ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLLEGE MOURNS DEATH OF TRUSTEE JAMES POLK
Illinois Central College mourns the
death of Board of Trustees member James K. Polk, 77, who passed away on Tues.,
Nov. 8.
Polk was appointed to the Board in
1997 and was elected in his own right to the position in 1999. He continued in
this role until his death.
“The ICC family is deeply saddened
at the passing of our Mr. Polk, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his
family and friends,” said ICC President Dr. Sheila Quirk-Bailey. “His passing
is not only a loss for the College but for the community as a whole. He lived
his life as an offering of service through the very active role he played in
the betterment of educational, community, and diversity initiatives throughout
central Illinois.”
During his service to the
constituents of ICC Dist. #514, Polk was instrumental in the development of the
College’s Diversity Department and many related initiatives. He supported the
development and focus on quality improvement programming, which led to ICC
receiving the Silver Lincoln Award, the first college or university to reach
this designation. He also supported the development of the north Campus in
Peoria and the college readiness programs. ICC’s new Diverse Faculty Fellows
Program, which bears his name, recognizes Polk’s dedication to diversity
initiatives and is aimed at providing diversity in the faculty representation.
“Mr. Polk leaves a rich legacy
through the numerous contributions he made to both the College and community,”
said ICC Board of Trustees Chair Don Brennan. “His insight and support, as well
as the role model he provided our students, will be deeply missed.”
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