IVCC Ottawa campus shifts focus to healthcare training

Illinois Valley Community College is reshaping its Ottawa campus to focus on healthcare degree programs and short-term career training for working adults, leveraging community partnerships to develop new programs for paramedics and EKG technicians.

Illinois Valley Community College is reshaping its Ottawa campus to focus on healthcare degree programs and short-term career training for working adults, leveraging community partnerships to develop new programs for paramedics and EKG technicians. The shift aims to boost the profile of the Ottawa Center, which has served the eastern half of the IVCC district since 2010. The campus now emphasizes flexible scheduling and fast-track pathways into high-demand healthcare careers for adult and non-traditional learners.

The Ottawa Center, located in the central business district, offers certified nursing assistant (CNA) and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) students the chance to complete 12 to 15.5 credit hours in a semester while maintaining full-time status for financial aid eligibility. “Community partnerships have already resulted in the development of new training programs for paramedics and EKG technicians and there will be more in the future,” said Jennifer Scheri, Dean of Continuing Education, Business Training and the Ottawa Center. The campus serves students from Seneca , Marseilles , and Streator .

Since opening in 2010, it has offered flexible day and evening classes, high school diploma preparation, and English language learner courses alongside college transfer and career training programs. This fall, the Ottawa Center will offer classes in business computer systems, psychology, sociology, English composition, food service sanitation, CNA, and EMT. Cristina Callahan, who joined the Ottawa Center as coordinator in March, said the campus appeals to a wide range of students — from those in home-school or parochial environments to cautious first-time or returning adult learners.

“It feels like a community,” Callahan said. “In addition to having classes in session, you might see students completing a jigsaw puzzle in the lobby, working one-on-one at a computer station, or a community meeting being held in the campus conference room. The location is great; you are within walking distance of everything downtown.”

Adult Education Director Sara Escatel said learners find the Ottawa Center welcoming while staying connected to the college environment. She expects high school diploma and English language learner programs to grow as students progress into credit courses and career training. Callahan plans to work with residents and local businesses to develop course schedules and improve public transportation options for students.

“I want to learn what the community would like to see at the Ottawa Center. We need to develop programs and opportunities for people here so they can stay close to home,” Callahan said.