Chicago Heights, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle will deliver the graduation address at Prairie State College’s 52nd annual commencement ceremony on Sat., May 21.
Preckwinkle was elected Cook County Board President in 2010. Under her leadership, the County is implementing major reforms to reshape county government with a commitment to fiscal responsibility, innovative leadership, transparency, accountability, and improved services. As County Board President, she passed a County budget that filled a $487 million deficit with unanimous support from the Cook County Board of Commissioners.
Preckwinkle previously served for 19 years as the Fourth Ward Alderman and before that had been a community leader for more than two decades. During her tenure as Alderman, Preckwinkle sponsored the Living Wage and Affordable Housing Ordinances and was a lead plaintiff in a lawsuit to institute a more racially equitable map of Chicago’s ward boundaries. She also sponsored an ordinance limiting the establishment of payday loan stores and was a lead sponsor of the anti-smoking ordinance. She received the Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization “Best Alderman” Award in 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2005 and 2008, and the 1997 and 2009 Leon Despres Awards.
Preckwinkle holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago. She taught high school history for ten years before serving on the City Council and is married with two children and three grandchildren.
Nearly 400 students will graduate from the College with associate degrees and certificates, and approximately 260 graduates will participate in the ceremony. For more information about PSC’s commencement ceremony, contact the Office of Student Affairs at (708) 709-3507.
