Heartland Community College
1500 West Raab Road
Normal, Illinois 61761-9446
Phone: 309-268-8000

Heartland Community College
1500 West Raab Road
Normal, Illinois 61761-9446
Phone: 309-268-8000

The pathway to student success doesn’t just go through the classroom. Heartland has a network of support services to help students surmount the challenges they may face in achieving their academic goals.

As identified in Heartland’s Facilities Master Plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees, many of the facilities that support students outside of the classroom are getting an upgrade through a new student center.

Student leadership, both past and present, was involved in the planning process. As College leadership and staff worked with architects to design the space, students were invited to give input on what they felt would have the most impact on their experience on campus.

In the fall of 2024, Heartland unveiled new student services facilities in the Workforce Development Center (WDC) on the College’s main campus. One centralized location now houses resources for student engagement, student leadership, and support services. New spaces have been created for food services, the College bookstore, and a game room. Also located on the same floor are the offices of Project RISE and TRIO, which offer support programs for first-generation students, students with a disability, and students from a limited-income background.

These new student-serving spaces received a significant boost from several individuals committed to supporting learners and advancing the community through access to education. Working through the Heartland Community College Foundation, donor gifts helped fund the Veterans Center, Project RISE Suite, Career Center, Testing Center, and multiple other spaces students utilize for clubs and groups, studying, or simply taking time to decompress between classes.

“Creating this space was a real community effort. We are grateful to the individuals and organizations who have contributed gifts to help us with this project,” said Heartland President Keith Cornille. “They see the promise our students have in making our community a better place, and we truly appreciate their commitment to the College and our students.”

THE STUDENT CENTER IN THE WDC

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Heartland Community College is a learner-centered institution. As such, the leadership, staff, and faculty are dedicated to creating a personalized path to success for each individual.

“I encourage everyone to not let life changes stop you from reaching your dreams,” she said. “We need to go forward, even with difficulties. I made a good decision coming back to school. It’s given me the opportunity to become part of the Adult Education staff and work for this amazing institution.”

“From the first day I set my feet on (the Heartland) campus I felt home.”

She returned to school taking one or two classes per semester, to fit her work and family schedule.

Today, Evelyne is not only a Heartland student but also a Heartland employee, working as a Program Assistant in the Adult Education department. She brings a firsthand perspective to the job, knowing the barriers and challenges that exist for ESL students.

Both working and taking classes, she is nearly done with her associate degree.

Evelyne says that her family and others she knows from the DRC see her as a success because she works in an office.

“They always asked me how I got here and I always tell them 'come back to school, you will see the difference,'” she said. “It makes me proud to be a role model for them.”

EDUCATION, ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Evelyne Mbumbu

Evelyne Mbumbu at the Adult Education Hall of Fame Inductee Ceremony with Khrystyna Sanborn, Dean of Adult Education

Keith Cornille, Ed.D, President
Heartland Community College

- Evelyne Mbumbu -

“Creating this space was a real community effort."

The pathway to student success doesn’t just go through the classroom. Heartland has a network of support services to help students surmount the challenges they may face in achieving their academic goals.

As identified in Heartland’s Facilities Master Plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees, many of the facilities that support students outside of the classroom are getting an upgrade through a new student center.

Student leadership, both past and present, was involved in the planning process. As College leadership and staff worked with architects to design the space, students were invited to give input on what they felt would have the most impact on their experience on campus.

In the fall of 2024, Heartland unveiled new student services facilities in the Workforce Development Center (WDC) on the College’s main campus. One centralized location now houses resources for student engagement, student leadership, and support services. New spaces have been created for food services, the College bookstore, and a game room. Also located on the same floor are the offices of Project RISE and TRIO, which offer support programs for first-generation students, students with a disability, and students from a limited-income background.

These new student-serving spaces received a significant boost from several individuals committed to supporting learners and advancing the community through access to education. Working through the Heartland Community College Foundation, donor gifts helped fund the Veterans Center, Project RISE Suite, Career Center, Testing Center, and multiple other spaces students utilize for clubs and groups, studying, or simply taking time to decompress between classes.

“Creating this space was a real community effort. We are grateful to the individuals and organizations who have contributed gifts to help us with this project,” said Heartland President Keith Cornille. “They see the promise our students have in making our community a better place, and we truly appreciate their commitment to the College and our students.”

Like many students, Evelyne Mbumbu came to Heartland Community College seeking to improve her life, build skills that would open up more employment opportunities, and most of all, to learn.

The path she has taken has been a bit longer than the average college student.

Evelyne moved to the U.S. from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 2010. She and her family left behind all they had – including jobs, degrees, family, and friends.

As she and her husband, Florent Nzita, worked to start over and build a new home, language presented one barrier. As native French speakers, Evelyne and Florent sought out English as a Second Language skills, which brought them to Heartland.

In addition to High School Equivalency prep courses, Heartland’s Adult Education department offers programs in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Academic English Language (AELP).

“From the first day I set my feet on (the Heartland) campus I felt home,” Evelyne said. It reminded her of the university where she had worked in her home country.

Both Evelyne and Florent enrolled in Adult Education classes at Heartland to gain the language skills they would need to integrate into the Bloomington-Normal community and open new possibilities for employment. As Evelyne had a newborn baby, Florent advanced first in AELP classes to prepare for college-level coursework.

Evelyne finished her ESL studies in 2014 and advanced to AELP classes. Florent advanced to credit courses, using the skills he developed with AESL. But in 2016, just a few months after finishing his Associate in Science degree, Florent passed away after a battle with cancer.

The loss was devastating for Evelyne and their four children, aged 5-13. Yet she was steadfast in following the path her husband had taken to support their family.

“I was very discouraged at that time but I remembered him telling us why we came here: To do better than we did in our home country,” Evelyne said. “I decided to keep his legacy and I came back to take credit classes.”

Evelyne Mbumbu at the Adult Education Hall of Fame Inductee Ceremony with Khrystyna Sanborn, Dean of Adult Education

“Creating this space was a real community effort."