Laker Nation News

The Lake Land College Foundation & Alumni Association is hosting Love a Laker Giving Day on Feb. 14. Love a Laker is a one-day event that unites alumni, students, families, faculty, staff and friends to celebrate love and support Lake Land College students.

As a part of the Love a Laker event, the Foundation is asking couples to share their love stories that began at Lake Land College. All stories and corresponding photos will be shared on the Lake Land College website. Submissions can be made now until Feb. 9 by emailing alumni@lakelandcollege.edu with a story and photos.

On Feb. 14, all are welcome to visit the Lake Land College website to vote for their favorite of the submitted love stories. Individuals will receive an additional vote by donating any amount to the college through the Love a Laker donation form during the Giving Day event on Feb. 14.

The story that receives the most votes will be announced at the event’s conclusion. To view the submitted stories, vote for a favorite and make a donation through the Love a Laker donation form, visit lakelandcollege.edu/foundation/love-a-laker/.

“It’s been wonderful to see so many incredible love stories that started right here at Lake Land College, and we’re excited to receive even more entries,” Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations Amanda Allen said. “This event is such a fun way to bring the community together to celebrate these special stories and change the lives of our students through donations.”

All donations will go toward helping provide students with the resources they need. The form also allows all donors to select the specific fund they would like to support through their contributions. The initial $3,000 of donations received for the Giving Day will be matched, thanks to the generosity of SC3F Wealth Management.

In addition to the Love a Laker donation form, the Foundation offers many different ways to donate and support students year-round, including online giving, gift planning, endowed gifts, matched gifts, gifts via text message or check and others. To learn about the many ways to safely and securely donate, call 217-234-5363 or visit lakelandcollege.edu/foundation/giving/.

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The Lake Land College Library will hold a used book sale on Monday, March 11 to Friday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Members of the public are welcome at the sale, which will include a large selection of nonfiction books in most subject areas in addition to many fiction titles. All books will cost $0.50 and must be paid for in cash only. All proceeds will be used to help support and expand the library’s collection.

Community members attending the book sale are also encouraged to obtain a free Lake Land College Community Borrower Card. Cardholders can check out all Lake Land College library materials and access its ebook and e-audiobook apps. Those interested in obtaining a Lake Land College Community Borrower Card must bring a photo ID and a piece of mail proving district residency.

For more information on the Lake Land College Library book sale, contact Director of Library Services Sarah Hill at shill@lakelandcollege.edu or 217-234-5440.

To learn more about the Lake Land College Library, visit LakeLandCollege.edu/Library/.

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Lake Land College will host an 8th grade career conference on April 11 and 12, 2024 at the Lake Land College Field House.

The conference introduces 8^th grade students to various career possibilities by connecting them with local professionals representing a wide range of employment fields. The event is an exciting opportunity for career exploration and guidance for the students, and participating business partners benefit by investing in the workforce of the future.

Business partners interested in participating can register for the event at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CGC772T.

For more information, contact Perkins Specialist Joy Kaurin at 217-234-5032 or jkaurin@lakelandcollege.edu.

The event is sponsored by Lake Land College and Eastern Illinois Education for Employment System.

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Lake Land College is accepting nominations for the Distinguished Service Award, Pacesetter Award, Retiree Wall of Fame, Distinguished Alumnus Award/Alumnus Achievement Award and Distinguished Alumni Society. All nominations for these listed awards will be accepted until February 1, 2024.

The following awards will be presented to their respective recipients at the annual Foundation & Alumni Awards Ceremony in October.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual whose exemplary service and contributions have benefited Lake Land College or its affiliated organizations. Current paid members of the faculty and staff and current members of the board of trustees are not eligible for this award.

The Pacesetter Award is an Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) award that recognizes the accomplishments of Illinois’ more recent community college graduates. Nominees must have completed a recognized program of instruction (including dual credit courses) or attended at least 30 semester hours at an Illinois public community college.

The Retiree Wall of Fame Award goes to retired faculty and staff who have made significant contributions to the College and/or who have made contributions through their profession or community at the local, state, regional or national level that reflect positively on Lake Land College.

Recipients of the Wall of Fame status must have been employed at Lake Land for a minimum of 15 years and must have been separated from his or her position for a minimum of 5 years.

A candidate for consideration may be nominated by another person, or may submit his or her credentials directly to College Advancement.

The Board of Trustees presents the Alumnus Achievement Award annually to an individual who has attained outstanding success and distinction in his or her field of endeavor; has gained favorable statewide or national recognition; or has performed service, which has proven beneficial to society.

The recipient must hold a certificate and/or a degree from Lake Land College and be active in the endeavor in which he or she has achieved distinction.

The recipient of the Alumnus Achievement Award will be nominated for the Distinguished Alumnus Award with the ICCTA. The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes the many success stories of Illinois’ community college graduates.

Nominees must have completed a recognized program of instruction or attended at least 30 semester hours at an ICCTA member college. Currently serving trustees and presidents are not eligible for nomination. Posthumous nominations are not eligible for submission.

The Distinguished Alumni Society recognizes alumni who have utilized the Lake Land experience to make an imprint on their profession or community. An alumnus is anyone who has graduated from Lake Land College or has taken classes.

Nomination forms for all awards are available on the college’s website at https://www.lakelandcollege.edu/alumni/award-nominations/. Physical copies of each form are available by calling the Foundation at 217-234-5376.

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Lake Land College honored the Fall 2023 Medical Assistant program graduates at an annual pinning ceremony.

The Overall Most Improved Student award was presented to Nichole Bassemier. Wendy Fuqua received the Outstanding Achievement award.

The following graduates received pins at the ceremony:

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Graduating nurses received their pins at the 2023 Lake Land College Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) Bridge program pinning ceremony.

The LPN to ADN Bridge program provides a pathway for current LPNs to advance in their careers by becoming a registered nurse with one additional year of coursework.

Ivy Nichols received the Peer Award for demonstrating excellence in both the classroom and in clinical through professionalism, a caring nature and a cooperative spirit.

The Clinical Excellence Award was presented to Hallie Wallace for displaying confidence and professionalism in the clinical setting throughout the Associate Degree Nurse Program.

Shannon Robertson received the Marilyn Fuqua Thompson Nursing Award, which is given each year to a graduating student who is considered to be the all-around best student in the class. Selected by faculty vote, the recipient must be professionally superior and morally responsible, capable of using a strong scientific knowledge base to make and communicate wise decisions with compassion, care and composure, often in crises situations. Robertson’s name will be engraved on a plaque that is located in the nursing skills lab in Neal Hall.

The following students received pins at the ceremony:

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Lake Land College is accepting nominations for the Distinguished Service Award, Pacesetter Award, Retiree Wall of Fame, Distinguished Alumnus Award/Alumnus Achievement Award and Distinguished Alumni Society. All nominations for these listed awards are being accepted until February 1, 2024.

Nomination forms for all awards are available on the college’s website at https://www.lakelandcollege.edu/alumni/award-nominations/. Physical copies of each form are available by calling the Foundation at 217-234-5376.

The recipients of the following awards will be awarded at the annual Foundation & Alumni Awards Ceremony in October.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to an individual whose exemplary service and contributions have benefited Lake Land College or its affiliated organizations. Current paid members of the faculty and staff and current members of the board of trustees are not eligible for this award.

The past Distinguished Service Award winners are:

The Pacesetter Award is an Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) award that recognizes the accomplishments of Illinois’ more recent community college graduates. Nominees must have completed a recognized program of instruction (including dual credit courses) or attended at least 30 semester hours at an Illinois public community college.

The past Pacesetter Award recipients are:

The Retiree Wall of Fame Award goes to retired faculty and staff who have made significant contributions to the College and/or who have made contributions through their profession or community at the local, state, regional or national level that reflect positively on Lake Land College.

Recipients of the Wall of Fame status must have been employed at Lake Land for a minimum of 15 years and must have been separated from his or her position for a minimum of 5 years.

The recipient of the Retiree Wall of Fame honor will have his or her plaque unveiled at the annual Employee & Retiree Recognition Celebration designed to reflect upon the past contributions of the honoree.

A candidate for consideration may be nominated by another person, or may submit his or her credentials directly to College Advancement.

The past Retiree Wall of Fame recipients are:

The Board of Trustees presents the Alumnus Achievement Award annually to an individual who has attained outstanding success and distinction in his or her field of endeavor; has gained favorable statewide or national recognition; or has performed service, which has proven beneficial to society.

The recipient must hold a certificate and/or a degree from Lake Land College and be active in the endeavor in which he or she has achieved distinction.

The recipient of the Alumnus Achievement Award will be nominated for the Distinguished Alumnus Award with the ICCTA. The Distinguished Alumnus Award recognizes the many success stories of Illinois’ community college graduates.

Nominees must have completed a recognized program of instruction or attended at least 30 semester hours at an ICCTA member college. Currently serving trustees and presidents are not eligible for nomination. Posthumous nominations are not eligible for submission.

The past Alumnus Achievement Award recipients are:

The Distinguished Alumni Society recognizes alumni who have utilized the Lake Land experience to make an imprint on their profession or community. An alumnus is anyone who has graduated from Lake Land College or has taken classes.

The past Distinguished Alumni Society inductees are:

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Intelligent.com recently named Lake Land College as one of Illinois’ top 10 community colleges for 2024. In its annual assessment of higher education programs, Intelligent.com honors affordable, highly-regarded schools that equip their students with the resources needed to successfully graduate and excel in their fields.

In the report, Intelligent.com praised Lake Land College for its flexibility in preparing students for immediate employment or transfer through a wide variety of program offerings that range from eight weeks to two years. The report also recognized unique programs such as Crime Scene Technician, Court Reporting and Captioning, Geospatial Technology, IT-Computer Game Production, Livestock Production and John Deere Tech that expand the career possibilities for students.

“It is a great honor to receive this recognition from Intelligent’s rankings,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. “As we implement our Growing the Laker Advantage strategic plan, it is exciting to see tangible evidence that our efforts in demonstrating student-first values continue to reinforce our status as a top community college destination within the state.”

To see the full assessment and rankings from Intelligent.com, visit https://www.intelligent.com/best-community-colleges/illinois/#lake_land_college.

To become a Lake Land College student and apply for the spring semester, visit https://www.lakelandcollege.edu/enroll/.

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Lake Land College will host the St. Louis Cardinals Caravan at noon on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024 in the Lake Land College Field House.

This event gives fans the opportunity to interact with members of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, including current and former players, broadcast talents and other familiar faces. Children 15-years-old and younger will also receive one autograph from each current and former player in attendance at the event.

Doors will open at the Field House at 11 a.m. with the event beginning at 12 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person, and admission includes two hot dogs, a drink and chips.

Tickets for the event can be purchased in advance at the Lake Land College Field House Athletics Office or at Washington Savings Bank in Mattoon. Tickets will also be available at the door on the day of the event.

No preferred seating will be available.

The event is sponsored by Lake Land College Athletics and Mattoon High School Baseball.

For more information, visit lakelandathletics.prestosports.com/landing/index or call 217-234-5333.

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In honor of National Apprenticeship Week, Lake Land College held a celebratory luncheon to recognize business partnerships and apprentice accomplishments.

The event began with a declaration of National Apprenticeship Week from Lake Land College President Josh Bullock. Robert Woolum, apprentice program supervisor at North American Lighting, provided the event’s keynote address.

The celebration also included a panel of apprentices and business partners. All apprentices in attendance who had enrolled at Lake Land College since November 2022 were honored with a celebratory signing in recognition of their commitment to apprenticeship. The following apprentices and their respective employers participated in the signing.

“It is such an incredible honor to celebrate our apprentices and the success of our ‘Earn and Learn’ programs,” said Bonnie Moore, director to the Center for Business and Industry. “The opportunity that apprenticeship brings to our students and our business partners is a true recipe for success. We are so very proud of our apprentices, our apprenticeship programs and the Laker Advantage that apprenticeships provide to our communities.”

To learn more about Lake Land’s apprenticeship programs, contact Moore at 217-238-8260 or bmoore71258@lakelandcollege.edu.

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