Sauk Valley Community College’s Impact Program has announced the receipt of a three-year gift of $5,000 from the Morrison Area Community Foundation toward the Mustang Impact Challenge.

A total of 251 full-time and part-time Sauk Valley Community College students have been named to the president’s list for high academic achievement during the fall semester. Another 155 students made the dean's list.

Here's a look at schools that have announced their closure or switch to remote learning due to Friday's predicted cold.

Sauk Valley Community College’s Amboy Clippers Impact Challenge has received a challenge of its own. An anonymous donor recently pledged a $10,000 matching grant to match all donations to the Clippers Impact Challenge, up to $10,000, through April 1. 

Sauk Valley Community College’s Impact Program has announced a 3-year, $15,000 pledge from The First National Bank in Amboy.

The achievement is a collaborative effort between Sauk Valley Community College's Impact students and the over 280 nonprofit organizations that partner with the program to make Impact’s mission possible, according to a news release.

A former student at Dixon Public Schools District 170 is returning in July as superintendent.

The Sterling Public Library will host a job search workshop Tuesday, Jan. 13.

Hellmich: Most people in the Sauk Valley value the spirit of collegiality and use it to find common ground with people of varying political, social, and religious views to improve our communities.

Brandon Clark sits down with Lori Cortez, Vice President of Advancement at Sauk Valley Community College, to talk about how the SVCC Foundation is changing lives.

Four years after Sauk Valley Community College launched its earned-tuition program, the community is noticing its impact on volunteerism.

Students taking part in Sauk Valley Community College's Impact Program volunteered to prepare and box food Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2025, for the Path to the Future program.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, Sauk Valley Community College (SVCC) honored Russ Damhoff, former athletic director and head men’s basketball coach, for his 30-plus years of service to Skyhawk athletics.

Colleges up for the award include: Illinois Valley Community College, Kishwaukee College, McHenry County College, Sauk Valley Community College and more

Sauk Valley Community College student Nara Hardesty has won first place for the Gwendolyn Brooks Poetry Award for the 21st annual Illinois Emerging Writers Competition.

Sauk Valley Community College hosted a Rotary Plaza Commemoration on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, bringing together over 75 Rotarians from the seven clubs in Rotary District 6420.

Sauk Valley Community College provides services to veteran students and their families to help them utilize their federal and state benefits and connect to area resources.

Sauk Valley Community College has been named one of 200 institutions eligible to compete for a $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a premier recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges.

Entering the postseason with a chip on their shoulder, the Sauk Valley Skyhawks beat Triton College in three sets on Wednesday night at home.

Sauk Valley volleyball faces Triton College in the Region IV tournament Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. SVCC won in three sets.

Sauk Valley Community College's newly emerged Theatre Club began due to growing student interest. Many students involved with the club come from high school theater backgrounds and were looking for an outlet to reignite that passion in the college setting. 

The donation from the Kiwanis Club of Dixon encourages students to participate in the Impact Program, gain valuable work experience, and graduate without the financial burden of tuition. 

Sauk Valley rolled to a 25-15, 25-16, 25-16 win over Kishwaukee on Sophomore Night, remaining undefeated on its home court for the second straight season and finishing off a second consecutive 10-0 record in Arrowhead Conference play.

Sauk Valley Community College’s Student Activities & Student Government Association invites the public to a free performance by hypnotist/mentalist Brian Imbus on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.

Sauk Valley Community College’s Student Government Association invites the public to give the gift of life during their fall blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 27, 2025.

Hands-on activities and career chats gave local middle schoolers a glimpse into their futures Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, during the annual Pathways Playground career exploration event at Sauk Valley Community College, Dixon.

An estimated 1,300 eighth graders from the region toured 62 business booths Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, at Sauk Valley Community College. Sponsored by the Regional Office of Education, the Pathways Playground program opened up career options for the students.

Les Allen's show is on display at Sauk Valley Community College, in the second-floor, east-end art gallery, until Nov. 20. Viewing is free to the public.

Local artist Les Allen has a show on display at Sauk Valley Community College's art gallery.

The TALK-LINE interview for Oct. 2 featured Sauk Valley Community College Marketing Director Jim Grot, current SVCC President Dr. David Hellmich, and incoming Sauk President Dr. Jon Mandrell.

After graduation, Kayla Hackbarth plans to attend Sauk Valley Community College to major in Early Childhood Education and continue her track and field career. She hopes to transfer to a university such as Illinois State to finish her degree.

For the past two years, the Sterling, Dixon City, Dixon Rural, and Rock Falls fire departments have worked to align their command structures, allowing leaders to take over seamlessly during major calls.

Sauk Valley Community College hosts local artist Les Allen for a new exhibit titled “The Shape of Light”. The exhibit runs to Thursday, Nov. 20, and takes place in the Sauk Art Gallery. The gallery is open during campus hours and is free to the public.

The Blackhawk Firefighter Association will host a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, at Sauk Valley Community College.

The Board of Trustees unanimously selected Jon Mandrell, vice president of academics and student services, as the college’s seventh president. He will officially begin his presidential duties June 1, 2026.

Sauk Valley Community College will dedicate its basketball court to longtime athletic director and men’s basketball coach Russ Damhoff during a special ceremony.

The city of Morrison has donated $5,000 to SVCC's Impact Program as part of the ongoing Mustang Endowment Challenge, an initiative to fully fund the Impact Program for Morrison Schools through community contributions.

The program gives students hands-on experience in welding, machining, and computer-aided design.

Babson Farms and the H.B.B. Foundation will support the 54 registered and future AFC students who will earn their tuition and fees at Sauk Valley Community College through the Impact Program.

The TALK-LINE interview for Sept. 4 featured Sauk Valley Community College Marketing Director Jim Grot discussing the recent deadline for the new “Impact” program students to register for free tuition at SVCC in exchange for community service hours.

While their classmates head to math or English, students at the Whiteside Area Career Center are taking part in mock trials and learning how to deescalate suspects – all as part of real-world law enforcement training.

Sauk Valley Community College is seeking volunteer tutors for a free program in Dixon helping non-native English speakers improve their language skills and prepare for the U.S. naturalization process.

The TALK-LINE interview for Aug. 27 featured Shaw Local News representatives Charlene Bielema and Brandon Clark discussing the newspaper acquisitions by Shaw Media in Rochelle and Ogle County, plus stories on Sauk Valley Community College’s Project Vital program.

The event will be at Dillon Mall at Sauk Valley Community College, 173 Illinois 2 in Dixon. 

The award honors individuals committed to the success of public education and the mission of the Illinois Education Association.

The Sauk Valley Community College greenhouse and JL Acres LLC organic crops are among sites that will be toured.

The TALK-LINE interview for Aug. 13 featured Shaw Local News representatives Charlene Bielema and Brandon Clark discussing featured local news coverage in the Sauk Valley area.

Vice President of Academics and Student Services Jon Mandrell said the number of students has been climbing for the past three years – from 1,507 two years ago, to 1,586 last year, and now 1,686 this fall.

As community colleges take on an evolving role in recent years, Shaw Local News Network is providing details on the compensation of presidents who lead 10 of these publicly funded schools in northern Illinois.

The TALK-LINE interview for August 7 featured Sauk Valley Community College Marketing Director Jim Grot and Adult Education Literacy Coordinator Ana Lara.