Alexi Giannoulias is Gov. Pat Quinn's choice for Illinois Community College Board chairman.
Quinn is expected to name Giannoulias, 35, to the unpaid post on Wednesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Giannoulias, the youngest person ever to be elected State Treasurer, lost to Mark Kirk last year in a close race for Illinois' junior Senate seat. Since then, he's been busy planning for a political science class he's teaching at Northwestern University this fall and coordinating a full-time job he'll announce next month.
Giannoulias told the Sun-Times he's "incredibly excited" to help reform Illinois' community colleges and educate people to help them land jobs. In the short term, he said he aims to create advisory councils made up of business leaders to suggest job-promoting curriculum for each college.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan chimed in on the appointment, commending Quinn on picking "a passionate believer in public education."
