The East St. Louis Higher Education Campus has a new director
Leonard “Gary” Cruise is the new director of the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus, the Illinois Community College Board announced Tuesday.
Cruise has held a variety of education roles in the metro-east. Most recently, he was the program outreach coordinator and site administrator at the East St. Louis Campus, which included coordinating the one-year career training programs offered on site through Southwestern Illinois College. He’s also been a Belleville school board member and the dean of students at Vashon High School in St. Louis.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to grow the East St. Louis Higher Education Campus and bring the community together to expand access to education for those living in East St. Louis,” Cruise said in a statement. “As a product of the East St. Louis school system, I know the value of education and what it can do to put people on a path to living a successful life.”
Cruise attended East St. Louis schools and graduated from Assumption High School.
The East St. Louis Campus opened in 1999 and has partnerships with Illinois community colleges like Lewis & Clark and Southwestern Illinois College, as well as Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
A variety of class subjects are taught on site in East St. Louis, including construction, welding and nursing.
