LyondellBasell Recognized by ICCTA for Partnership with Joliet Junior College

Longtime Joliet Junior College business partner LyondellBasell, one of the world’s largest plastics, chemicals and refining companies, has been recognized with the Business/Industry Partnership Award by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA).

The two entities have shared a partnership for more than 25 years. JJC President Dr. Judy Mitchell thanked LyondellBasell during the ICCTA Awards Ceremony on June 7 at the Westin Chicago Northwest Hotel in Itasca.

“The overarching goal of our partnership is to educate a skilled-workforce while ensuring that JJC’s programs stay updated with the changing needs of the industry,” said Mitchell. “This was a grassroots initiative that resulted in a program that has educated over 1,300 individuals throughout the years.”

According to Mitchell, LyondellBasell was instrumental in helping JJC start the Frontline Supervision program for incumbent workers, which provides individuals with the fundamental skills to enter a supervisory role. To date, it has trained over 200 of its workers.

LyondellBasell has worked with area petrochemical and manufacturing companies to design academic pathways at the college, including the Process Control Instrumentation Technician (PCIT) degree program. LyondellBasell maintains a strong presence on the advisory board, and through the years has donated approximately $44,000 to JJC for new program equipment, as well as donated equipment. Four years ago, it helped develop the Operations Engineering and Technician (OET) degree program, designed to increase the available labor pool. Over that time, LyondellBasell has hired 16 of the program’s students for its internship, or 35 percent of enrollees. 

Additionally, LyondellBasell’s longtime training program for incumbent workers, now offered through JJC, provides over 188 hours of customized training for its newly hired operators and maintenance technicians.

“LyondellBasell consistently strives to develop and recruit top talent, and our partnership with Joliet Junior College (JJC) has delivered strong results in that pursuit,” said Randy Tatum, site manager for LyondellBasell Morris Complex. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with JJC to enhance the lives of local students, equipping them with the essential tools for sustainable careers.”

Amy Murphy, JJC dean of applied arts, workforce education and training, said it was an honor to have nominated LyondellBasell for the ICCTA Business/Industry Partnership Award.

“We are grateful for our partnership and the opportunity to provide training programs for their personnel as well as working in conjunction with them on developing programs that provide rewarding and well-paying careers,” said Murphy. “Our partnership continues to evolve as we continue to complement each other and the growing needs of our community.”

ICCTA also recognized six JJC students, faculty and alumni for receiving nominations in their respective award categories at the June 7 event.

Dr. Thomas Streitz, ’52, is the retired founder of Streitz Dental Arts. He was instrumental in founding the JJC Alumni Association in 1970, served as its first president, and remains a strong supporter of the Alumni Endowed Scholarship. He was nominated for the Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.

Victor Xavier Colón, ’19, was a nominee for the Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship. The student who best articulates the peaceful messages of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. receives a $1,000 scholarship.

Kayla Siam, ’12, is a corporate attorney with Chicago-based Seyfarth Shaw LLP. She was nominated for the Pacesetter Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of Illinois' more recent community college graduates.

Javonna Stephney was a nominee for her entry into the The Paul Simon Student Essay Contest. The award provides a one-time $500 scholarship to the student who best describes "How My Community College Has Changed My Life."

Two JJC faculty members were also recognized for their work in the classroom. Teresa Carrillo and Nancy Seymour were nominees for ICCTA’s Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Member Award and Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award, respectively.

View a full list of ICCTA 2019 award nominees and past winners.  

For media inquiries, contact JJC Communications and Media Coordinator Scott Harvey at 815-280-2844 or sharvey@jjc.edu.