Rend Lake College history

Vernon Community College began in September 1956, with an enrollment of 124 day and 79 evening students.

Authorized by the Illinois General Assembly and signed by Illinois Governor Otto Kerner, Jr. in 1961, the legislation enacted created the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). The IBHE was tasked by statute with formulating a Master Plan for Higher Education in the state of Illinois.

Soon thereafter, the institution was officially renamed Rend Lake College when it was organized December 20, 1966.

Rend Lake College was founded in 1967.

Groundbreaking ceremonies for construction were held March 27, 1969, coinciding with the day the college received word of its first North Central Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation.

The first five buildings of the campus, including Academic, Science, Gymnasium, the South Oasis and Maintenance buildings were ready for occupancy by August 1970, with classes beginning that fall.

A Stran-Steel building also was erected in 1974, next to the Maintenance Building, and was equipped for the Mining Technology program; three separate expansions of this facility later occurred, along with construction of a new Maintenance Building.

In 1980, a new college logo -- depicting a sun, waves and the initials RLC in block lettering -- was developed to replace the traditional college seal when a more modern, less official approach was appro­priate.

In 1989, a new automotive wing was added to the Vocational Building and the technology building was renovated.

It is accredited by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It first offered distance learning courses in 1995.

A Children’s Center to serve the child care needs of RLC students and staff, as well as the educational laboratory needs of the Early Childhood Education program, opened in Fall 1998.

In Fall 2005, the Applied Science Center opened on the southwest corner of campus.

On August 7, 2008, RLC broke ground on the new Coal Mining Training Center, a 20,000 square feet (1,900 m) training facility located next to the Mark Kern Applied Science Center.

One year later on August 11, 2009, the new facility held its first open house to the public.

The logo was unveiled in February of 2010.

In Fall 2011, the Science & Computer Center was added to the Murphy-Wall Pinckneyville Campus, allowing students to earn a complete associate degree in many disciplines there without the need to travel to the Ina campus.

A new shooting range, built for concealed carry and other firearms training, was constructed in 2013.

In 2015, the Fire Rescue training facility was established.

RLC's 50th Anniversary logo was created in 2017 by the college's marketing department.