IVCC to name conference center for Scriba

OGLESBY — The Illinois Valley Community College Foundation will host a ceremony to officially name the pre-function area and rooms CTC124-125 of the Peter Miller Community Technology Center the “Ralph Scriba Conference Center” at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23.

Scriba, a 1951 LPO Junior College graduate, will join the ceremony from his California office via web conferencing technology.

A 1945 graduate of Mendota High School who grew up on a farm near Troy Grove, Scriba now lives in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. He recently made a $50,000 donation to IVCC’s agriculture program for an endowed scholarship and equipment for the precision ag program.

The donation brought his five-year total to $250,000. He had previously donated $50,000 to the CTC capital campaign and made the lead $150,000 gift to the scholarship endowment campaign.

IVCC President Jerry Corcoran praised the philanthropist and aviation parts pioneer for his passion for giving back to institutions that served him well and for always appreciating where he came from.

“Ralph is a modest gentleman who reached out to us in 2013 to see how he could help,” said Corcoran. “He is among IVCC’s greatest benefactors and so deserving of this honor.”

The event in CTC124-125 will include remarks from Scriba as well as college officials and agriculture student Martha Hoffman of Earlville. The public is welcome.