Laker Nation News

Visit Lake Land College and find out all the college offers at Laker Visit Day. The event will be held Friday, Oct. 11 in the Field House starting at 9 a.m. and will run until noon.

The event is for potential students who are interested in learning more about Lake Land College. Prospective students are provided with the opportunity to tour campus, visit a class, meet current students and talk with faculty. Parents and guardians are welcome to attend and learn more about the college during a parent session.

The event will feature informational sessions by current Lake Land College Student Ambassadors and college staff. Representatives from Admissions & Records, Financial Aid, Counseling Services, Career Services, Student Life and other departments will provide information and be available to answer questions. Students will also meet with faculty members in their academic area of interest.

“Laker Visit Day is a great way for prospective students and parents to talk to faculty and staff about academic options and majors, to talk to current students about their experiences at the college and to learn about various services and opportunities we offer,” Michelle Zumbahlen, coordinator for strategic student communication and initiatives, said.

On Laker Visit Day, attendees will tour campus with Student Ambassadors; comfortable shoes are recommended. To get to the Field House, take Entrance 1 from Route 45, proceed straight after the curve and park in Lot A. The Field House will be on the west side of Parking Lot A and has a white, circular roof. Enter the lobby from the south side of the building.

Student Ambassadors will greet guests and help with directions. In case of inclement weather on the day of the event, please check the college’s homepage at lakelandcollege.edu for closures.

For more information, or to register for Laker Visit Day, go to lakelandcollege.edu/visit or call 217-234-5377.

Since opening in 1995, the Lake Land College Kluthe Center, located in Effingham, has provided opportunities for thousands of area students to earn a college education close to home.

Kluthe Center Director Karen Kull presented an annual report to the Lake Land College Board of Trustees during the regular August meeting which is held at the center each year.

Kull reported new security cameras were installed in the entryways, hallways and outside of the building. Campus police and Kluthe staff can monitor the video feed. Additional updates include the painting of several classrooms and updates to landscaping.

Additionally, the Kluthe Center recently became a host site for I-CAR (Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair) training sessions. I-CAR is a not-for-profit organization providing continuing education and training for auto collision repair technicians.

The Kluthe Center also hosted several events throughout the year including Lake Land College Day where more than 300 area high school juniors attended to learn more about college and the options available in their own community. The Kluthe Center also hosted a C.E.F.S. Sign-up Day which was held in late July. The C.E.F.S. staff assisted more than 40 students in three hours, with several students driving from Mattoon. At the event, TRiO Student Services was able to recruit several students, Perkins information was given to all and several students’ questions were answered regarding financial aid and academic counseling.

In addition to hosting informational events and general education courses, the Kluthe Center is home to several full-time programs: Basic Nurse Assisting, Practical Nursing, Associate Degree Nurse, Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Basic Welding, Massage Therapy and Physical Therapist Assistant.

Adult Education GED classes were also offered at the center this past year along with English as a Second Language classes and Pathways Alternative high school classes. Basic computer training, Food Service Sanitation Certificate, and Welding Certificate classes were also held.

Lake Land College is offering a 50-hour Pharmacy Technician course on Tuesdays and Thursdays, beginning Oct. 8 from 6 – 9:30 p.m. The course will prepare students to work as a pharmacy technician in a retail or other pharmacy setting and to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam.

Through classroom lecture and hands-on labs, students will review dosage calculations, drug classifications, the “top 200 drugs,” I.V. flow rates, sterile compounding, dose conversions, aseptic technique, the handling of sterile products, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control and billing and reimbursement.

Class will be held at Lake Land College, 5001 Lake Land Blvd., in Mattoon in the Northeast Building, room 113. The cost is $1,399. Textbooks are included.

To register go to lakelandcollege.edu/learn.

For more information, contact Jackie Wake, professional development support, at 217-234-5087 or jwake@lakelandcollege.edu.

High school students are invited to attend Lake Land College’s annual Career Day event on Oct. 1 from 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. in the Field House.

Career Day is an event where nearly 1,200 high school juniors and seniors come to Lake Land’s campus to learn about a variety of careers and how to set themselves on a path to attain those careers. High school students have the opportunity to register for more than 175 different sessions in an array of fields. Sessions range from 20-50 minutes in length, allowing students to explore topics at a basic or in-depth level of the particular field. Sessions are presented by Lake Land faculty and staff as well as community professionals.

An Illinois Regional College Fair is held in conjunction with this event. Representatives from approximately 50 different colleges around the country will be on hand to speak with students about what their colleges have to offer. This college fair allows students to have exposure to many different colleges at one time, a unique opportunity that they might not have elsewhere. For a complete list of institutions in attendance, visit lakelandcollege.edu/college-fair.

Students who are interested in this event are encouraged to talk to their guidance counselor about attending.

For more information about Career Day and the Illinois Regional College Fair, contact Michelle Zumbahlen, coordinator for strategic student communication and initiatives, at 217-234-5230 or mzumbahlen4077@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College released its 2019 Fall 10^th Day Enrollment Report which shows a 9.5% increase in new students.

“We are excited to welcome a large group of new students to the Lake Land College community. We look forward to helping them transition to college life and the rigor of higher education courses,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said.

New students attending Lake Land College increased from 937 in 2018 to 1,026 in 2019. Students beginning their college education while attending high school increased by 8.4% through participation in dual enrollment courses and high school dual credit.

The college also welcomed a larger class of students transferring to Lake Land from other higher education institutions. This number is up 38% from 166 in 2018 to 229 in 2019.

Lake Land College continues to be the first choice among district high school seniors. For 18 years, the college has attracted more than 30 percent of all area high school graduates. This fall, nearly 35% of the Class of 2019 is enrolled at Lake Land College.

“This is a remarkable achievement and demonstrates the confidence our community places in the quality of a Lake Land College education. We are proud to be the college of choice for high school graduates in our area,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said.

Throughout the district, many schools have nearly 40 percent of the graduating class attending Lake Land with some as high as 66%.

The schools with the highest percentage enrolled are Dieterich High School, Kansas High School, Okaw Valley High School and Windsor High School. The schools with the largest number of graduates enrolled are Mattoon, Charleston, Effingham and Teutopolis.

In total, 629 of the in-district graduates are enrolled this fall, with each in-district high school represented in the freshman class.

Overall, there are 4,466 students enrolled at Lake Land College this fall. The total includes students seeking a degree or certificate, students enrolled in high school dual credit and dual enrollment and students taking short-term training or specific courses. Overall, headcount, or the total number of students taking classes, is down 2.5% from 2018; full time equivalency, FTE, or the total number of hours divided by 15, is down 3.3% from 2018.

Two main factors influencing enrollment are the size of the high school graduating class and increased opportunities for employment in our area. This year’s in-district high school graduating class of 1,807 was the smallest in the college’s history.

The college’s total enrollment combines the college enrollment with the enrollment of students in the Illinois Department of Corrections programs. When looking at the total picture over time, the college has sustained a steady growth rate in the past 20 years. Lake Land has surpassed the state average in growth, with the college showing a rate of 154% growth in the two decades, compared to a negative 8.3% rate for the state.

Over time, the college has seen a direct correlation between unemployment rates and college enrollment. With unemployment rates ranging from 3.2% to 4.7% throughout the district, potential students have many employment opportunities.

“We know a low rate of unemployment is good for our communities and we are pleased to see a thriving economy in our region. As people look toward the future, Lake Land College is available to help them move on to the next level in their career. Whether that means short-term training for a specific skill or an investment in a degree program, we have the resources people need to succeed in the workplace,” Bullock said.

Lake Land College continues to work with area business leaders to develop relevant training programs. This fall, the Center for Business & Industry introduced a new fast-track training partnership with Mars Petcare in Mattoon. The Technology Division faculty are working with North American Lighting and The Libman Company in Arcola to provide opportunities to students to enroll in Plastics Manufacturing. The program is now offered mainly online with hands-on labs offered alternate Saturdays in Paris. Students enrolled in the evening Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) program are training on newly donated equipment and progressing through an updated curriculum following an in-depth skills assessment with area professionals.  All of these programs were developed in response to a need identified in the local business community.

The 10^th day enrollment report is a standard report among the higher education community that captures opening enrollment data each semester.

The Lake Land College Student Activity Board is sponsoring a Blood Stem Cell and Marrow Registry Drive on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Representatives from the Be The Match organization will be available from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Laker Point of the Luther Student Center to talk with students, employees and community members who are interested in registering to be a donor.

People who register to be a blood stem cell and bone marrow donor have the opportunity to save someone’s life. A peripheral blood stem cell donation is a non-surgical procedure and is only slightly more involved than giving blood. Most donors are back to their normal routine in one to two days.

According to Be The Match, 70% of patients who need a stem-cell transplant do not have a fully matched donor in their family and must rely on the generosity of a stranger.

Donors must be between the ages of 18-44. Those who are older than 44 and want to be involved can encourage others to register as a potential donor.

To pre-register, go to join.bethematch.org/lakeland.

For more information about being a donor, contact Kathy Black, division chair business/business instructor, at 217-234-5348 or kblack@lakelandcollege.edu.

For more information about Lake Land College Student Life visit lakelandcollege.edu/student-life.

The Lake Land College Plastics Manufacturing program is now offered online with an in-person, hands-on lab meeting alternating Saturdays at the VoTech Center in Paris, Illinois.

“With the revised format, students can keep their current jobs, while training for a highly specialized new career,” Michael Beavers, division chair technology/electronics engineering instructor, said.

Individuals who are interested are invited to attend an informational session on Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 3 – 6 p.m. in the West Building, room 120 to learn more about the program and opportunities for financial assistance.

Classes begin Sept. 30. The program is structured for students to complete the certificate in four semesters. It is the only plastics training program in a 180-mile radius.

In partnership with the college, The Libman Company of Arcola, will sponsor two students enrolled in the plastics program. This is a competitive opportunity and candidates will be selected through an interview process.

While students spend their time at Lake Land College, they will be learning an extensive skillset that will help them prepare for the manufacturing field. Through many labs and hands-on experiences, students will learn and grow as manufacturers, preparing for their future. Students will work with molding processes and equipment that are used in the job field to manufacture plastics.

The many opportunities students will gain with hands-on learning experiences and labs truly sets the program apart from others.

For more information about the manufacturing plastics program, visit lakelandcollege.edu or contact Beavers at 217-234-5341 or mbeavers@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College is proud to announce the 2019 summer graduates. The following students completed their degrees and certificates this summer:

The Lake Land College Library will host the National Library of Medicine’s traveling exhibit, For All the People: A Century of Citizen Action in Health Care Reform, throughout the month of October.

The exhibit will be housed on the main level of the Judge learning Resource Center on the Lake Land College campus, 5001 Lake Land Blvd., Mattoon. The public is welcome to view the exhibit.

The exhibition explores the “lesser-known story of how movements of ordinary people helped shape the changing American health care system.” According to the National Library of Medicine, health care reform in the United States is a significant political issue and has prompted citizen action for more than 100 years.

The exhibition began traveling across the United States in December of 2015 and was developed and produced by the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.

Library hours are posted on the Lake Land College website at lakelandcollege.edu/library.

For more information, contact Sarah Hill, information services librarian, at 217-234-5440 or shill@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College is inviting all former athletes to a Laker Athletic Alumni Reunion during Laker Homecoming on Friday, Sept. 27 at 5 p.m. The reunion will be held in the Field House’s Walden Room.

Attendees can visit with former teammates, coaches and fellow athletes and enjoy refreshments before cheering on the Laker Volleyball team at 6 p.m. against Vincennes. Attendees are also encouraged to go to Grimes Field at Peterson Park in Mattoon to watch the Laker Baseball program take on Eastern Illinois University at 6:30 p.m.

“We are excited to welcome back our alumni. The Laker athletic programs have a long-standing tradition of success both on the field and in the classroom,” Bill Jackson, director of athletics, said. “Our alumni are the ones who have paved the way for our current Laker student athletes and have set the standards high. We truly enjoy the opportunity to welcome our former student athletes back to campus.”

Throughout the college’s history, there have been many athletic programs. Looking back through The Anchor yearbooks from 1968-1972, Lake Land College had the following programs: golf, cross country, baseball, women’s recreation association, pom-pom girls, cheerleading, basketball and wrestling. Today, Laker athletics consists of volleyball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, softball, baseball and cheerleading.

To RSVP to the reunion contact Ashli Wicker, TRiO SSS learning skills specialist/head volleyball coach, at awicker1@lakelandcollege.edu or 217-234-5260.