Wesley Wise Honored as Lake Land College Distinguished Alumnus

Lake Land College has presented Wesley Wise, Bethany, with the 2020 Alumnus Achievement Award. Wise is also nominated to receive the 2020 ICCTA Distinguished Alumnus Award. Wise was recognized at the college’s Virtual Commencement Ceremony on Thursday.

(WESLEY WISE)

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees annually presents an Alumnus Achievement Award to an individual who has achieved outstanding success in his or her field of endeavor, has gained favorable statewide or national recognition or has performed services proven beneficial to society.

Wise received the National Partnership Award from the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 2016 and the Emerging Buildings in Education Award from the Illinois Association of School Boards in 2019.

Within his first year of leading the Okaw Valley High School agriculture program, Wise had students working directly with the US Army Corps of Engineers at Lake Shelbyville. High school students were paired with wildlife biologists and forestry experts at the Lake Shelbyville site to work on tasks from simple campground cleanup to general engineering practices. Beginning in March of 2016, students opened one of five campgrounds on Lake Shelbyville.

“What usually takes the USACE two weeks was accomplished in just one day with the help of 30 high school students willing to get dirty,” Okay Valley High School Principal Matthew Shoaff said.

This initiative resulted in more than five thousand volunteer hours and up to $500,000 in in-kind services to the USACE, leading to Wise’s reception of the 2016 National Partnership Award from a 2-star USACE General.

Having received this award, Wise went to his superintendent and school board with an even bigger idea. Based on his background on his family farm as well as time spent on the University of Illinois beef operation, Wise initiated the Okaw Valley Ag Complex. Construction on the complex began in 2018, and when it was complete, students were able to experience many different areas of animal agriculture.

“Mr. Wise wanted us to be the first school in the state of Illinois, and in the Midwest for that matter, to have an actual working livestock and grain farm on school grounds,” Shoaff said. “Almost daily, students are allowed to roll up their sleeves and participate in things that no other student in the state had ever thought of doing in school.”

As part of this program, students were allowed to deliver calves, lambs and pigs in the first few months. The students were also able to care for the animals daily, do ultra-sounding for baby animals, perform artificial insemination and even experience animal harvest for the first animals born at the complex. As a result, Wise, along with Okaw Valley High School, received the 2019 Emerging Buildings in Education Award at the 2019 State School Board Convention.

“Mr. Wise continues to push the envelope in terms of classroom education,” Shoaff said. “I can’t wait to see what he and his students can accomplish in the next 15 years.”

Wise graduated from Lake Land College Cum Laude in 2003 with an associate degree in Agriculture. He then continued his education at the University of Illinois, receiving a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture Education.

Praising Lake Land College for his educational experience, Wise said one of the best aspects of the community college system in general is the one-on-one interaction with instructors and mentors. Coming from a rural community, Wise said Lake Land College gave him the opportunity to interact with likeminded individuals as well as allowing him to develop and grow as a person.

“Lake Land College and a community college education are without question one of the best decisions I have ever made,” Wise said. “I received one of the best, if not the best, educations of my academic career. At Lake Land I wasn’t just another number. All my teachers knew me by name and took a vested interest in my education and well-being. I was important to my educators, division chairman and even administrators. I am proud to say that Lake Land College was definitely the perfect fit for me.”