The president of Carl Sandberg College said it is a "privilege" to have a chance to continue in that role.
The Board of Trustees extended Lori Sundberg’s contract during their January meeting. The pact now expires June 30, 2019.
Sundberg said the board’s decision encouraged her because of the quality of people on the board.
“People who come to our board come to it for…they don’t have an agenda per say, beyond just the agenda of providing quality education in our community. They believe in higher ed, they believe in what we’re doing, and they want to see the college remain strong, they want to see the college remain relevant in the community,” Sundberg said.
Sundberg is a Galesburg native. She began her professional life as a hairdresser, then later earned degrees at CSC and Knox College.
Sundberg became CSC's president in 2010 and said she always hoped to serve in that role for a long period of time. She said she's proud of the new programs the college has implemented and the relationships it's formed in the community.
Sundberg said there is more work ahead. She would like to increase diversity amongst students and staff. Another goal is to add a gym and conference center on the Galesburg campus. And Sundberg would like to expand on what's known as the "Galesburg Promise."
“I would like to extend that throughout our district. I would love to have a 'Warren County Promise.' I would love to have every county that we have, I’d love to have a Promise program," she said.
"Because I think that’s what’s going to help us with economic development. I think it’s going to help us strength our region in terms of skills for our workforce. And it just provides opportunities for families and reasons for families to stay living here and not move away."
The "Galesburg Promise" program provides up to 100% tuition to graduates of Galesburg High School who attend CSC, depending on how long they were in the Galesburg School District.
Sundberg said she would also like to recruit out-of-state and international students, citing a population decline within the CSC district.
