By Debra Solomon Baker
When Space Shuttle Endeavor heads out to the International Space Station next month, a piece of Southwestern Illinois College is
hopping on board.
Dr. Georgia Costello
president,
Southwestern Illinois College
NASA Astronaut Sandra Magnus, who attended then Belleville Area College in 1983, will carry a special SWIC commemorative coin into space with her.
Proceeds of the sales of replicas of the coin will be used for SWIC scholarships.
This is just one of many reasons why SWIC’s new President, Georgia Costello, Ph.D. could not be more thrilled to be at the helm.
Actually, Costello, 58, who came on board in July, never imagined that she would be where she is today. She, too, attended Belleville Area College in 1967 before completing her undergraduate studies in physical education at McKendree College. She began her career as a teacher, and devoted many years to teaching middle school. In 1994, Costello earned a masters of science in educational administration from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she also completed her doctorate in educational administration and higher education in 2007.
Costello continues to focus on cultivating a love for learning in her students.
“Through being a good listener, a teacher, a motivator, and a person with a positive attitude about life in general, I hope to help provide more students with the opportunity to become lifelong learners,” says Costello.
Currently, SWIC enrolls 26,000 students each year and is home to the only Illinois police academy south of Springfield.
From the eight counties that SWIC serves, the college enrolls one out of four potential students.
“We have the best faculty in any community college in the state of Illinois,” says Costello, a lifelong Illinois resident. “Our teachers have outstanding credentials.
“It is amazing to think about what our alumni have paid back to society. A college education is what makes a people and their community strong.”
In fact, SWIC students benefit from a 56 percent earning boost.
During her career, Costello has served on the Illinois Governor’s Education Accountability and Education Excellence Task Forces, and on the Board of Trustees at McKendree University.
In terms of higher education, she worries most about funding inequities, particularly the small percentage earmarked for community colleges out of education budgets. She hopes, though, through her tenure at SWIC, to become an agent of change in this area.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE INSIGHTS
As this is the month of Thanksgiving, what,
professionally, do you feel most thankful for?
 “I am grateful to be associated with our employees, who work year round to ensure reliable natural gas service for our customers, particularly during the cold winter months, just as we have for more than 150 years.”
Doug Yaeger
chairman, president & CEO,
Laclede Gas Co.
 “Professionally, I am very thankful for many things, but topping the list would have to be our incredibly talented and dedicated engineers, surveyors and
support staff. Closely following would be the many exceptional people whom I have had the opportunity to meet as clients, or through other relationships, and now count as close personal friends.”
Roland “Rollie” Thouvenot, P.E.
president,
Thouvenot, Wade & Moerchen Inc
 “I’m thankful Standing Partnership just celebrated 17 years in business—and we’re still having fun! Our team and our clients are such talented, committed professionals, it’s easy to come to work every day.”
Cathy Dunkin
president & CEO,
Standing Partnership
For more information on the Leadership Circle, please contact John Diefenbach, vice president-membership, (314) 444-1184 or jdief@stlrcga.org.
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