Laker Softball Players Earn Honors Posted on May 18, 2022 In addition to clinching the Region XXIV Championship and earning a berth to the NJCAA Division 1 National Tournament, the Lake Land College Softball Team players received several honors Wednesday. The team heads to Yuma, AZ on Friday with a season record of 55 wins and 11 losses and the titles of: Great Rivers Conference Champions, NJCAA Region 24 Tournament Champions and 2022 NJCAA Central District Tournament Champions. This marks the ninth time Laker Head Coach Nic Nelson has taken his softball team to a national tournament in his 13 years of coaching at Lake Land. Several individuals received honors, including Jordan Sapp of Mattoon named as the 2022 NJCAA All Region 24 Player of the Year. Claire Maulding of Casey named as the GRAC Player of the Year; Eva Richardson of Casey named as the NJCAA D1 Regional Freshman of the Year; and Tori Haug of Commerce City, CO as the NJCAA Division 1 Central District Tournament MVP. The Great Rivers Athletic Conference (GRAC) All Tournament Team: 1st Team Claire Maulding, Casey Tori Haug, Commerce City, CO Eva Richardson, Casey Kaitlyn Scheitler, Carol Stream, IL 2nd Team Jordan Sapp, Mattoon Klara Cejkova-Kolaci, Prague, Czech Republic Region 24 All Region Team NJCAA D1: Claire Maulding, Casey Eva Richardson, Casey Tori Haug, Commerce City, CO Kaitlyn Scheitler, Carol Stream, IL Serenity Shemwell, Gracey, KY Jordan Sapp, Mattoon Mackayla Denney, Perth, Australia Ashlyn Hicks, Marion, KY Central District All-Tournament Team: Tori Haug, Commerce City, CO Isabella Atkinson, East Troy, WI Kaitlyn Scheitler, Carol Stream, IL Eva Richardson, Casey Ashlyn Hicks, Marion, KY Individual photos are available on the Athletics page with a link from the roster: https://lakelandlakersathletics.com/sports/sball/2021-22/roster.
Laker Softball Team Headed to Nationals Posted on May 17, 2022 May 17, 2022 The Lake Land College Softball Team clinched the Region XXIV Title on May 17, 2022 and is headed to nationals in Yuma, Arizona. The Lakers defeated the John A Logan Volunteers by a score of 15-3 in the Region XXIV Championship game, earning a birth to the 2022 National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division I Softball Championship National Tournament from May 24-28. Laker Softball 2022 Region XXIV Championship Roster.
Lake Land College welcomes new student trustee Posted on May 16, 2022 The Lake Land College Board of Trustees welcomed Maggie Kelly, Strasburg, as the 2022-23 Student Trustee at the May 9 meeting. 2022-23 Student Trustee Maggie Kelly “I am honored to have been selected as the 2022-2023 Lake Land Student Trustee,” Kelly said. “I am very excited to start my role and be a link between the student body and the board of trustees.” Kelly is a freshman majoring in pre-veterinary medicine. Having grown up on a purebred Angus cattle farm in rural Windsor, Illinois owned and operated by her family, Kelly said she had a passion for animals instilled in her from a young age leading her to pursue a career as a veterinarian and possibly specializing in embryology. After graduating from Lake Land College Kelly plans to attend Kansas State University, and she hopes to return home after attending vet school to be a large animal veterinarian and serve local livestock producers and farmers. As she adapts to her new role as student trustee, Kelly said she plans to not only continue working on projects her predecessors were passionate about, but to seek out topics that are important to her peers and pursue those as well. “I want my peers to see me as someone approachable that they can come up to and connect with for help,” Kelly said. “I hope they will see me as someone who can understand and interpret their questions or concerns and be able to provide assistance.” Kelly said another reason she was excited to take on the role of student trustee was because of her passion for Lake Land College. “Lake Land really feels like home,” Kelly said. “A lot of people say that, but that’s because it’s true. All of my instructors have been pretty great.” For more information on Kelly, visit lakelandcollege.edu/student-life/student-government-association. -30-
Lake Land College hosts student art exhibition Posted on May 3, 2022 Lake Land College displayed original student artworks that answered the question “What do Inclusion, Diversity and Equity mean to you?” from April 4 -20. The artworks are part of a contest hosted by the Lake Land College Inclusion and Diversity Education Committee (IDEC). Pictured are students Kai Starrett, Emily Ennis and Emily Montoya. “I think this contest is an excellent opportunity to get our students involved and allow them to communicate and express themselves via other mediums,” IDEC Chair Kim Hunter said. “We always want to make certain we are creating an inclusive space for all of the individuals in our Laker community to express themselves authentically. The artwork is a unique way to raise awareness in the college community.” The winning pieces, which judges selected, will be displayed on campus until the end of the semester. The contest consisted of five winners. Katie Clark earned Graphic Design 1st Place for “Let Equality Bloom.” In Graphic Design 2nd Place, Alexus Ault won for “Make The Mix Work.” Pictured are Graphic Design Second and First Place winners Alexus Ault and Katie Clark with their pieces “Make the Mix Work” and “Let Equality Bloom.” Pamela Miller earned Other Media 1st Place for “Dependency,” and Kendall Plummer earned Other Media 2nd Place for “Untitled #3”. The Judge’s Choice was “beauty of the world & Diversity” by Emily Montoya. Pictured are Other Media First and Second Place winners Pamela Miller and Kendall Plummer with their pieces “Dependency” and “Untitled #3.” Pictured is Judges’ Choice winner Emily Montoya with her piece “beauty of the world & Diversity.” “To me, diversity and inclusion are being able to learn and understand all types of life,” Clark said of her piece. “It is important to work with people from all different backgrounds because they all have something different and unique to bring to the table. Everyone is equally beautiful in my eyes. We can all grow together, no matter our differences.” “Diversity and Inclusion, to me, is about empowering people by respecting and appreciating what makes them who they are,” Ault said in her piece’s description. “We are all different in our own ways and those differences shouldn’t be the cause of our conflicts. We were all put on this earth for a reason: to support, love and care for one another no matter our age, gender, ethnicity, religion, or race. We should embrace these differences and work together to achieve our goals.” Both first place winners received $50 Amazon gift cards, and both second place winners as well as the judge’s choice winner received $25 Amazon gift cards. All artists were awarded a $10 Walmart gift card for their entries. For more information on the Art Exhibition or the IDEC, visit lakelandcollege.edu/diversity. -30-
Lake Land College to celebrate annual Commencement Ceremony Posted on May 2, 2022 Lake Land College will honor graduates at the annual Commencement Ceremony Friday, May 13 at 6 p.m. in the Field House. More than 750 students will receive degrees and certificates this spring, with more than 280 graduates expected to participate in the ceremony. Alumnus Achievement Award recipients Todd and Ali Rauch will be recognized at the event for their continued efforts to make a difference in their professions and community. This same enthusiasm, commitment and desire to make a difference led Todd Rach and then Ali Vice to succeed as student leaders at Lake Land College have propelled them to success in their careers. The Rauchs met at Lake Land in 2006 when they served on the Student Government Association and were instrumental in the building of the Lake Land College Fitness Center. Ali, a first-generation college student, was also a member of Phi Theta Kappa, and Todd served as the 2006-2007 Student Trustee. They are the only couple to have married on campus. Today, Todd Rauch is a city council member for the City of Opelika, in Alabama, serving his constituents as their elected representative in the legislative branch of Opelika’s Municipal Government, which is the policy-making body. He was recently named to Business Alabama’s Movers & Shapers list, as was Ali in 2021. Ali serves as president & CEO of the Opelika Chamber of Commerce, a membership organization that acts as the voice for business for almost 20,000 employees across Opelika and the surrounding area. Most recently, she led the Opelika Chamber to join the top 3% of Chambers nationwide, earning a 5-star accreditation for their sound business practices through the US Chamber of Commerce. Both Todd and Ali continue to be involved in higher education and advocate for their local community colleges by sharing their impactful experiences at Lake Land College. ICCTA Outstanding Full-time Faculty Member Award Recipient Bambi Jones will also be recognized at the event. Taking the initiative to develop new strategies in teaching math, Jones understood that the completion of developmental math sequences can be a barrier to retention and success for community college students. To overcome these challenges, she worked to establish Math Literacy at Lake Land College, which is leading the transitional math course initiative between the college and district high schools. Her leadership with the implementation of co-requisites math courses at Lake Land College developed into a model that the Illinois Community College Board has since recognized as a best practice. Jones implements instructional strategies to help students learn subject material that many find difficult or intimidating. She has incorporated project-based learning into her statistics course in a way that engages students and helps them to understand the relevance of the material. “Undoubtedly, Ms. Jones is an extremely valuable asset to Lake Land College, and we want to honor her commitment to our students, faculty, staff and community,” Lake Land College Board of Trustees Chair Mike Sullivan said. On the day of commencement, the doors of the Field House will open at 4:30 p.m. with overflow seating available in the Luther Student Center Theater. Handicap accessible seating will be available in both locations. Parking on campus is free with the parking lots A and B being closest to the Field House. Lake Land College will stream graduation live on Friday, May 13, 2022, at 6 p.m. (CST) at lakelandcollege.edu. The streaming must be viewed on a Microsoft windows operating system. The ceremony will also air on WEIU-TV YOUR 13 on May 21 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m., May 22 at 12 p.m., May 24 at 7 p.m., and May 30 at 6 a.m. as well as on Mediacom MC 22 at a time to be announced. Photos taken by Marketing & Public Relations will be available for download at lakelandcollege.edu and on social media. For more information, visit lakelandcollege.edu/admissions/graduation. -30-
Lake Land College celebrates Autism Acceptance Month Posted on April 20, 2022 Throughout the month of April, Lake Land College is recognizing, celebrating and empowering the many individuals in our society living with Autism. To honor these outstanding individuals, Lake Land College has shared information on its Inclusion and Diversity webpage about several people, including celebrities, with Autism. Included in this list is Lake Land College student Darrius Frazier, who has also served as a member of the Autism Society’s Council of Autistic Advisors since 2013. Frazier is now an Information Technology major at Lake Land, after having earned three baccalaureate degrees at Eastern Illinois University as well as having previously earned an associate of applied science degree and three certificates from Lake Land College. “No two people with Autism are alike, meaning that like fingerprints Autism affects each individual differently,” Frazier said. “I prefer the term ‘person with Autism’ rather than ‘Autistic person,’ since the former puts the person as the main subject and the condition as secondary. Saying someone is Autistic may make it seem that the condition is the important thing about them, and obviously there is so much more than meets the eye.” During his time on campus, Frazier has been involved with the Broadcast Communications Club, the Information Technology Club, the Navigator newspaper, the National Society of Leadership Success as well as Phi Theta Kappa. Lake Land College is proud to offer Frazier as well as other students with Autism the opportunities to find the support they need to pursue their passions. For more information on inclusion, diversity and equity at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/diversity. -30-
Lake Land College Broadcasting Students Earn Broadcast Sales Certification Posted on April 13, 2022 Several Lake Land College broadcast sales students recently earned certification as broadcast sales professionals from the broadcast training company, P1 Learning, in partnership with the Illinois Broadcasters Association’s Sales Training Program. Pictured in the front row, seated from left to right: Kyla Hutton, Arcola; Stephanie Sample, Sullivan; Mahala Van Hise, Charleston. Standing left to right: James Silas, Mattoon; Eli Garwood, Paris; Alan Craig, Mattoon. Over the course of four weeks, students completed a variety of online video courses, tests and assignments as part of the broadcast sales class in the Radio/TV Broadcasting program at Lake Land College. P1 Learning is a nationally recognized training company that administers training for hundreds of broadcast stations, corporations and state broadcaster associations to provide content in the topics of sales, leadership, management, on-air, compliance and more. Broadcast Communication Instructor and Station Manager of WLKL 89.9 FM Greg Powers assisted students in preparing for the certification and explained the benefits of receiving the broadcast sales certification. “For students entering the broadcast workforce, this certification can be extremely beneficial to their careers,” Powers said. “Broadcast employers are searching for employees who have experience in multiple areas, so the students who have completed this training are very marketable.” Each of the professionals will be honored on a plaque displayed alongside those of previous year’s students. The Illinois Broadcasters Association (IBA) funded the initiative. “I am extremely grateful to Dennis Lyle, president and CEO of the Illinois Broadcasters Association, and the IBA board for their financial support,” Powers said. For more information about Lake Land College’s Radio/TV Broadcasting program, contact Powers at 217-234-5335 or visit lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand-programs/radio-tv-broadcasting or 899themax.com. -30-
Lake Land College recognizes employees at event Posted on April 5, 2022 Lake Land College recognized employees who will be retiring, those who have achieved years of service milestones, faculty award winners and peer-nominated Shine award winners at an employee recognition event in March. Lake Land College congratulates the 2022 Lake Land College retirees including Vice President for Academic Services Jon Althaus after 30 years of service, Power Plant Mechanic Instructor/Coordinator John Gentry after 13 years of service, Administrative Assistant to Agriculture and Technology Cathy Montgomery after 23 years of service and Academic Service Specialist for the Dean of Guided Pathways Shelley ZuHone after 13 years of service. At the event, Lake Land College President Josh Bullock recognized college employees who met years of service milestones. Board of Trustees Chair Mike Sullivan was recognized for 35 years and Vice President for Academic Services Jon Althaus was recognized for 30 years. Those recognized for 25 years included Chemistry Instructor Iffat Ali, Division Chair Technology/Electrical Engineering Instructor Michael Beavers, Industrial Maintenance Instructor/Coordinator Kris Kersey, English Instructor Matt Landrus, Counseling Services Operations Specialist Lisa Leisch, Automotive Technology Instructor/Program Coordinator Kevin Miller, Agronomy Instructor/Farm Manager Mark Niemerg, IT Instructor/Program Coordinator IT-Network Administration Scott Rhine, Business Instructor/Program Coordinator Desktop Publishing/Graphic Design Marcy Satterwhite, IDOT QMTP Instructor/Program Coordinator Lori Walk and Biological Science Instructor Jeff White. The employees recognized for 20 years of service were Chemistry Instructor Gregory Capitosti, Administrative Assistant for the Vice President for Business Services Connie Compton, Biological Science Instructor Marc Dal Ponte, Mathematics Instructor Bambi Jones, Webmaster Jana Kelly, Automotive Technology Instructor/Program Coordinator Brian Madlem, Communication Studies Instructor Eva Ritchey and Facilities Coordinator to Physical Plant Operations Kimberly Wellbaum. Those recognized for 15 years of service included Assistant to Dean of Corrections Jenny Lange, Director of Enterprise Applications Tony Sharp, Director of Enrollment Services Paula Smith, Communication Studies Instructor Edward Thomas, Renewable Energy Instructor/Program Coordinator Joseph Tillman and Lead Custodian Diana White. Being recognized for 10 years of service were Basic Nurse Assistant Instructor/Director BNA Program Laura Deters, Coordinator of Employment and Compensation Misty Keller, CIM Technology Instructor/Program Coordinator Leo Kitten, Executive Assistant to the President’s Office Seirra Laughhunn, Police Officer Peter Lusk, Cosmetology Receptionist Jan Storm and English Composition Instructor Tara Watson. Those recognized for five years of service included Manager of Bookstore and Textbook Rentals Amanda Arena, Chief of Police Jeff Branson, Central Receiving/Mailroom Assistant Autumn Bustillos, Allied Health PTA Clinical Instructor Thomas Dal Pozzo, Head Cheer Coach Haili Denning, Cosmetology Clinical Instructor Megan Donnel, DOC Infrastructure Administrator Greg Harper, Adult Education Instructor Ruby Huston, Adult and Alternative Education Program Coordinator Desiree Overstreet, Pathways Classroom Assistant Kara Shuff, Adjunct Reading Instructor Ian Stamps, Mailroom Assistant Patrick Taylor, Early Childhood Education Instructor Tanille Ulm, Kluthe Test Proctor Libby Van De List, Senior Human Resources Generalist and College Compliance Coordinator Colleen Winchester and Medical Assistant Program Instructor/Director Medical Assistant Program Molly Yeske. Adjunct faculty members were also honored for semester milestones. For 40 semesters Jenny Beliz, Jason Wright and Sarah Wright were recognized. Stacia Ozier and Timothy Stolz were honored for 30 semesters. For 20 semesters Sarah Powers and Brett Sawyer were recognized. Ryan Satterfield and Michael Schwenke were honored for 10 semesters. Matt Landrus presented the 2022 LLCFA Outstanding Service Faculty Award to Gregory Capitosti, and Emily Hartke presented the 2022 ICCTA Outstanding Full-time Faculty Award to Bambi Jones. President Bullock then announced the 2022 Shine Award recipients including Jennifer Billingsley, Lisa Cole, Joseph Tillman, Christina Uphoff Nees and Kimberly Wellbaum. Lake Land College expresses congratulations and gratitude to all of the employees honored at the event for the hard work and dedication the employees have shown to the college. -30-
Lake Land College Foundation receives largest cash gift to date Posted on April 1, 2022 The Lake Land College Foundation recently received its largest cash gift in the history of the organization. The $1.7 million gift was donated to benefit Shelby county students from the Cecil Paul and Marjorie Wilson Davis Estate. “This transformative gift will positively impacts hundreds of students’ lives from Shelby County through traditional scholarships, dual credit and dual enrollment opportunities,” Executive Director for College Advancement Christi Donsbach said. Cecil Paul and Marjorie Wilson Davis were very involved in their communities and professions and wanted to be able to give back by creating opportunities for Shelby County residents to pursue a college education. Paul Davis enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1944 as a plank member of the destroyer and radar picket ship Herbert J Thomas DD 833. Davis went on to graduate from the University of Illinois in 1950 with a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. After working at Smith-Douglas Fertilizer in Streator for several years, Davis moved to Gibson City in 1960 and began farming in 1962. Davis married Marjorie Wilson on June 28, 1970 and retired in 1991. Marjorie Wilson Davis was born in rural Windsor and graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1951. Having taught English for 24 years at Stephen Decatur High School and Champaign Central High School in Urbana, Wilson Davis held professional memberships in Delta Kappa Gamma, Honorary for Women Educators, KAUW and National Council of Teachers of English for which she was state secretary for five years. Also a co-teacher leader for summer school travel studies to Europe for high school students, Wilson Davis was an active member of the Dix Unit of Homemakers Extension and the Guthrie Club. For more information about the Lake Land College Foundation, visit lakelandcollege.edu/foundation. -30-
Apprenticeship Expansion Grant awarded to Lake Land College Posted on March 25, 2022 As the fiscal agent to LWIA 23, Lake Land College has been awarded $98,480 for the Apprenticeship Expansion Grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The grant funds will be used to hire an apprenticeship navigator for all of Economic Development Region 7. Apprenticeship navigators are an essential component to the apprenticeship Illinois framework as they work directly with businesses to cultivate and launch new US Department of Labor-registered apprenticeships. Workforce partners across Local Workforce Innovation Area 23 formed an Apprenticeship Navigator Consortium to support the expansion of apprenticeships in the region. The Consortium is comprised of partners spanning the thirteen county region – Clark, Clay, Crawford, Coles, Cumberland, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Jasper, Lawrence, Marion, Moultrie and Richland. The participating partners are: Local Workforce Innovation Board 23, Lake Land College, Kaskaskia College, Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, Illinois Department of Employment Security, Illinois Department of Rehabilitation Services, Effingham Regional Growth Alliance, Paris Economic Development Corporation (PEDCO), Paris Union School District, East Central Illinois Development Corporation and Richland County Development Corporation. The new apprenticeship navigator will build capacity and support the business ecosystem in key industry sectors. The new apprenticeship navigator will work at the regional level, being the key point of contact in the area for the expansion of registered apprenticeship programs. The person in this position will build relationships with regional employers to expand the use of apprenticeships as a work-based learning strategy. The apprenticeship navigator will build and maintain effective partnerships among businesses, the workforce system, education/training providers and other stakeholders. The primary objective of the navigator is to expand apprentice sponsorship by employers and intermediaries in existing and new occupations within their region. The apprenticeship navigator will support workforce demand by utilizing apprenticeship as a workforce development tool for businesses. The goal of the project is to develop at least five new apprenticeships, expand existing apprenticeships, and to overall raise awareness and visibility of what apprenticeships are and the advantages they pose to businesses, the workforce and the local economy. The apprenticeship navigator will focus first on apprenticeships in EDR 7’s most in-demand industries based on labor market information and the EDR 7 Regional Plan: healthcare, transportation, distribution and logistics, education, construction and manufacturing. The apprenticeship navigator will work closely with established intermediaries to cultivate stronger partnerships and facilitate the development of new apprenticeships. With a dedicated apprenticeship navigator in the region, more registered apprenticeships will be established and thus strengthen local workforce through work-based learning experiences. For more information on the Apprenticeship Expansion Grant, the newly created position of apprenticeship navigator or workforce development needs, please contact Jamie Corda Hadjaoui, Director of Workforce Investment/LWIA 23 at jcorda12886@lakelandcollege.edu. -30-