50th Anniversary

Moraine Valley Community College celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. To learn more about and to re-live some of what those five decades have been like, the college has been collecting oral histories. Each week this semester we will highlight one of the videos.

Douglas Gehrke spent 44 years on the faculty at Moraine Valley and sent all three of his kids here. He tells stories of teaching in the old open-concept temporary buildings with hard to control temperatures and flooding during rainstorms. He reminisces us about the early campus sports teams, how the union began, and about some of the contributions that past presidents made to the college.

To enjoy more of these oral histories, along with historic photos and documents, visit the MVCC College Archives.

Douglas Gehrke, Retired Economics Faculty Member

Moraine Valley Community College celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. To learn more about and to re-live some of what those five decades have been like, the college has been collecting oral histories. Each week this semester we will highlight one of the videos.

Moraine Valley helped Dave Termunde develop a love for computers and technology at a very young age. He began taking computer classes at MVCC at the age of 8 and by the age of 13 enrolled in credit classes here. He went on to hold various technology positions and became an instructor at the college. He’s always felt that Moraine Valley is a special place for helping students find what they enjoy.

“That’s one thing Moraine Valley exposed me to–is what I personally really enjoy waking up and doing everyday.”

To enjoy more of these oral histories, along with historic photos and documents, visit the MVCC College Archives.

Dave Termunde, User Support Services Coordinator, Information Technology

Moraine Valley Community College celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. To learn more about and to re-live some of what those five decades have been like, the college has been collecting oral histories. Each week this semester we will highlight one of the videos.

Norma Vazquez-Zwick has worked a in few different areas in her almost 13 years at Moraine. One of the most rewarding was working with GED and ESL students. She got to meet people from so many different countries and coming from so many different stages in life who were all doing the same brave thing of trying to make a new life for themselves. 

To enjoy more of these oral histories, along with historic photos and documents, visit the MVCC College Archives.

Norma Vazquez-Zwick, Enrollment Services Secretary

Moraine Valley Community College celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. To learn more about and to re-live some of what those five decades have been like, the college has been collecting oral histories. Each week this semester we will highlight one of the videos.

In honor of Earth Day this coming Saturday, it seems like a good time to focus on MVCC’s sustainability efforts. Stephenie Presseller talks about how proud she is of the college for the progress that she’s seen in her seven years here and that the President’s Climate Commitment pledges that Moraine Valley will be climate neutral by 2042.

To enjoy more of these oral histories, along with historic photos and documents, visit the MVCC College Archives.

Stephenie Presseller, Sustainability Manager

Moraine Valley Community College celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. To learn more about and to re-live some of what those five decades have been like, the college has been collecting oral histories. Each week this semester we will highlight one of the videos.

Bill Helmond started coming 50 here years ago when he was a child to play on the tennis courts. He later enrolled as a student. He remembers wearing his parka during classes in the poorly heated temporary buildings. He later became a member of the staff and is now faculty. Moraine Valley has always been a part of his life.

“I just want to say, for over 50 years, how grateful I am for Moraine Valley, to help me learn, grow and gain an entire career here. It’s been fabulous and the people are awesome.”

To enjoy more of these oral histories, along with historic photos and documents, visit the MVCC College Archives.

Bill Helmold, Director of Client Services, Information Technology

Moraine Valley Community College celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year. To learn more about and to re-live some of what those five decades have been like, the college has been collecting oral histories. Each week this semester we will highlight one of the videos.

Lenette Staudinger was one of the original 30 faculty members at Moraine and taught Biology here for 32 years. She recalls the open concept buildings, both at 115th Street and in the temporary buildings on this campus. The open floor plan did create some issues, including fruit flies from the Biology lab wandering the whole building. She shares other interesting stories of scrounging flowers from a cemetery and more about those lab animals. What happens when you have a snake and then add gerbils to the population? Let’s just say that the cleaning crew no longer wanted to clean the animal lab.

Lenette is very proud of her time at MVCC and of the quality education and faculty dedication that Moraine students receive. “Whenever I get the chance, I tell people that I was a faculty member here.”

To enjoy more of these oral histories, along with historic photos and documents, visit the MVCC College Archives.

Lenette Staudinger, Retired Biology Faculty Member