Daily Journal: Avendano makes second cut in Florida

Link to article: https://www.daily-journal.com/news/local/avendano-makes-second-cut-in-florida/article_9bc31430-36c2-11e9-b6b3-d71ff55599d0.html

Lee Provost | lprovost@daily-journal.com | 815-937-3364

KANKAKEE — Retiring Kankakee Community College president John Avendano has made it through the first round of interviews for the vacant Florida State College president’s position.

The initial narrowed list of 12 has been reduced to nine semifinalists, according to a story from the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Avendano was one of 74 applications the search committee first went through in narrowing its list to 12.

Avendano, 56, who will serve at KCC until June 30 as he helps incoming president Michael Boyd become familiar with the new role, will work his way through the next interview process.

Avendano has been KCC president since July 2009. He announced in September he would be retiring from the school at the end of the 2018-19 school year.

The paper reported the nine semifinalists are scheduled to visit the Jacksonville-based college on March 18-19 for personal interviews.

The finalist interviews and selection will be determined in early April, according to the 16-member search committee timeline. Like was done when KCC sought Avendano’s replacement, Florida State College will host the finalists to meet with students, faculty, administration and the public.

The school’s board of trustees is expected to meet on April 9.

Of the nine semifinalists, Avendano is one of five not from Florida. One of the five out-of-state candidates is David A.F. Sam, president and professor from Elgin Community College in Elgin, Ill.

A native of Aurora, Avendano has been a member of the Illinois Community College System for 33 years. Prior to serving at KCC, he was vice president of academic affairs and student development at Illinois Central College in Peoria.