Official Student Clubs & Organizations

It's really easy to get involved on the Highland campus, so go have some fun! If you have an organization or club idea not listed here, please contact Liz Gerber.  

Acting Company

Highland's Acting Company can help students take their first step toward a Tony or an Oscar. The Acting Company performs dramas, comedies, and musicals. All plays are open to student and community participation. Stop in the Fine Arts Department office, room 59, to find out about pending production plans and current production activities. Rehearsals are on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 9:00 and run five to six weeks.

John Webb: 815.599.3492, john.webb@highland.edu  

Adult Student Network

Highland offers a club specifically for our non-traditional students, because adult students often have different concerns than students who just graduated from high school. The Adult Student Network provides learning opportunities and promotes networking opportunities to its members. The format is a mixture of formal presentations and informal communication.  

Dana Zimmerman: 815.599.3597, dana.zimmerman@highland.edu

Carolyn Petsche: 815.599.3577, carolyn.petsche@highland.edu

Vicki Schulz: 815.599.3664, vicki.schulz@highland.edu  

Big Band

The music and the instrumentation of the 30 and 40s - the Big Band era - is still popular today thanks to the traditions of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Stan Kenton jazz ensembles. The legacy of these jazz ensembles continues on the Highland campus. The Big Band is a true melting pot of the community with a tremendous range of backgrounds and ages. This group performs a number of times each semester, both on and off campus.

Bill Petersen: 815.232.0400

Chorale

The Chorale is an 80-voice mixed choir that performs a variety of sacred and secular music from the 16th century to the present. The Chorale has performed in the world's most famous and spectacular venues, including Carnegie Hall in New York, St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, and the Dome Cathedral in Salzburg, Germany. The Chorale is open to all singers in the College and the community.   

Allen Redford: 815.599.3568, allen.redford@highland.edu   

Current Issues Club       

One of the best aspects of the college experience is engaging in intellectual and thought-provoking conversations. Escalating gas prices, immigration reform, war on terrorism, and all the current issues du'jour, can be fodder for spirited dialogue. The Current Issues Club meets every Wednesday from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the Board Room, located on the second floor of the Student/Conference Center.

Andy Dvorak: 815.599.3443, andy.dvorak@highland.edu  

Dairy and Livestock Judging Teams

Highland's Dairy and Livestock teams compete in national and international dairy and livestock judging contests, including the annual International Post-Secondary Dairy Cattle Judging Contest. The Judging Team members have the opportunity to enhance their academic experiences as well as strengthen their communication, decision-making, critical-thinking, and presentation skills.

Dance Team

The Highland Dance Team is enthusiastically dedicated to promoting the Cougar Nation spirit. Performances are an integration of hip-hop, jazz, and traditional pom moves and are choreographed by team members and the advisor. The Dance Team performs at Men's Basketball games. Tryouts are in the early fall. A commitment to both fall and spring semesters is needed, and the team practices twice a week. Previous poms and/or dance background is helpful but not necessary.

Diversity Club

Even though we all have different experiences and cultures, we also have similarities. Diversity can be a cornerstone that strengthens our society. By simply interacting with other races, we can break down preexisting barriers and even promote understanding and camaraderie. Diversity Club is a student group that focuses on providing social and cultural enrichment opportunities throughout the academic year. It also provides a system of academic and personal support for its members.

Tee Jay Jackson: 815.599.3487, thedford.jackson@highland.edu

E.A.R.T.H. (Environmental Awareness Represented Through Highland)

How we treat the earth today will truly leave our mark for future generations. The   Highland Environmental Awareness Group sponsors an Adopt-a-Highway cleanup project in partnership with the Illinois Department of Transportation and promotes environmental awareness by holding fundraisers and donating money to local environmental organizations.   

Juliet D'Souza, 815.599.3578, juliet.dsouza@highland.edu  

Steve Simpson: 815.599.3474, steve.simpson@highland.edu

Fellowship

Fellowship is a nondenominational, student-driven fellowship and service group on campus. The purpose of the fellowship is to build strong, supportive relationships in a spiritual environment. Each semester the Fellowship group coordinates meetings, campus presentations, and service projects that are based upon students' interests, availability, and leadership.

Tee Jay Jackson: 815.599.3487, thedford.jackson@highland.edu

Forensics

Employers often rate communication skills as one of their most desired characteristics in new employees. College students who have mastered their communication and public speaking skills often have an advantage over their peers, especially in today's competitive job market. Highland's Forensics provides an opportunity for students to enhance their research and communication skills while having fun. Highland's Forensics team competes in public speaking competitions on the local, regional, state, and national level.

Jim Yeager: 815.599.3432, jim.yeager@highland.edu      

Highland Chronicle

Highland Community College’s award-winning student newspaper provides students with professional journalism experience and provides an independent voice for HCC students. The Chronicle is published monthly during the fall and spring semesters. Student the Chronicle staff by enrolling in JOUR 131. The class is free to all HCC students and students receive three credit hours in English.

highland.chronicle@highland.edu
Sam Tucibat: 815.599.3614, sam.tucibat@highland.edu

History Club

The Highland History Club is open to all students who have an active interest in American history and would like to participate in social and educational activities with students of the same interests.   The History Club will also provide living history demonstrations and reenactments of the Civil War era.  

Andy Dvorak: 815.599.3443, andy.dvorak@highland.edu

Jim Phillips: 815.599.3469, jim.Phillips@highland.edu

International Club

The International Club helps students explore the College's rich student diversity. Both international and domestic students are invited to participate. This club can help students who are new to the States feel more comfortable with northwest Illinois and American culture, and it can be fun for the students who have aspirations to travel to new and exotic places but just haven't found the time or funds to make the trip. No passport required. The International Club meets on a monthly basis.

Tracy Mays: 815.599.3579, tracy.mays@highland.edu

Intramurals

Cramming for exams and writing papers can put a damper on students' social lives. With intramural sports, students can enjoy recreational competition, get to know some of their classmates outside of the classroom, and still have time to study-to ace that exam. A variety of intramural activities are offered during both fall and spring semesters, including co-ed volleyball and co-ed basketball. Like all other sports, there are rules for intramurals, too. Students who participate in intramurals must be enrolled in at least six credit hours at Highland.

Sharon Schultz: 815.599.3415, sharon.schultz@highland.edu

Phi Theta Kappa

Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the international honor society for community college students. It is the largest honor society in American higher education. Highland students who have earned a minimum of 12 credit hours and are maintaining a GPA of 3.50 are eligible for induction into the local Nu Mu Chapter. In addition to academic achievement and scholarship, PTK members conduct voter registration on campus, sponsor poetry reading and essay contests, conduct blood drives, food drives and children's book drive and sponsor a family at Christmas.  

Carolyn Petsche: 815.599.3646, carolyn.petsche@highland.edu

Physical Science Club

The Physical Science Club is one of the most energetic and innovative clubs on the Highland campus. The Physical Science Club built a 44-foot trebuchet that had a 3,000 pound counter weight. The trebuchet launch created an exceptional media buzz. It was picked up by networks across the country. The Physical Science Club also organized and hosted a 2006 Science Fair. This event showcased innovative science projects and engaged participants in enlightening and entertaining conversations with fellow science enthusiasts and educators.

John Sullivan: 815.599.3458, john.sullivan@highland.edu

Prairie Wind

The Prairie Wind is a collection of literature, poetry, artwork, photography, and music from many talented members of the Highland community. This beautiful publication, which is published each spring semester, is inspiring and unique. The covers of previous issues are hung on the wall located on the second floor of the Marvin-Burt Liberal Arts Center. The Prairie Wind is a collaborative effort involving students, Highland faculty and staff, and community members.   

Bob Apolloni: 815.599.3479, bob.apolloni@highland.edu

Pride Club

The Pride Club is dedicated to creating a supportive, accepting, and positive environment for Highland's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. The goal of Pride includes providing educational activities to foster a greater appreciation of diversity at the College. Pride supports courtesy, fairness, and respect for all students through advocating unity amongst the student body. The Pride Club is meant for students from all walks of life who wish to actively participate in the accomplishment of the group's goals.

Laura Watson: 815.599.3613, laura.watson@highland.edu

Royal Scots

The Royal Scots are a mixed ensemble vocal group that specializes in contemporary jazz and a cappella singing and improvisation. The Royal Scots maintain a rigorous performance schedule, including performing a main stage production to full houses each semester as well as concerts, festivals and tours.

Allen Redford: 815.599.3568, allen.redford@highland.edu

Student Senate

The Student Senate strives to help fellow students make the most out of their college experience. The Senate hosts several events each semester, including all-campus picnics and Battles of the Bands. The Senate also promotes community involvement by organizing Halloween walks, fund drives and food drives. The Student Senate is credited for establishing the Cougar Den, a student cheering section at the Cougars' home volleyball and basketball games.   

Liz Gerber: 815.599.3531, liz.gerber@highland.edu

Kay Ostberg: 815.599.3533, kay.ostberg@highland.edu

Wind Power Club

The club was created to develop interest in the student community about Highland’s wind technician program. The club will be promoting a future renewable energy direction for the College and the community. The club will institute community wind projects, promote the wind technician program and institute internship relationships for wind technician students. The club will also raise funds for travel to wind energy profiled conferences/AWEA events.

Steve Gellings: 815.599.3476, steve.gellings@highland.edu

Dave Vrtol: 815.599.3637, dave.vrtol@highland.edu

Unofficial Clubs and Organizations

Professional Support Network

Networking has invaluable opportunities and benefits, especially when looking for employment. The Professional Support Network is a participant-led group that facilitates the efforts of unemployed professionals to find new employment in the local area. Although several of the members are recently unemployed, this group is open to all Highland students.

Dana Zimmerman: 815.599.3497, dana.zimmerman@highland.edu  

Student Activities

Help create a fun environment on campus. Student Activities plans events throughout the year. Students participate in various events between their classes and after hours. Some events have included picnics, snow sculpting contests, Coffee House series, Ice Hog hockey games, and Euchre tournaments.

Liz Gerber: 815.599.3531, liz.gerber@highland.edu