Laker Nation News

Lake Land College unveiled the new Retiree Wall of Fame display located in the Luther Student Center at the Mattoon campus at an event Monday.

The Retiree Wall of Fame was created in 2008 to recognize the outstanding achievements of past Lake Land College faculty and staff who created the student-first principles college employees live by today.

Since 2008, the college completed the long-awaited renovation of the Luther Student Center to create a welcoming, one-stop center for students.

“As part of that renovation, the college had the opportunity to develop a contemporary and prestigious Retiree Wall of Fame display that truly reflected the forward-thinking mindset of the many retirees honored throughout the years,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said.

The college’s goal was to create a statement piece that could be easily updated each year with new inductees and one that would fit in with the progressive look and feel of the Luther Student Center.

For more than two years the pandemic limited the college’s ability to host events, thus this event was one of the first opportunities the Lake Land College Board of Trustees, faculty and staff had to gather in recognition of retirees.

For this reason, those celebrated at the event included inductees from 2020, 2021 and 2022.

The 2020 Lake Land College Retiree Wall of Fame inductees include:

Sandy Gourley

Gourley joined Lake Land College in 1984 as a Cosmetology Instructor. Within seven years, she took on the role of health education instructor/human services instructor. Gourley was the driving force behind as well as the author of the entire core curriculum for the human services program. She later went on to serve as the division chair for Social Science and Education for 10 years.

Linda Ruholl

Ruholl served for 17 years as a nursing faculty member. She was a part of the implementation of the televised teaching at the Kluthe Center and Paris extension center. She later wrote about the teaching experience and was published in the Australian Electronic Journal of Nursing Education. Additionally, she wrote a book about her time as a faculty member at Lake Land College titled “Nursing at Lake Land College 1987-2008.”

Wallace (Wally) Taylor

Taylor was among the first group of faculty members hired in 1967. In 1973, he was selected as an Outstanding Educator of America by the Outstanding Educators of America of Washington DC. Wally served as the Division Chair of English for almost 20 years.

The 2021 Lake Land College Retiree Wall of Fame inductees include:

Pam Crisman

Crisman led the public relations and development office for nearly 30 years, serving six presidents during her tenure. She received numerous awards for her public relations work during her tenure. Under her leadership as the Vice President for Development, Alumni Park was constructed, Foundation assets grew from $1 million to $8 million and she was instrumental in stewarding the Foundation’s largest gift to date.

Joyce Allen

Allen was the first Lake Land College psychology instructor and was one of the few original female faculty members. She served as Interim Dean of Instruction and accompanied Wall of Famers Chuck Womack and Dennis Gathmann on study abroad trips to Europe and Hawaii. Joyce had a lasting impact on student learning as one of the first to implement and advocate for learning objectives.

Ken Beno

Beno served as the WLKL Station Manager, Radio TV Broadcasting Instructor and Division Chair of Humanities. He created the WLKL FM Radio Station and the college’s leading-edge distance learning program. Both initiatives greatly expanded access to higher education and professional experiences for students. He also developed a Radio/TV sales course that prepares students to earn a nationally-recognized certification through the Radio Advertising Bureau.

The 2022 Lake Land College Retiree Wall of Fame inductees include:

Linda Von Behren

As the Dean of Admission Services and then Associate Vice President for Workforce Development, Von Behren led the implementation of technological advancements such as the electronic record system, the first online Intent to Enroll and the first online registration system. She worked with faculty and staff to grow the college’s service to students and communities, as well as implement several innovations in the Center for Business & Industry.

Donna Sherman

Sherman was awarded this honor posthumously. However the presentation recognized the positive impact Sherman had on Lake Land College during her 50 years of employment. She started as a secretary and retired as Director of the Bookstore. Like many retirees, just six months after retiring, Donna returned to work part-time in Admissions. Sherman also typed the first Lake Land College catalog. She ran the bookstore and central receiving as well as working closely with Dr. Luther to furnish and color match each building.

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees, faculty and staff congratulate all of the Retiree Wall of Fame honorees for their active roles in the community and dedication to the legacy of Lake Land College.

To view the new Lake Land College Retiree Wall of Fame in person, visit the Luther Student Center on the college’s main campus in Mattoon.

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