College of Lake County spotlights programs at open house; ‘We want everyone to be able to succeed'

Chicago Tribune

15-04-2025

One role of community colleges is preparing students to move on to a four-year university to earn a bachelor's degree. The College of Lake County (CLC) offers programs for that, and it also helps people like Giovanni Roncone become a firefighters after a two-year course.
Already securing a job as a firefighter paramedic with a department in Lake County as he completes his two-year CLC program, Roncone, a Gurnee resident, spent time Saturday introducing others to the curriculum.
'This is a job where you really get to help people,' he said.
Roncone and Paul Maplethorpe, a retired Round Lake fire chief, were among the CLC officials and students explaining more than 170 programs to more than 1,700 people at the college's open house Saturday at its locations in Waukegan, Grayslake, Gurnee and Vernon Hills.
Jesus Ruiz, the dean of the Lakeshore campus in Waukegan, said a professor or department head was present for every program to tell visitors what CLC has to offer in its programs at its different locations, from the dental clinic in Waukegan to the firefighting program in Grayslake.
Griselda Guzman is currently a student. She was staffing a table explaining the tuition-free programs, including one where students learn the English language and another where they do the work necessary to earn a GED — the equivalent of a high school diploma. She hopes to be a teacher.
Ruiz himself was conducting tours of the Waukegan campus, explaining the different offerings. He said the GED and English language programs are important to put people in a position to benefit from everything else CLC has to offer.
Though tuition is required for everything but the GED and English courses, Ruiz said no potential student will be turned away for any lack of financial resources. There are scholarships and people in the community who help make that possible.
'We have extensive scholarships and financial aid,' Ruiz said. 'Students are not turned down for financial reasons at CLC. We want everyone to be able to succeed.'
Maplethorpe said he began teaching at the college in 1989. The firefighting program is a two-year course that prepares students to take the state-required exam to become firefighters and paramedics. Normally, you must have a job secured to take the test. He solved that problem.
'All the students are volunteer firefighters with the Grayslake Fire Department,' Maplethorpe said. 'That qualifies them to take the exam. Depending on the department, they will earn between $65,000 and $95,000 a year to start.'
People living or working near downtown Waukegan can receive a variety of dental treatments at the CLC clinic, which prepares students for a certificate to become a dental hygienist. Danielle Thompson, who heads the program, said a visit costs $15.
Treatment can include getting teeth cleaned, x-rays to determine potential needs, fluoride treatment, periodontal treatment and some general education about how to take care of your teeth. All work is overseen by a dentist or a trained dental hygienist.
'It's going to take longer than it would at a dentist's office, because the students are learning,' Thompson said. 'We can refer people to the Lake County Health Department or dentists with a sliding (fee) scale for further needed treatment.'
Greeting people as they walked into the lab where students learn to become medical assistants at the Waukegan campus was Lisa Fasano, the department chair. She said a one-year certificate to become a medical assistant is offered.
'They're not nurses,' Thompson said. 'They're filling the gap as nurses become nurse practitioners. They greet patients. They take your blood pressure, weigh you, measure you and prepare you for the doctor.'
People walking into the robotics lab on the Grayslake campus were greeted by Vasil Ahchiyski. He helps prepare people for careers in mechatronics, robotics and automation. Both a two-year associate degree program and a variety of certifications are offered there.
'We teach mechanical systems, electronic systems and computer technology,' Ahchiyski said. 'They learn how to use critical thinking. They learn troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.'