Laker Nation News

Lake Land College is offering a Grant Writing 101 course that will cover all aspects of the grant writing process.

The course will be a practical and humor-filled approach to grant writing and will explain how to begin composing grants of all sizes. Participants can expect to learn proposal design, the funder search and more. The class will work through various grant documents and will have time to ask as many questions as needed. By the end of the course, participants will have a much better idea of whether grants are a good fit for their school, nonprofit or agency.

The class will be taught by Fielding Jezreel who has worked in the grants field since 2013 and has raised more than $15 million for nonprofits.

The Grant Writing 101 course will meet on Monday, April 8, 2019 from 9 a.m. – noon.

Class will be held at the Workforce Development Center, room 105 located at 305 Richmond Ave. East, Mattoon. The cost is $99.

Register at lakelandcollege.edu/learn.

For more information, contact Professional Development Support Jackie Wake at jwake@lakelandcollege.edu or at 217-234-5087.

With spring just around the corner, it’s time to begin planning for graduation at Lake Land College. The annual commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, May 10 at 7:30 p.m. in the college’s field house. There is no cost to students to participate in the ceremony. Important information and deadlines follow.

In March, students need to:
• Complete the Intent to Graduate form for the spring 2019 semester by Friday, March 15. The form can be filed electronically through the Laker Hub.
• Fill out the form to measure for cap and gown on the Laker Hub by March 29.
• Purchase graduation announcements in the Lake Land College Bookstore.

In May, students need to:
• Pick up their cap and gown at the Bookstore between Monday, May 6 – Thursday, May 9 from 8 a.m.–7 p.m. or on Friday, May 10 from 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
• Attend graduation practice on Thursday, May from9 at 3 p.m. in the Lake Land College Field House.
• Report to their assigned buildings for line up at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, May 10. The ceremony begins at 7:30 p.m.

Any graduate who needs an accommodation due to a disability should call 217- 234-5259 to request arrangements prior to the practice session on Thursday, May 9.

For any questions concerning the commencement ceremony or practice, stop by Admissions & Records in the Luther Student Center or call 217-234-5028.

Lake Land College is pleased to guarantee a Presidential Scholarship to all eligible in-district high school graduates who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance. The scholarship covers the full cost of tuition for up to two consecutive academic years.

Students who meet one of the following criteria are eligible for the Presidential Scholarship: they are in the top 15 percent of students in their senior class or have an ACT composite score of 26 or higher/SAT total score of 1230 or higher.

Qualifying students must also:
• Reside in the Lake Land College district at the time of graduation.
• Graduate from a high school located in the Lake Land College district or
• Graduate from a high school serving a portion of the Lake Land College district, including Hume-Shiloh, South Central, Newton, and North Clay high schools.

Interested students should contact their high school guidance counselor to complete and submit the Presidential Scholarship Acceptance form. Home schooled and private school students in the district who meet the ACT/SAT score requirements should contact Lake Land College directly.

For additional information, visit lakelandcollege.edu/scholarship-opportunities or contact Coordinator for Strategic Student Communication & Initiative Michelle Zumbahlen at 217-234-5230.

Lake Land College is offering a series of Microsoft classes beginning the last week in March at the Workforce Development Center in Mattoon and at the Kluthe Center in Effingham. The classes offered will introduce students to varying levels of Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. Students are welcome to take each course individually or the courses as a group.

Microsoft applications have many functions and being confident in those functions is an excellent skill set. “These classes will help students brush up on their Excel and PowerPoint skills or learn more from it,” said Professional Development Support Jackie Wake.

The classes offered are made up of one session each:

Each class is $50 and the drop date for a refund is five business days prior to the class.
To register, go to lakelandcollege.edu/learn, choose the category “Professional Development Technology, Computer Skills and Software” and enroll. For more information, contact Wake at 217-234-5087 or email jwake@lakelandcollege.edu.

Ease into college or pick up some extra credits with an eight-week Mod II class this spring!

Each semester, Lake Land College offers two sessions of eight-week courses known as Mod I and II. Mod II classes begin March 11 and finish May 6 with finals held through May 10.

“Mod II courses serve many purposes,” said Emily Hartke, chair of counseling and judicial affairs advisement. “For new students, they are a great way to ease into college. For current students, they are a good way to pick up needed credits before the end of the semester.”

BIO130 Environmental Science is a new Mod II class beginning spring semester 2019. Environmental Science will be a hybrid class with content online and labs one day per week. Labs will be held on the Lake Land College campus each Monday from 3 – 4:40 p.m. beginning March 11.

The following Mod II courses are offered spring 2019:

ANT200 General Anthropology, ART250 Understanding Art, AUT082 Manual Dr Train and Axles, BIO130 Environmental Science, BIO226 Human Anatomy and Physiology II, BUS084 Advanced Medical Transcription, BUS085 Accounting Process, CAD056 CAD I, CET056 PCC Theory and Design, CET060 Surveying I, CIS101 Internet Systems/Applications, CIS160 Practical Software Application, ECO231 Principles of Economics I (Macro), ECO232 Principles of Economics II (Micro), EET050 Applied A.C. Circuits, EET075 HMI-Human Machine Interface, EET086 Prog Logic Controllers I, ESC100 Physical Geology, FLG141 Elem Spanish II, HED046 Food Service Sanitation, HED178 Responding to Emergencies, HED178 Responding to Emergencies, HED200 Principles of Health, HED290 Disease Processes, HIS252 West Civil/1660-Present, HUM150 Humanities through the Arts, IND042 Pipefitting Procedures, IND052 Electrical Installation Procedures, IND054 Trouble Shooting and Preventative Maint, IND062 Rigging and Hoisting, MAT132 Trigonometry, MTT050 Introduction to Machining Procedures, PED116 Golf, PED117 Advanced Golf, PED210 P/F Aerobic Fitness, PHI232 World Religions, PHI280 Ethics, POS160 American National Government, PSY271 Introduction to Psychology, SFS101 Strategies for Success, SOC280 Introduction to Sociology, SOC282 Social Problems, SOS050 Human Relations, TEC043 Industrial Safety, TEC052 Technical Math II, TEC056 Technical Math IV, WEL048 Shielded Metal Arc Welding II, WEL055 Pipefitting & Welding, WEL056 Metal Cutting and Fabrication and WEL057 Welding Fundamentals.

Counselors are available to assist students with Mod II registration Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Evening hours are available by appointment.

For registration information, call Counseling Services at 217-234-5232.

For the first time in the history of Lake Land College, Phi Theta Kappa has been recognized as a Five Star Chapter. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is a national organization that ranks campus chapters on a five star system.

With more than 50 hours of scholarly research, writing and community service, the Lake Land College Phi Theta Kappa chapter took a lead role in assisting with the opening of the Laker Food Pantry in the fall of 2018. This act of community service has opened up the opportunity for Phi Theta Kappa to be nominated for three awards at the national level, including Honors in Action Project Award, College Project Award and the Paragon Award for outstanding advisor.
Reaching five star status is not an easy task. Even maintaining a two star status takes preparation such as establishing chapter leadership and chapter engagement in Honors in Action.

This year’s Honors in Action project was on the topic of food and security in the community. “We considered food insecurity in the community a worthwhile topic to tackle, as nutrition is needed for both physical and mental growth,” said Phi Theta Kappa Honors in Action Co-Chair Tanner Clark of Strasburg.

This year’s goal for Phi Theta Kappa was to contribute to the college in a way that would make a difference in the lives of its students. By doing so, Phi Theta Kappa participated in several community service acts such as Special Olympics, Girls on the Run and the PB and J drive where the club collected 52 jars of peanut butter, 22 jars of jelly and several pounds of miscellaneous non-perishables for the Laker Food Pantry.

“We were able to accomplish this goal because of the students’ contributions. The club understood it needed to be a group effort that contributed to our campus and local community,” said Phi Theta Kappa Advisor and Academic Counselor Krista Burrell.

Phi Theta Kappa began its journey at Lake Land College in May of 1983. “For more than 30 years, the Lake Land College Phi Theta Kappa chapter has hovered around one and two stars. With each new academic year, we have a new set of students, which means that reaching five stars is not permanent. We must start over each year, making this accomplishment all the more impressive,” said Burrell.

Reaching five star status includes recognizing academic excellence by creating awareness of Phi Theta Kappa among the college community, establishing chapter leadership and engagement, developing an Honors in Action project and a college project such as maintaining a chapter Facebook page, increasing the Phi Theta Kappa presence on campus and increasing engagement in the region, and submitting at least three entries in the Hallmark Awards Program including the Honors in Action Project Award, College Project Award and at least one other individual award. To top it off, the chapter must attend the annual convention. The Lake Land College Phi Theta Kappa chapter will attend the National PTK Catalyst Convention in Orlando, Florida in early April.

Phi Theta Kappa sends invitations each year to students that have completed 12 credit hours at the collegiate level with a 3.25 GPA or exceptional high school students passing with a 3.5 GPA.

“Getting involved was a priority of mine when I started at Lake Land College. Being that Phi Theta Kappa is nationally recognized, I knew this would be a community that pushes me to do better,” said Phi Theta Kappa Public Relations Officer Bailey Fleshner of Windsor.

Additional members of the Honors in Action team are Phi Theta Kappa President Sterling Howard of Windsor, Phi Theta Kappa Vice President and Honors in Action Co-Chair Krista Taylor of Mattoon, Honors in Action Committee Member Trevor Elder of Sullivan, Phi Theta Kappa Treasurer Rhyta Hooks of St. Elmo and Phi Theta Kappa Secretary Kyra Jackson of Findlay.

The Lake Land College Board of Trustees posthumously honored Thomas H. Nolan, Oakland, with the Clem Phipps Exemplary Trustee Award. Nolan’s family accepted the award during the February board meeting.

The award is named after Clem G. Phipps, first chair of the Lake Land College Board of Trustees, to recognize former trustees who have demonstrated leadership and dedication to Lake Land College and the community.

Nolan was a charter member of the Lake Land Board of Trustees, elected to the board on Nov. 22, 1966, and serving through April 10, 1972.

Daughter Mary Anne Hanner said her father always regretted that he did not have an opportunity to pursue a college education because his father passed away suddenly when he was 17 and, as the only surviving son, he had to take over the family farm. He always felt that if Lake Land College had been available in 1947, he could have attended as a part-time student and continued to farm. But through his work on the Lake Land College Board of Trustees, Nolan fulfilled his desire to participate in higher education and provide opportunities to students.

Nolan was actively involved in the campaign to pass the referendum which authorized a community college in the Coles County area. He canvassed the Oakland area and the region of the college district. He relished the opportunity to work with college president Virgil Judge and board president Phipps and the other board members to increase the access to higher education to the citizens of East Central Illinois.

Nolan and members of the board traveled the country assessing junior college campuses before they made the final decision concerning the design of Lake Land College. He was enthusiastic about the unique design at Lake Land College and proudly took his family to the campus to celebrate when each building phase was dedicated.

In June of 2018, Lake Land College posthumously honored Nolan by designating him as one of Lake Land’s Top 50 Most Influential People. Trustees approved the Clem Phipps Exemplary Trustee Award honor during the regular January board meeting.

Nolan believed in public service and giving back to the community whenever he could. He served on the Coles-Moultrie Electric Board from 1972-1987 and as postmaster at the Oakland Post Office from 1964 to 1992. He was active in the Illinois Postmasters Association and served one term as the association’s president.

He was elected to serve as the District 1 representative on the Coles County Board in 1994 and served until his death in 1998. He also served on the Embarras Area Water District Steering Committee that brought a reliable water system to parts of rural Coles County.

Nolan was a member of the Parish Finance Committee of St. John the Baptist Church Catholic Church in Arcola, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, Coles County Historical Society, Coles County Board of Review, and East Oakland Township Park Board. He was a charter member of Chapter #4024 of the Knights of Columbus, Charleston, Illinois.

Nolan and his wife Marjorie, who survives, have five daughters, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Daughters Mary Anne Hanner, Catherine Miller, Martha Rardin, Kathleen Anderson, and Bridget Bassett nominated their father for the award.

The Lake Land College Radio/TV Department is hosting an open house Friday, March 22 from 12-2 p.m. Guests interested in experiencing working with broadcast equipment firsthand are encouraged to stop by and enjoy free food.

The open house will follow Laker Visit Day, which is an event for potential students that includes campus tours and opportunities to meet with faculty, students, staff and learn more about the college’s 150 majors.

During the Radio/TV open house, guests are invited to broadcast LIVE on the college’s student-run FM radio station, WLKL 89.9, The Max Alternative; anchor a newscast in the TV studio; use equipment in the TV production control room and studio; record and listen to their own audio spot using professional audio equipment; operate state-of-the-art camera and video equipment and experiment with industry-standard digital editing software.

“Anyone with an interest in this field is welcome to come, whether that be a high school student, a non-traditional student or a member of the public. Guests will be introduced to the studios, gain hands-on experience with broadcast equipment and software and will be introduced to the opportunities within the field,” said Greg Powers, speech communication/broadcasting instructor at Lake Land College.

Prospective students can major in Radio/TV Broadcasting and earn an associate degree that leads to either a Transfer Ready or a Workforce Ready degree. Students can also choose among three certificate programs.

“Lake Land College is one of only a few places where you get started within the first two weeks gaining that sense of comfort behind a microphone and on screen,” said Powers.

Those interested in fulfilling general elective credits can enroll in department classes throughout the year. Opportunities within the curriculum include broadcasting live on WLKL 89.9 The Max Alternative, anchoring a newscast, using equipment in the TV production control room and studio, recording and listening to an audio spot using professional audio equipment, operating state-of-the-art camera and video equipment and experimenting with industry-standard digital editing software.

For more information on the Radio/TV Open House or the Radio and TV Broadcasting program, contact Powers at gpowers@lakelandcollege.edu or call 217-234-5335.

Lake Land College recently received a capital credit excess check for $29,000 from Coles-Moultrie Electric Cooperative (CMEC). Sam Adair, manager of marketing and member services at CMEC, presented the check to Lake Land College President Josh Bullock.

CMEC is a not-for-profit cooperative with nearly 10,000 members. CMEC provides electrical service to residential members, large and small commercial members, manufacturing facilities, and educational facilities such as Lake Land College.

The CMEC began closing profits for the years of 1977, 1978 and 1979. Closing profits results in a credit excess. Adair explained, “Lake Land was a large user for the years of 1977, 1978 and 1979. Therefore, a larger sum of money was presented to the college.”

As a Lake Land College alumnus, Adair mentioned that he was delighted to present the check to his alma mater, as it is where he began his higher education.