After high school, Bishop enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2002 and was stationed in Texas and Germany, where he worked on power generators. Wherever he was deployed, he made sure music remained part of his life.

鈥淚 really enjoyed my time in the Air Force, and having my guitar on me was nonnegotiable,鈥� said Bishop. While stationed in Germany, he spent much of his free time playing in the barracks for his fellow airmen. He later formed a band with other Air Force members who worked at the power plant. The band, appropriately named Kilowatt, grew in popularity as they played covers of multiple songs.

After serving for six years, Bishop retired from the Air Force in 2008 and enrolled at Moraine Valley the following summer. He brought prior college credits from his military service and took multiple guitar classes while attending Moraine Valley. It was during this time that he discovered an interest in jazz music and further developed his skills as a musician. Moraine Valley also helped him build a foundation that allowed him to progress academically. Bishop later transferred to Chicago State University, where he earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in music education in 2013. After graduation, he finally was able to pursue his goal of becoming a music teacher.

Today, Bishop works as a general music teacher at two south suburban elementary schools, teaching students from kindergarten through fifth grade. He also teaches private lessons and small group classes at the Beverly Arts Center. While he enjoys teaching group classes, he prefers one鈥憃n鈥憃ne instruction, enjoying the musical connections he builds with his students.

Bishop is passionate about helping students learn and grow with music. He takes pride in showing students new skills and watching their confidence develop. 鈥淚 hope my students look back on their music classes and feel they were given every opportunity to be inspired,鈥� Bishop said.

An advocate for the arts, Bishop volunteers at various Chicago-area arts events and has been a musical director for many local plays. One of his bands, Analog Chain, performed at the Moraine Valley Car Show in 2019. He also is active in Oak Lawn Scouting, where his two children are involved. Besides his love of music, he is an artist; his paintings are featured in the college鈥檚 Community Art Exhibition and at the Beverly Arts Center. He has supported the Moraine Valley Foundation by donating paintings to the Gateways Gala and Employee Giving Campaign auctions.

Outside of teaching, Bishop continues to enjoy music by collecting guitars and playing whenever he can, from entertaining neighbors on his front porch to professional gigs in large theaters 鈥� his love for music is part of his everyday life. For Bishop, music is more than teaching a class; it inspires a joy he hopes can change his students鈥� lives. After all, it changed his.

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With a knack for science and innovation, McGrenera graduated from Moraine Valley in 1973 with an Associate in Applied Science, focusing on chemistry. After graduating, he attended the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) and earned a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 1977. 鈥淢oraine Valley was a great base for moving on to UIC,鈥� McGrenera said.

McGrenera鈥檚 career as a chemical engineer began while he was a student through a cooperative engineering position at Witco Corp. He worked his way up in the company and eventually became a plant manager before leaving in 1991. After Witco Corp., he worked for PQ Corp. in Chicago Heights, concluding his career in 2014 as the director of Zoetis Animal Health.

Following retirement, McGrenera remains active, giving back to the community by volunteering with Kiwanis International, a global nonprofit organization focused on serving children and improving communities. One of the main projects his Kiwanis Club manages is Orland Park bingo, held every Wednesday night at the Orland Park Civic Center, where community members come to play bingo and other games. Proceeds from bingo and queen of hearts support the community and a wide range of local charities.

鈥淲e support many local organizations that help people in need, as well as scholarships for Carl Sandburg High School, Lockport Township High School and Moraine Valley,鈥� said McGrenera. 鈥淚n just the last five years, the club has provided more than 100 Moraine Valley scholarships.鈥�

The Kiwanis Club scholarships focus on providing the necessary tools, uniforms and supplies needed in the college鈥檚 Career Programs such as Automotive Technology, Culinary Arts, Heating and Air Conditioning, Welding and Health Sciences.

鈥淥ur Kiwanis Club has a very good program where our members and volunteers drive all the donations to our community,鈥� McGrenera adds. 鈥淚ronically, I was not aware of our club until I was asked to volunteer through my church, St. Francis of Assisi, where I also volunteer.鈥�

He added that the club is always looking for new volunteers to keep charity work moving forward.

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Blanchard graduated from Moraine Valley in 2006 with an associate degree in business administration. He later earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Walden University, then his Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Blanchard is the CEO of Reintivity, a technology solution company he founded in 2013. The company鈥檚 goal is to make technology simpler and more useful for businesses. Reintivity fully specializes in IT support, custom software development, data analytics, cybersecurity and technology consulting.

鈥淏uilding Reintivity taught me that companies grow through clear systems, not heroics. I moved from doing the work to designing how it gets done so I could delegate confidently,鈥� Blanchard said.

During the process of building Reintvity, Blanchard explained that one of his biggest shifts was moving from doing the work himself to designing how the work gets done. Since the company鈥檚 inception, he has focused on outcomes leaders can count on, such as reliability, security and modernization. After the first five years, he intentionally developed his skills in marketing and sales. 鈥淭he best part has been watching clients move from constant tech stress to confidence and control,鈥� he said.

Before Reintivity, Blanchard worked in many different industries and roles. He started his career in hands-on positions that led to growth in management and leadership. Blanchard has been associated with RR Donnelley, Health Care Service Corporation and College of DuPage. Over time, his work transformed from technical execution to leading teams, aligning stakeholders and setting directions.

His 2025 book 鈥淶ero Downtime Care鈥� was his way of giving back to the healthcare industry, which often struggles with IT support. Blanchard hopes his book not only will simplify complex technology concepts, but also inspire leaders to build stronger, more resilient digital environments to support long-term growth and reliability.

Above all, Blanchard credits his time and experience at Moraine Valley with playing a key role in his success, sharing that his time at the college helped with his current career.

鈥淢oraine Valley gave me a strong business foundation and taught me that steady execution beats short bursts of effort,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ost importantly, it gave me the confidence to learn, improve and build progress through small, compounding wins.

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Hantson began taking classes in September 2007 and initially was unsure what a career in stage production or technical theater might look like. With guidance from professors Craig Rosen, Lee Brasuell and Tom Dow, she explored the possibilities within technical theater and gained hands-on experience working on both professional and Academic Theater productions. Their support also helped Hantson secure her first job in technical theater.

鈥淚 did not truly understand how many different avenues there were in technical theatre,鈥� Hantson said. 鈥淏rasuell took a chance on a kid right out of high school who wanted to keep learning and doing theater. They hired professional designers whom we were able to work with and learn from.鈥�

After graduating from Moraine Valley in 2010 with an associate in arts degree, Hantson attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she expanded her knowledge of theatre production and design. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre in 2013. After graduation, Hantson worked as a freelancer for multiple venues, including College of DuPage, Beverly Arts Center, Joe鈥檚 Live, Paramount, North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Stonewold Studio, GAND Concert Sound and the Rialto.

As Moraine Valley鈥檚 assistant technical director, Hantson鈥檚 responsibilities include managing the college鈥檚 sound equipment, coordinating road show details, overseeing student volunteers/experienced crew and working with the production team on set design and construction. She continues to freelance with other Chicago-area theaters and travels to work on small musicals. Within the past year, Hanston has been scheduled for at least ten additional engagements across the country.

Even as she works on her 18th season of productions, Hantson still reflects on the education and encouragement she received at Moraine Valley, including the advice not to be afraid to ask people for guidance or help. As a proud Moraine Valley alumna, she continues to give back to the community that helped shape her career. Her success highlights the lasting impact of the college鈥檚 Theatre Program.

鈥淚 truly love what I do for a living,鈥� Hantson concluded.

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A 1986 Moraine Valley graduate with a degree in fine arts, Spruth said, 鈥淏ecoming a college student was not something I was encouraged to consider. I was self-motived to achieve much more than I was encouraged to experience.鈥�

Because he had a learning disability, Spruth was separated from his peers and sent to another classroom in high school, confined to a remote area in the school. He experienced learning in a traditional classroom for the first time at Moraine Valley. 鈥淔or me it was a whole new threshold in life,鈥� he shared. 鈥淚n high school, only my disabilities were recognized, none of my abilities.鈥�

While Spruth was a student at Moraine Valley, Dr. Irene Brodie in the Learning Disability Support Services Program and Spruth鈥檚 Department of Human Services counselor, Adreian Welzien, determined he had severe dyslexia memory impairment and exhibited behaviors on the autism spectrum. At the time, the Americans with Disabilities Act was established which gave Spruth access to vital services, including recorded textbooks. 鈥淚t changed my life, and it became a daily core of my being 鈥� of who I am 鈥� from being an art therapist, to being a parent,鈥� he said.

Spruth excelled at Moraine Valley, and he earned a faculty scholarship 鈥� a full scholarship from the Department of Human Services 鈥� and admission to the Art Institute of Chicago where he received a bachelor鈥檚 degree with a focus in fine art and religion in 1990. In 1992, he earned a master鈥檚 degree in art therapy. He later completed his art therapy credentials with the American Art Therapy Credential Board of Chicago and Rush Medical School.

Spruth鈥檚 accomplishments include creating movement and music therapy programs to the tunes of Led Zeppelin; re-creating a walking meditation labyrinth inspired by a cathedral in Paris for teens in a Juvenile Detention Center; and bringing creative arts programming to forensic patient populations. Art and magic therapy have taken him to every continent. He has helped hospitalized children in Amman, Jordan who sustained injuries from fighting in Gaza; has participated in HIV/AIDS education in South Africa; and provided help at an addiction center in India. He even has shared dinner with King Goodwill Zwelithini, who was king of the Zulu nation from 1968 to 2021. His list of impressive experiences is extensive.

Closer to home, Spruth is the founder of Sacred Transformations, the nation鈥檚 first Tattoo Charity, and is a dedicated single father. As for the future, Spruth hopes to join the U.S.聽 Peace Corps. He also is in the process of completing a doctorate degree at Liberty University. 鈥淥ur people need help in the United States,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 would like to see our country and our experts do more work right here at home.鈥�

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The Hall of Fame Class of 2025 included four inductees: Dr. Jermaine Ford, Dr. April Gallik, Michael Ross Schofield Jr. and Naheda Zayyad-Hussien. In addition, over 20 individuals who won the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award prior to the creation of the Hall of Fame were officially inducted at the ceremony.

鈥淓ach year, we honor successful alumni as new inductees into our Alumni Hall of Fame. This year, we inducted four new members who have contributed to their professions and communities,鈥� said Patti Mehallick, director of Alumni and Annual Programs for the Foundation. 鈥淲e also had the privilege of inducting alumni who were named Distinguished Alumnus of the Year before the Hall of Fame was created in honor of our Hall of Fame鈥檚 10-year anniversary.鈥�

The 2025 Distinguished Alumnus Award winner was Dr. Jermaine Ford, who serves as the president of Florence-Darlington Technical College in Florence, South Carolina. Under his leadership, the college has seen significant growth in enrollment and programs.

After graduating from Moraine Valley and DePaul University, Ford worked in the corporate world and owned a small business. Later, he returned to Moraine Valley to work in the college鈥檚 Corporate, Community and Continuing Education Department.

Ford held several positions at South Louisiana Community College, eventually becoming vice president of Workforce and Economic Development. He accepted the president position at Florence-Darlington Technical College in 2021.

As this year鈥檚 Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, Ford is the college鈥檚 nominee for the Illinois Community College Trustees Association statewide contest.

Inductee Dr. April Gallik has worked in the health care field for over 15 years and currently serves as a nurse practitioner at Duly Health and Care in Lisle. Her specialty is internal medicine, with a subspecialty in geriatrics.

In addition to working as a nurse practitioner, Gallik helps future health care professionals by serving as a volunteer nurse preceptor for students at the University of Michigan and Rush University and as a mentor for an American Association of Nurse Practitioners mentoring program. She has served as an adjunct instructor at Moraine Valley.

Michael Ross Schofield Jr. also was inducted. He spent 46 years in the fire service and has been the fire chief for the Orland Fire Protection District since 2015.

He worked for the Chicago Fire Department as a paramedic and as a firefighter in Country Club Hills and Homer Township before joining the Orland Fire Protection District.

Because of his expertise in rescue, Schofield was appointed to a State Fire Marshal committee to develop rescue certifications and related testing for building collapse, trench rescue, rope rescue and more.

Inductee Naheda Zayyad-Hussien is a prosecutor in the Cook County State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office. She has served in the State鈥檚 Attorney鈥檚 Office for 18 years in various divisions and is now the first chair assistant state鈥檚 attorney in the Felony Trial Division in the Fifth District in Bridgeview.

Zayyad-Hussien was named a 40 Under 40 awardee by the Arab America Foundation in 2021. She volunteers for various organizations including the American Middle East Voter Alliance Political Action Committee, Arab American Bar Association and Justice Coalition Action and regularly mentors young people interested in a legal career.

Approximately 160 family members and friends attended the event to honor the successful alumni.

For information about the Alumni Hall of Fame, contact Patti Mehallick at (708) 974-5551 or mehallickp@morainevalley.edu.

For media inquiries, contact Karen Town, communications specialist, at (708) 974-5652 or town@morainevalley.edu.

About the Moraine Valley Foundation
The Moraine Valley Foundation was founded in 1982 to provide scholarships and emergency assistance to 好色先生 students, fund innovative programs at the college and offer financial support to its Fine and Performing Arts Center. As a 501(c)3 entity, the Foundation partners with corporate and individual donors and has awarded over $1 million to support the college鈥檚 mission. In the last fiscal year, over $325,000 in scholarship funds were awarded to students pursuing a better life through higher education. Please help make our students鈥� dreams possible through a donation to the Foundation at .

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was so excited to attend a four-year school. Like many freshmen, she started strong, but the first year was challenging. After navigating the pressures of her first year, Erika enrolled at Moraine Valley to take a few classes and return to NIU. She planned to enroll at Moraine Valley for one semester. However, Erika enjoyed the Moraine Valley experience so much that she decided to complete the college鈥檚 two-year program.

While attending Moraine Valley, she held student work positions in various on-campus jobs including the library, the gym and the McDonald鈥檚 that was on campus at that time.

鈥淥ne of my most meaningful student worker experiences was in the Registration Office where I learned about admission, registration, records processes and grade reports,鈥� Erika said. 鈥淭he person who led the department was knowledgeable, flexible and confident. Her leadership and efficiency in that office piqued my interest in careers in higher education.鈥�

Erika鈥檚 interest in higher education was the springboard to much more. After earning an associate degree at Moraine Valley, Erika returned to NIU to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature. She continued her studies, earning two master鈥檚 degrees, a Master of Arts in teaching from Chicago State University and a Master of Divinity with a Justice Ministry certificate from North Park Theological Seminary. In December 2024, she completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Leadership from Concordia University.

Today, Erika has realized her interest in higher education that started years ago.聽She currently is the for the College of Computing at Illinois Institute of Technology.

鈥淚 wear many hats at Illinois Tech. In many ways, I am the pitch hitter for special projects and programs,鈥� Erika said. 鈥淚n this position, I provide strategic leadership to expand undergraduate and graduate programs while overseeing international programs and transfer mapping for new global partnerships.鈥� She also leads the K-12 STEM Caf茅 outreach initiative, a university-wide flagship program that strengthens STEM engagement starting as early as elementary schools.

In addition to her dedication to higher education, Erika remains a writer at heart. She spent the last several years writing and being in journals, and publications. She is working on an autobiography and plans to publish a book of poetry. She enjoys travel, having visited four continents, most recently taking a trip to Paris. She enjoys serving in the ministry at her church and doing community work. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

Through all of her many accomplishments, her role model and greatest inspiration is her mother, Minister Carolyn Burt, who passed away last year. 鈥淚 finished my Ph.D. in her honor and will continue to make her proud all the way to heaven,鈥� said Erika.

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鈥淚 always thought Moraine Valley鈥檚 program was like a bachelor鈥檚 degree packed into two years because we learned so much,鈥� she said.

While taking nursing classes, she worked as a nurse鈥檚 aide at Advocate Christ Hospital in the neonatal intensive care unit [NICU].

鈥淚t was meant to be that I landed there because later, after I got my degree, they had an opening for a nurse in the NICU unit.鈥�

She stayed in the neonatal intensive care field until 2012.

鈥淚 branched out and tried different roles, such as being a charge nurse and working on the leadership side of things. I also was a preceptor to new nurses, which was an educator role,鈥� Jeffery said.

She has spent most of her career at UPMC Children鈥檚 Hospital of Pittsburgh, where she currently serves as an advanced clinical education specialist and is responsible for coordinating the hospital鈥檚 nurse residency program, a support program for new nurses.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an ongoing support program for nurses in their first year with the goal of retaining them, making sure they鈥檙e supported and happy in their roles and learning everything they need to know,鈥� she said.

Jeffery noted she had wonderful examples of nursing educators while at Moraine Valley.

鈥淭here was so much support from the instructors and all of them had the ability to relate things to the bigger picture and not just focus on the one thing we were learning in that class. Maybe that inspired me to become a nurse educator,鈥� Jeffery said.

She recently started a scholarship to honor her father who passed away earlier this year. As a recipient of a Moraine Valley Foundation scholarship when she was a student, she knows how it can help pay for things like books and supplies such as uniforms and stethoscopes.

Jeffery worked with the Foundation to set up the scholarship for future nurses or first responders as a way to connect to her nursing background and her father, who had once served as a volunteer firefighter and EMT.

鈥淚 always thought that was cool, so I wanted to connect these two as a way of combining my and my dad鈥檚 experiences,鈥� said Jeffery. 鈥淚鈥檓 looking for someone who has a passion for caring for other people and giving them a good experience in one of the worst times of their lives.鈥�

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Pec, who is a senior staff engineer for Woodward, a design, manufacturing and service provider for aerospace and industrial markets, later went on to earn a Master of Science in Engineering Management degree and numerous professional certifications. He plans to eventually pursue a doctoral degree.

Growing up, he was always interested in mechanical design and how things worked.

鈥淚 originally thought I would become an architect, not an engineer. However, I was introduced to computer-aided design (CAD) at Moraine Valley, which was then a new technology. That eventually led me to mechanical design, applied gearing/actuation technology and analysis,鈥� he said.

One of Pec鈥檚 instructors recommended he pursue a job in an engineering services company as a drafting/design consultant to gain exposure to many businesses and products and to grow professionally. He followed that advice and began a successful 30-year engineering career, developing products for aerospace, commercial and military programs.

鈥淏eing an engineer is more than design and analysis. I鈥檝e enjoyed seeing other areas of engineering, including project and program management, interfacing with customers and vendors, supervising multiple levels of our team, technical mentorship and being part of the senior leadership within our business unit. Engineering is about problem solving and delivering results,鈥� Pec explained.

His lifetime interest in aerospace led him to seek a job where he could work in this specialized area of engineering.

鈥淚 wanted to be in a career that pushed my skills and complemented my passions,鈥� said Pec.

Some of his recent projects include developing a gear life test stand used to evaluate high-performing gear materials and processes and developing a full-scale Boeing 737 flight simulator used as a demonstration and marketing tool to showcase the company鈥檚 cockpit control solutions.

Pec is grateful for the support he received as a Moraine Valley student and said, 鈥淚 was lucky enough to have motivational instructors. They gave me more than an education. They gave me inspiration and the encouragement I needed to reach my full potential. Without them, I鈥檓 certain I wouldn鈥檛 have been able to reach my current level of success.鈥�

Pec noted he came from a family that believes in hard work and doing what is right, and he believes in giving back. One way he has done that is by volunteering to review scholarship applications for the Moraine Valley Foundation for several years.

鈥淢oraine Valley played a significant role in my career development, and I want to make sure others have that same opportunity,鈥� Pec said. 鈥淚 encourage individuals who have achieved any level of success to give back to the college and support future graduates.鈥�

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His book, 鈥淧 is for Pickelhaube,鈥� is a work of historical fiction, set during the first World War, and focuses on struggles his characters face, including addiction, abuse and violence. It was recently added to the Moraine Valley Library and in the Moraine Valley Bookstore. It is also is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other global retailers, as well as from his publisher, Austin Macauley.

Born in Hinsdale, and raised in Brookfield, Weston graduated from Lyons Township High School, in 1998. After graduating from technical school, he found himself driving directly past Moraine Valley鈥檚 campus for 14 years on his way to work.

鈥淚 became increasingly jealous as I鈥檇 drive by the college, seeing the students walking on campus and having opportunities I did not have,鈥� Weston said. 鈥淢y wife, Sarah, finally challenged me to either step up and earn a degree myself or quit complaining about it, and the rest, as they say, is history.鈥�

Quite nervous about returning to the classroom after 16 years, Weston recalls the professor he had for his first class, William Hogan, assistant professor of Communications, immediately put him at ease.

鈥淚t was Jim McIntyre, [assistant professor of history], who was responsible for planting the seed for me to pursue writing professionally,鈥� recalls Weston. 鈥淎nd Kristine Van Baren [history instructor] challenged me to expand my understanding and knowledge of history.鈥�

One of Weston鈥檚 deepest influences was his parents, who shared their love of books and reading with him at an early age.

鈥淚 actually wrote a short story in the first grade that was published in a District 102 literary competition, so I feel that my trajectory to write has been a long time coming,鈥� Weston joked.

Recognition for his outstanding writing continues as he was recently awarded silver in a new author competition after receiving a literary review. He plans to write at least two more books as part of a series spun from 鈥淧 is for Pickelhaube.鈥�

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Scheidt wasn鈥檛 interested in college once she graduated high school. After all, she liked the paychecks she earned waiting tables at a small restaurant in the Mount Greenwood area. 鈥淚 really wasn鈥檛 gung-ho about school, and I was focusing on my job because I liked it a lot. I was making good money and enjoyed hanging out with the people at the restaurant,鈥� she said.

A friend encouraged her to go to college, so she enrolled at Moraine Valley. But, she says, she did poorly and left. 鈥淚 told myself that was ok,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 need to keep going to college. Two years later, I ended up wanting to go back. I was still working at the restaurant, and I started thinking maybe I don鈥檛 want this to be my life. Maybe I want something different, and maybe I do want to go to college.鈥�

Scheidt re-enrolled at Moraine Valley and was more serious about her classes. 鈥淲hen I went back, I really cared a lot more. I was definitely more mature,鈥� she said.

She soon discovered a newfound passion for literature. 鈥淚 took classes with Professor (Dr. Tom) Dow, and I loved it so much. I felt like those classes helped me get a sense of direction, and I really liked school again,鈥� Scheidt said. She credits Dow鈥檚 teaching methods with keeping her engaged in class and wanting to study.

鈥淚 was still waitressing, and I was a nanny and was just exhausted. I would do my homework sitting in the back galley at the restaurant reading Shakespeare plays for Dr. Dow鈥檚 class at 10 p.m. waiting for my last tables to finish up,鈥� she said.

After graduating from Moraine Valley, Scheidt earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree at the University of Illinois Chicago, where her professor, Raphael Magarik, encouraged her to continue her education. She followed his advice and was accepted at Harvard University in Massachusetts.

鈥淚 loved studying literature and theology, and I completed my Master of Theological Studies at Harvard鈥檚 Divinity School,鈥� she said.

She is now in England studying at the University of Cambridge, where she plans to earn a master鈥檚 degree in Celtics Studies as it relates to religion. 鈥淚鈥檓 branching off theology and studying Old Irish and Old Welsh. This is going to be a stepping stone to hopefully pursing my doctorate,鈥� Scheidt said. 鈥淚 would like to stay in academia and continue doing research and hopefully be a professor one day.鈥�

Scheidt says she isn鈥檛 fully grasping all she has accomplished. 鈥淲hen people ask me what I do, It feels surreal to say I鈥檓 a student at the University of Cambridge. I feel like an imposter鈥攍ike I should still be saying I鈥檓 a waitress,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a very spiritual person, and I believe God has gotten me everywhere in my life. If it wasn鈥檛 for my faith, I couldn鈥檛 have done any of this.鈥�

Leaving the Chicago area was not in her plans. 鈥淣ever thought I鈥檇 end up in Boston or in England, and I did,鈥� she said, pointing out that even though she lived in Boston, she remained a White Sox fan. 鈥淚t鈥檚 funny that I鈥檓 sitting here with my three college degrees when in the beginning it seemed so difficult to even get one.鈥�

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鈥淚 actually have a vivid memory of my dad sitting up in the hospital bed that had become a permanent fixture in our living room, intently reading through the materials for Moraine Valley鈥檚 new Honors Program,鈥� recalls Knade. 鈥淗e wanted to know everything about it. Despite all he was going through, he was still my biggest fan and could still find genuine joy and a deep sense of pride in seeing I was going to make the most out of an opportunity, an invaluable trait among many he modeled and championed over the years.鈥�

Jason was part of the college鈥檚 first Honors Program which grouped Honors students who attended almost all of their classes together. 鈥淪ome very close friendships were formed,鈥� said Knade. 鈥淚 stay in touch with a few, including one who became 鈥� and still is 鈥� one of my closest friends.鈥� Knade says at that point he wasn鈥檛 sure what he wanted to study and Moraine Valley allowed him to explore a few fields ranging from business to astronomy to literature.

After transferring from Moraine Valley, completing his Bachelor of Arts degree in English at the University of Illinois Chicago and Master of Fine Arts degree at Governors State University, Knade found his career path with a passion for filmmaking.

His projects include narrative films, documentaries, commercials and music videos. He is currently the Creative Director of Behold. He also works with other production companies, including Studio 2253. In addition, he teaches film at Governors State University, Saint Xavier University, Trinity Christian College and at Moraine Valley.

In his professional experience in filmmaking, his work has gained international audiences in countries around the world, including Scotland, England, Palestine, Italy, Canada, Israel, Australia, Taiwan, Germany, France and many more.

Filmmaking can be quite exciting as Knade has filmed special forces jumping out of helicopters shooting a special forces documentary, climbed mountains in Wyoming, and filmed a sitting U.S. president and the Pope. His music videos and commercials have been shown on CNN, Fox, Lifetime, ESPN, Good Morning America, Larry King Live and ABC News, among others. Some of his projects and clients include Nike, Canon, Phillip Morris, Maker鈥檚 Mark, Amtrak, The Joffrey Ballet and Subway.

Knade has won countless filmmaking awards locally, in the United States and internationally. He produced a film that was named among the 10 Best Films of the Year and Critic鈥檚 Pick by 鈥淭he New York Times.鈥� Awards include being named Best Chicago Filmmaker two times and winning Emmy Awards by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2016 and 2017.

鈥淚 think my experience at Moraine Valley contributed to my professional success in a variety of ways,鈥� recalls Knade. 鈥淚 met, worked alongside, and studied under a collection of people who were very diverse in every sense. That really broadened my mindset and cultivated an understanding of and appreciation

for others鈥� perspectives. It also furthered my love of the intellectual life. I continue to enjoy learning and teaching and indulge that passion whenever possible.鈥�

He and his wife reside in Palos Park with their two young daughters. In his free time, Knade enjoys reading 鈥� four books a month on average 鈥� and playing billiards and chess. Learn more about Knade on his and on .

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