It’s really easy to get involved on the Highland campus, so go have some fun. If you have an organization or club idea not listed here, please contact Liz Gerber.
Acting Company
The Acting Company performs dramas, comedies, and musicals. All plays are open to student and community participation. Rehearsals are Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday evenings.
Laura Early: 815.599.3492, laura.early@highland.edu
Adult Student Network
Highland offers a club specifically for our non-traditional students. The Adult Student Network provides learning opportunities and promotes networking opportunities to its members. The format is a mixture of formal presentations and informal communication.
Carolyn Petsche: 815.599.3577, carolyn.petsche@highland.edu
Vicki Schulz: 815.599.3664, vicki.schulz@highland.edu
Agriculture Club
The AG Club’s primary objectives are to encourage leadership and fellowship among students with an interest in agriculture. The Highland AG Club participates in state and national post-secondary agriculture competitions, promote the agriculture industry within the Highland community, attend several agriculture related conferences and exhibition, as well as provide community outreach to local agriculturally-oriented youth groups such as FFA.
Justin Ebert: 815.599.3507, justin.ebert@highland.edu
Art Club: SOVA (Student Organization Visual Arts)
The overall purpose /mission of SOVA (Student Organization Visual Arts) is to encourage, promote and celebrate the visual arts by providing accessible opportunities for dialogue, expression, and education. SOVA membership is open to all students wishing to participate in club activities, and actively welcomes diverse discussion and action concerning the role of visual arts on campus and in communities. A central goal of the club is for members to serve as ambassadors of the visual arts program to enhance the awareness and integration of visual communication. SOVA meets biweekly for meeting, activities, and sponsored events throughout each academic semester.
Bob Apolloni: 815.599.3479, bob.apolloni@highland.edu
Black Student Alliance
The Black Student Alliance is open to all Highland students. The mission of the BSA is: To promote cultural education, provide academic and social services and activities that relate to meeting the intellectual, spiritual, in an ever-changing global society. To establish unity and communication with the African- American community as well as the surrounding areas.
Anthony Sago: 815.599.3588, anthony.sago@highland.edu
Cheer Team
Help create a fun environment at basketball games and cheer on our players. The cheer team also does several fundraising events throughout the year. Tryouts are held in mid September. Practice is held twice a week.
Stacey Moore: 815.599.3582, Stacey.Moore@Highland.edu
Chess Club
The objective of the club is to promote and facilitate the game of chess by establishing a stable and continuing venue. For beginners and experienced players.
Brian Moore: 815.599.3428, brian.moore@highland.edu
Criminal Justice Club
The primary purpose is to promote criminal justice topics and careers in an exciting, non-traditional aspect; and to expand the knowledge of criminal justice topics in everyday life.
Jennifer Roser: 815.599.3558, jennifer.roser@highland.edu
Current Issues Club
One of the best aspects of the college experience is engaging in intellectual and thought-provoking conversations. Escalating gas prices, immigration reform, war on terrorism, and all the current issues du’jour, can be fodder for spirited dialogue.
Dairy and Livestock Judging Teams
Highland’s Dairy and Livestock teams compete in national and international dairy and livestock judging contests, including the annual International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. The Judging Team members have the opportunity to enhance their academic experiences as well as strengthen their communication, decision-making, critical-thinking, and presentation skills.
Justin Ebert: 815.599.3507, justin.ebert@highland.edu
Dance Team
Do you have HCC Pride? Love to Dance? Be a part of Highland’s Dance Team. Tryouts are in the early fall semester and practice is twice a week. They perform a mix of jazz, lyrical, and pom routines during half time at select home games.
Anna Walker: anna.walker@highland.edu
E.A.R.T.H. (Environmental Awareness Represented Through Highland)
The E.A.R.T.H club strives to raise awareness about environmental issues both locally and globally and encourage the Highland community to make positive environmental decisions on campus.
Juliet Moderow, 815.599.3578, juliet.moderow@highland.edu
Equine Club
HCC Equine Club is designed to promote growth, learning and interaction with our equine friends and other people. It is a group of HCC students that love being around horses.
Brandi Widmer: brandi.widmer@highland.edu
Forensics
Employers often rate communication skills as one of their most desired characteristics in new employees. College students who have mastered their communication and public speaking skills often have an advantage over their peers especially in today’s competitive job market. Highland’s Forensics provides an opportunity for students to enhance their research and communication skills while having fun. Highland’s Forensics team competes in public speaking competitions at the local, regional, state, and national level.
Harry Bodell: 815.599.3444, harry.bodell@highland.edu
Highland Chronicle
Highland Community College’s award-winning student newspaper provides students with professional journalism experience and provides an independent voice for HCC students. Students join the Chronicle staff by enrolling in MCOM 131. The class is free to all HCC students and students receive two credit hours in Mass Communication.
Jim Yeager: 815.599.3432, jim.yeager@highland.edu
History Club
The Highland History Club is open to all students who have an active interest in American history and would like to participate in social and educational activities with students of the same interests. The History Club will also provide living history demonstrations and reenactments of the Civil War era.
Jim Phillips: 815.599.3469, jim.Phillips@highland.edu
International Club
The International Club helps students explore the College’s rich student diversity. Both international and domestic students are invited to participate. This club can help students who are new to the States feel more comfortable with northwest Illinois and American culture, and it can be fun for the students who have aspirations to travel to new and exotic places but just haven’t found the time or funds to make the trip. No passport required. The International Club meets on a monthly basis.
IntrerVarsity Club
The InterVarsity chapter ministers to students and faculty through small group Bible studies, large group gatherings, leadership training, and thoughtful discipleship. Our vision is to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed. We welcome students into caring, diverse communities where they can build friendships and explore Christian faith in the marketplace of ideas.
Jeremy Bradt: 815.599.3500, jeremy.bradt@highland.edu
Medical Assistant Club
Medical Assistant students gather together and study as well as interact on topics involving the medical assistant field.
Alicia Kepner: 815.599.3679, alicia.kepner@highland.edu
Nursing Student Organization
Highland Community College students who share an interest in healthcare and are passionate about serving our community. NSO welcomes all students. The NSO is committed to assisting others in time of need. NSO encourages second year nursing students in mentoring first year nursing students.
Jennifer Kileen: jennifer.kileen@highland.edu
Shelly Morgan: 815.599.3727, shelly.morgan@highland.edu
Phi Theta Kappa
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the international honor society for community college students. Highland students who have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours and are maintaining a GPA of 3.50 are eligible for induction into the local Nu Mu Chapter. In addition to academic achievement and scholarship, PTK members conduct voter registration on campus, sponsor poetry reading and essay contests, conduct blood drives, food drives and children’s book drive and sponsor a family at Christmas.
Carolyn Petsche: 815.599.3646, carolyn.petsche@highland.edu
Vicki Schulz, 815.599.3664, vicki.schulz@highland.edu
Physical Science Club
The Physical Science Club has organized several Science Fairs showcasing innovative science projects and engaged participants in enlightening and entertaining conversations with fellow science enthusiasts and educators.
John Sullivan: 815.599.3458, john.sullivan@highland.edu
Prairie Wind
The Prairie Wind is a collection of literature, poetry, artwork, photography, and music from many talented members of the Highland community. This beautiful publication, which is published each spring semester, is inspiring and unique. The Prairie Wind is a collaborative effort involving students, Highland faculty and staff, and community members.
Bob Apolloni: 815.599.3479, bob.apolloni@highland.edu
Sam Tucibat: 815.599.3614
Tracy Mays: 815.599.3579, tracy.mays@highland.edu
Pride Club
The Pride Club is dedicated to creating a supportive, accepting, and positive environment for Highland’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. The goal of Pride includes providing educational activities to foster a greater appreciation of diversity at the College. Pride supports courtesy, fairness, and respect for all students through advocating unity amongst the student body.
Laura Watson: 815.599.3456, laura.watson@highland.edu
Psychology Club
The Highland Community College Psychology Club is dedicated to an independent exploration of the behavioral sciences, as well as service to the college and surrounding community. Past student-led projects have included collecting non-perishable items for hurricane victims in Southern Illinois, increasing awareness about autism and bullying, and conducting independent research projects on campus. Meeting times vary depending on availability.
Paul Rabideau 815.599.3466, paul.rabideau@highland.edu
Student Senate
The Student Senate strives to help fellow students make the most out of their college experience. The Senate hosts several events each semester, including all-campus picnics, spirit weeks, and holiday celebrations. The Senate also promotes community involvement by organizing Halloween walks, fundraisers, and food drives. The Student Senate is credited for establishing the Cougar Den, a student cheering section at the Cougars’ home volleyball and basketball games.
Liz Gerber: 815.599.3531, liz.gerber@highland.edu
Karla Giuffre: 815.599.3475, karla.giuffre@highland.edu
Women in Science
The Women in Science club seeks to unite women in science-related disciplines and advance equality and representation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, & math) fields. The club also seeks to provide women with important skills and resources necessary to succeed in science-related areas while also creating mentor relationships and networking opportunities by connecting students to successful professional women scientists.
Juliet Moderow: 815.599.3578, juliet.moderow@highland.edu
Karla Giuffre: 815.599.3475, karla.giuffre@highland.edu