SOUTH HOLLAND, IL– Last Thursday, Mike Monaghan, Executive Director of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA), attended the South Suburban College (SSC) Regular Meeting of the Board of Trustees to acknowledge a distinction of service with a “very special award,” according to Monaghan. Monaghan presented an ICCTA Service Award to SSC Trustee Tony DeFilippo.
Monaghan addressed the Board of Trustees and gathered audience during the open meeting: “The ICCTA would like to recognize Tony DeFilippo for his 25 years of dedicated service as a Trustee of South Suburban College, Community College District 510. We are not only recognizing Trustee DeFilippo’s length of tenure, but also the quality of the years he has served our statewide system.”
Monaghan added, “Tony was 1 of 46 first time, newly elected trustees in 1990 and is 1 of only 2 of those 46 who are still serving the statewide system.” Furthermore, since 1965, there have been more than 2,200 trustees elected, and only 23 are still serving with 25 or more years of service—Tony is in that top 1% along with your board chair Frank Zuccarelli.”
Trustee DeFilippo, a Calumet City resident, works as a registered pharmacist and is responsible for the advancement of medical education and clinical trial opportunities at academic and medical centers. He serves in this capacity throughout the country. On the board level, DeFilippo serves as the SSC’s finance chair, a role he has filled for nearly his entire tenure while the college has collected 24 consecutive COE awards for excellence in financial reporting from the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO). The COE (Certificate of Excellence) is one of the highest recognitions a college can receive for their audited financial statements, confirming the school’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency.
“I would like to thank the ICCTA for this special honor and especially Mike Monaghan for taking the time to come to South Holland to present this award to me tonight,” said DeFilippo upon receiving the award. “I’m truly honored, but this isn’t about one person—this is an award that recognizes everyone in this room and all those over the years who dedicated themselves to this college, our students and our mission.”
Established in 1927, South Suburban College is a fully accredited, comprehensive community college with a diverse annual student population of more than 16,000. Located in South Holland, Illinois, SSC offers over 100 educational and career pathways through associate degree, certificate and transfer programs.
