seeks $2M endowment for Dixon students
Summary
Sauk Valley Community College representatives told the Dixon board the Impact program gives eligible students a three‑year tuition benefit in exchange for volunteer service; Dixon students have logged thousands of hours and the college seeks a $2 million endowment to fully fund Dixon participation.
Representatives from Sauk Valley Community College presented the college’s Impact program to the Dixon Unit District 170 board on Dec. 17, describing volunteer-hour requirements, enrollment and local fundraising needs.
Dr. Lori (Sauk Valley Community College) said the Impact program offers students who meet program requirements the opportunity to attend Sauk Valley Community College at no cost for up to three years, contingent on completing volunteer service and other enrollment steps. She said about 1,887 students are enrolled districtwide in the program and that Dixon High School students have completed 14,107 hours of volunteer service since June 1, 2022; in the current impact year (June 1–May 31) Dixon students have completed about 3,743 hours.
Dr. Lori told the board Dixon High has roughly 270 students participating (about 45 percent of the high‑school population). She said Impact connects students with more than 52 nonprofit partners in Dixon and the broader six‑county region and that volunteer labor has an estimated local value of about $1.5 million.
On funding, the presenter said the Impact program has raised over $8,000,000 to support program operations across partner districts. Dixon-specific fundraising total shown in board materials was about $106,000 in locally designated funds, though a college general fund of roughly $5,000,000 is available to place where needed. Dr. Lori said a full endowment to guarantee Impact for every Dixon student in perpetuity would be about $2,000,000; the college expects to pursue major gifts and estate donations to reach that goal.
Board members asked about program scaling and support services; Dr. Lori said the college expects all 18 partner districts to participate in the fall and that the college is expanding advising, tutoring and mental‑health resources to accommodate an estimated enrollment increase (she said a 20 percent enrollment bump was seen in two pilot districts after launch). Dr. Lori confirmed Impact funding includes private donations and municipal contributions; she said the program has not relied on federal or state grant funding.
Quote: “If a student does those things they can attend Sauk Valley Community College at no cost for the three‑year scholarship,” Dr. Lori said.
Ending: The board thanked the college for the update. College staff said they will return with an annual update next year and continue local fundraising work to grow Dixon’s endowment.
