Welding instructor Ian Milligan was awarded Carl Sandburg College’s Faculty Member of the Year award at last week’s commencement ceremony.
Not only is Milligan flourishing as a welding instructor but is a product of District 205 and Carl Sandburg College itself.
Milligan graduated from Sandburg in 2014, earning 4 welding certificates in a year, and then for 6 years was a production welder at CNH Industrial in Burlington, Iowa.
Routinely Milligan visits industry partners to maintain and build productive relationships between the College and businesses and review course content and have an informed understanding of what employers expect and desire from Sandburg graduates.
Milligan says he works to foster a “respectful, approachable and fun learning environment”, saying that he models the environment on what he experienced during his tenure as a welder at CNH Industrial.
Faculty and students who nominated Milligan noted how he went out of his way to assist students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Milligan continues to host open labs each Friday for students who want extra practice, and he holds monthly welding competitions among his students.
