First lady Jill Biden, left, applauds after being introduced to speak by SVCC student Abril Vasquez-Tapia, right, during a visit to Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
DIXON, Ill. (AP) - First Lady Jill Biden on Monday used her first visit to Illinois since taking residence in the White House to visit a community college and tout their importance to the nation's economy.
The first lady made remarks to a socially-distanced audience of about 30 people at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon.
Biden discussed her experiences as an English professor at Northern Virginia Community College and the virtues of the community college system. She also praised a Sauk Valley program that offers tuition breaks to students who complete community service while they're in high school.
'œWe are reimagining our education system from pre-school to college,'ť Biden said. 'œWe can't continue to exclude some people from continuing their education just because they're from the wrong income bracket.'ť
Biden was joined at the college, which has an enrollment of about 1,270 students, by U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
During his remarks, Cardona noted the American Rescue Plan includes $40 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. He also pointed out the Biden administration's infrastructure proposal could help build and rebuild college facilities.
Biden, Cardona and Pritzker toured two college laboratories, one of which trains students in a mix of mechanical engineering and electrical knowledge to prepare them for manufacturing jobs. They also observed a demonstration of the college's robotic welder.
First lady Jill Biden, center, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, left and Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., second from right, tour the Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden speaks during a visit to Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden speaks during a visit to Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
Sauk Valley Community College nursing students Karl Drucklieb, second from left, and Patricia Garcia, second from right, work on a mannequin patient as SVCC Dean of Health Christy Vincent, left, talks about the school's nursing program with first lady Jill Biden, right, during a tour of the school in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden, right, speaks to Sauk Valley Community College nursing student Patricia Garcia, second from right, during a tour of the school in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. SVCC Dean of Health Christy Vincent, left, and student Karl Drucklieb, second from left, listen. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden, third from left, speaks during a visit with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, left, to Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. Joining them on a tour of the school is Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., second from left, SVCC student Eric Rosenow, third from right, SVCC Associate Professor of Electronics/Technology Steven McPherson, second from right, and SVCC graduate Crystal Collinson, right. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden, second from left, listens as Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, left, speaks during a tour of Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. SVCC student Eric Rosenow, center, SVCC Associate Professor of Electronics/Technology Steven McPherson, second from right, and SVCC graduate Crystal Collinson, right, listen. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden, arrives for a visit to Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021, as Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Ill., right, watches. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden arrives for a visit to the Sauk Valley Community College, in Dixon, Ill., Monday, April 19, 2021. (AP Photo, Susan Walsh, Pool)
The Associated Press