2015-2016 Community Report

SIC Distinguished Alumna 2016
Dana Keating, Ph. D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Southeastern Illinois College
Dr. Dana Keating has been selected by members of the
Southeastern Illinois College Mu Psi Chapter of the Phi
Theta Kappa Honor Society to join Southeastern’s
Distinguished Alumni roster. Keating is the retired Vice
President for Academic and Student Affairs at Southeastern
Illinois College. She dedicated 38 years to the betterment
of Southeastern by holding many positions and being
involved in numerous grants, projects and programs.
A Harrisburg native, Keating earned her associate degree
from Southeastern in 1974. From there, she continued on
to Eastern Illinois University, where she earned a Bachelor
of Science Degree in Education in 1976.
“Attending Southeastern right after high school graduation
made great sense for me,” said Keating. “It was affordable
and just a 15 minute drive from home and allowed me to
save a great deal of money that I was able to later use when I
went on to Eastern Illinois University. I gained confidence
in my ability to be successful in college at Southeastern and
it provided a good transitional step from high school to a
university.”
Keating later attended Southern Illinois University and
obtained a Master of Science in Vocational Education
Studies in 1983, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher
Education in 1996. Early in her career, she taught home
economics at Flora Junior High School.
“As a student at Southeastern, the college provided a
great first step to higher level degrees,” said Keating. “SIC
gave me a great foundation to build upon. It was a small,
friendly place where instructors cared about the success of
every student. The College has grown so much since I was
a student here, but it is still that type of institution – caring
and committed to students.”
During her tenure, Keating has been involved in most
areas of the college. Some of her positions have included
instructor, counselor, director of admissions and records,
registrar, dean
of instruction
and even interim
president for a
few months on the
way to her position as Vice President. She served on and
led several committees, been involved with professional
affiliations and assisted in the ICCB Recognition process.
She also served as the Accreditation Liaison Officer for SIC
with the Higher Learning Commission, SIC’s accrediting
agency.
Keating’s passion for higher education is evident in the
millions of dollars in grants that have made their way to
Southeastern with her help. Most recently, she led the grant
writing team in the Student Support Services TRIO Grant
that has been renewed for approximately $1.4 million over
five years. These grants have brought educational programs
to Southeastern, assisted in funding the development
of college services, helped fund needed equipment for
programs, such as a pediatric simulator for the Nursing
program, as well as employ faculty and staff for grant
activities.
“Simply put, I strongly believe that education opens the door
to opportunity,” said Keating. “Even a short certificate can
make the difference in someone’s job opportunities and level
of income for all their working years. Understanding and
experiencing the value of education results in encouraging
others to do the same.”
SIC President Dr. Jonah Rice said, Dr. Keating is the epitome
of the heart of Southeastern. She considers the student
perspective in all that she does, and she cares, I mean really
cares, for the college. She knows how valuable SIC is to the
community it serves.
“Dana represents all that is good about Southeastern. She
is an admirable colleague, a good friend, and a wonderful
choice for our distinguished alumna of the year.”
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