HR0352 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0352 LRB104 13335 LAW 25623 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives wish to congratulate Rose Marie Lynch, Ph.D. on the occasion of her receiving the honorary title of faculty emerita by the Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) Board of Trustees as part of the inaugural class of faculty emeriti at IVCC; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in English from Indiana State University at Terre Haute, Indiana and her Ph.D. in English from Ball State University at Muncie, Indiana; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch began her career in academia as an instructor at Olney Central College in Olney, Illinois and at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana; she joined the IVCC faculty as a full-time instructor of journalism and English in the fall of 1970, where she also served as the faculty advisor to the student newspaper, positions she held for 32 years until her retirement in 2002; she proceeded to serve IVCC in a variety of roles, including as an adjunct faculty member and a grant writer/manager, for another 12 years, resulting in a total of 43.81 years of service to the community college; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch, during her tenure, collaborated with faculty in career-tech disciplines on the nationally recognized Making Industry Meaningful in College (MIMIC) project, which put students from different programs into teams to design, produce, market, and sell products, and the MIMIC team she oversaw was awarded a National Science Foundation grant, published multiple peer-reviewed articles, and presented their work at conferences in the United States, Canada, and China; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch, while teaching at IVCC, served as a member of the American Federation of Teachers, Local #1810, co-leader of the IVCC Tech Prep Team, a member of the North Central Accreditation (NCA) Visiting Committee in 1991 and 1993, co-editor of the NCA Self-Study Report in 1998, and an evaluator for the Tech Prep Evaluation System for Illinois in the Illinois Eastern Tech Prep Consortium of 2001; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch has given back to her community in a myriad of ways, including as a member of the LaSalle-Peru Township High School District 120 Board of Education from 1985 until 2025, where she served as president from 1991 to 1994 and chairperson of the Board Programs Committee for many years, and as an advocate for STEM education, especially in creating opportunities for female students in math and engineering pathways; she has also been a major supporter of and volunteer with the Illinois Valley Food Pantry, serving as a board member since 1986 and as board president from 1988 until 2024; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch has been the recipient of several professional accolades, including receiving the Illinois State Board of Education Connections 2000 Award in 1993 and 1999, the Illinois Valley Community College Merit Award in 1993, and the Regional Office of Education Board of Education Service Award and being named the 1994 Illinois Community College Trustees Association Outstanding Faculty Member, the 1999 Illinois Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the 2002 Woman of the Year for her dedication and commitment to IVCC's media; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch, a longtime resident of Peru, was married to Norm Clark until his passing, and she is the stepmother of Scott and Brad Clark; she is an avid gardener, sharing her produce with friends and the community, and she enjoys hosting gatherings at her home, such as her annual bagna cauda party; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Lynch has been a strong advocate for public education her entire career, demonstrating professional competence and providing meritorious service to IVCC, LaSalle-Peru Township High School, the entire Illinois Valley region, and her profession; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate Rose Marie Lynch, Ph.D. on her receiving the honorary title of faculty emerita by the Illinois Valley Community College (IVCC) Board of Trustees and on concluding her service to the LaSalle-Peru Township High School (L-P High) Board of Trustees, and we thank her for her dedication and commitment to the students, staff, and faculty members of IVCC and L-P High, providing over 50 years of service in promoting education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Dr. Lynch as an expression of our esteem and respect.