Spoon River College marked a major milestone Wednesday with a ribbon- cutting ceremony celebrating the grand opening of its fully renovated Macomb campus at 2500 E. Jackson St.
During the ceremony, college and community leaders said the upgraded facility represents a significant expansion of educational and career training opportunities for students across McDonough County and West Central Illinois.
“For decades, Spoon River College has been a cornerstone of higher education in this region,” said SRC President Dr. Curt Oldfield. “Today’s opening is more than just new classrooms and labs—it’s a place of promise and a legacy that will shape lives for generations. We now have the space to grow existing programs and launch new ones, like HVAC and industrial maintenance, which are vital for workforce development.”
The new campus begins with an enrollment of about 300, with plenty of room to double that number to 600 in the coming years, Oldfield said.
“We’re really trying to do all we can to help students see that this building is welcoming to them,” Oldfield said. “I think the other piece is the investment in career and technical education. As our community grows and develops in the future, those hands-on jobs are going to be vital to the economy of the Macomb area.”
Nursing remains the college’s largest program, Oldfield said. Graham Health Services (GHS) contributed $250,000 to establish SRC’s new Nursing and Allied Health Learning Lab.
“This collaboration is exactly what our region needs,” Oldfield said. “Working with Graham Health System strengthens healthcare education and workforce readiness while addressing emerging community needs.”
During Wednesday’s ceremony, Oldfield thanked a long list of community and college leaders for their years-long efforts turning the former retail space into SRC’s new digs, saying there’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears.
“All those people that I mentioned managed to get it done, and so we could not have done it without them,” he said. “Their leadership, their expertise, and their steadfast dedication is what took us to the finish line. We would not be here celebrating without their commitment to the hard work and the dedication that existed as a group of employees.
“$17.2 million is a big investment, but that’s just the drop in the bucket compared to the lives that this building will change as future generations come through its doors,” Oldfield continued. “It’s about opening doors for opportunities. It’s about creating partnerships for our businesses, and it’s about providing hope for the families in our community who strive to have a brighter future for their next generation.”
SRC Board of Trustees Chairman Kevin Meade told Wednesday’s crowd that the college is dedicated to changing with the needs of the working world.
“The possibilities of what we’re going to do in this building are enormous,” he said. “When you come back five, 10 years from now, you won’t see the same things here, because we’re going to change. We’re going to evolve as business changes. The students who are in this building today—many of them will work in industries that do not exist today. We can’t imagine what those will be. But whatever it is, we’ll train for that because we do that here.”
Justice Keene, a 19-year-old Macomb High School graduate, Spoon River College student and member of the Macomb School District Board, said he’s experienced firsthand the community’s commitment to local higher education.
“I’ve seen faculty and staff here dedicating themselves to helping us grow, whether it’s academically, professionally, personally or professionally,” he said. “That commitment is what makes Spoon River College so meaningful. This campus is also about growth and our forward-looking vision... Today is a celebration, but it’s also a reminder that when we provide the right opportunities, the possibilities of our students and their community, they’re endless.”
Macomb Mayor Mike Inman also spoke, touting the the town-and-gown partnership that led to the formal retail space becoming college space.
“My thanks to the board of trustees for their insight, staying with this facility and bringing this investment into our community to double down on what we know – Macomb has heart for educating our young people.”
State officials not attending Wednesday’s ceremony also voiced strong support.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker praised the project as part of Illinois’ broader investment in community colleges.
“Our historic state investments are enhancing academic facilities and expanding workforce development opportunities,” he said. The renovation was funded through the bipartisan Rebuild Illinois Capital program with $6 million in state funds, $1 million in congressionally directed funds for rural healthcare, and $11.7 million in local funding via the Capital Development Board.
State Sen. Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island) highlighted the college’s 60-year legacy of serving Western Illinois and said the new facility will attract more students with its state-of-the-art environment.
State Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha), a member of the House Higher Education committees, emphasized the importance of community colleges in building the regional workforce.
The college has operated in Macomb since 1983, originally housed in the high school building on South Johnson Street. In 2006, the Board of Trustees purchased the East Jackson Street property to accommodate growth. Phase 1 of the expansion opened in 2009 with the SRC Office of Community Outreach. The latest renovation completed the remaining 66,000 square feet, adding classrooms, simulation labs, support services and offices.
The new facility was largely funded by a $6.2 million Rebuild Illinois grant. There is also $1 million in federal money that hasn’t been issued yet, but Oldfield said the money is earmarked and assured to be cleared once all work is completed. There are two areas of the facility not quite completed.
Spoon River College serves a 1,566-square-mile area, including Fulton, McDonough, Mason, Schuyler and Knox counties, with campuses in Macomb and Canton and learning centers in Havana and Rushville.
