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Laker Nation News

Community Learning offers Painting Class

Posted on January 9, 2019

Lake Land College Community Learning is offering a Painting with Oils or Acrylics class at the Kluthe Center, 1204 Network Centre Blvd., Effingham. The eight-session class is open for registration and will be held on Wednesdays beginning Feb. 13 through April 3 from 10-11:30 a.m. The class will be taught by Vera Keplar, who has a master’s degree in art from Eastern Illinois University and has taught art in the K-12 schools and adult level for many years. In addition, Vera has been a judge for art competitions.

The class is for the beginner to the experienced painter. Students will paint on canvas using oil or acrylic paints and will be able to choose their own subject matter. Students will need to bring their own paint supplies. The supply list includes: basic colors of oil or acrylic tubes of paint, variety of sizes of oil or acrylic paint brushes, and 16” x 20” minimum size canvas panels or stretch panels. The cost is $40 for the class. To register, go to www.lakelandcollege.edu/learn. The drop date for a refund is five business days prior to the class. For more information, contact Jackie Wake, professional development support, at 217-234-5087 or email jwake@lakelandcollege.edu.

Foundation scholarship application period closing soon!

Posted on January 4, 2019

Lake Land College Foundation scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 academic year are due Feb. 1 at 11:59 p.m.

Students graduating from high school, adults who are enrolling at Lake Land College and current students are encouraged to apply.  Those students who received a Lake Land College Foundation Scholarship for the 2018-2019 school year and wish to be considered for a 2019-2020 award must reapply.

The online scholarship application process has changed for 2019-2020. In order to apply, students will have to complete a Laker profile and Intent to Enroll at lakelandcollege.edu/enroll. A welcome packet will then arrive in the mail containing a student ID number and password, which is needed to access the Laker Hub. Once logged into the Laker Hub, students can then locate the scholarship application button to access and complete the application. New students are advised to allow two weeks for this process.

There are four questions a student should be prepared to answer with a 100-word response for each. They are: 1. Describe your career aspirations and your educational plans to meet these goals; 2. Explain how you have helped your family and/or made your community a better place to live; 3. Describe your financial situation and how a Foundation Scholarship can help you achieve your educational goals; and 4. Describe a significant change or experience that has occurred in your life. How did you respond and what did you learn about yourself?

Applicants will be considered for all foundation scholarships for which they qualify by submitting just one application. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.

This academic year the foundation awarded 648 scholarships, ranging from $300 to $5,000 each. Since 1992, the foundation has awarded more than $6 million to 10,000 deserving students attending Lake Land College.

 

For additional information, contact the foundation at 217-234-5445 or foundation@lakelandcollege.edu.

 

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Lake Land College offers Grant Writing 102 Course

Posted on December 18, 2018

Lake Land College is offering a Grant Writing 102 course that will go deeper into the basics of grant research and application writing.

The two-day course will cover best practices for finding grants and basic information on search engine, including hands on practice on the use of the one of the databases. Participants will learn how to write a “fundable” grant application based on sound research practices. Using their own potentially “fundable” projects, participants will learn how to draft an application, explore common grant questions, and critique other participants’ applications to provide practice at identifying sound grant making principles.

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 102 course will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019 and Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. both days. Lunch will be provided.

Class will be held at the Workforce Development Center, room 101 located at 305 Richmond Ave. East, Mattoon. The cost is $425.

Register at lakelandcollege.edu/learn.

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

 

Lake Land College Board of Trustees Candidates

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The Lake Land College Board of Trustee election will be held in the April 2, 2019, general election. Two six-year terms and one four-year unexpired term will appear on the ballot for Lake Land College.

The following three individuals submitted petitions for a six-year term and will appear in this order on the ballot: Dave Storm, Effingham; Kevin L. Curtis, Mattoon; and Meg Yargus Steward, Marshall. Denise Walk, Teutopolis, submitted petitions to be on the ballot for the four-year, unexpired term.

The five dates for filing objections to petitions are as follows: Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018 to Friday Dec. 21, 2018, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. each business day and Wednesday, January 2, 2019 from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

File all materials at the office of Jean Anne Grunloh, senior executive to the president, Lake Land College, Board and Administration Center, 5001 Lake Land Boulevard, Mattoon.  For more information, please call 217-234-5222.

Lake Land College in Top 100 Ranking of Community Colleges Awarding Degrees to Minority Students

Posted on December 14, 2018

Lake Land College is ranked among the Top 100 colleges in the country for awarding ALS/General Studies degrees to African American students according to a recent independent study by the news association Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.

Diverse: Issues in Higher Education’s Dec. 13, 2018 edition features the Top 100 Associate Degree Producers report on community colleges that have experienced the most success in awarding degrees to minority students. Lake Land College placed 89 out of all colleges in the country in awarding African American students associate degrees in the liberal arts and sciences, general studies and humanities category.

According to its website, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education has been working for 30 years to provide information that is honest, thorough, and balanced, and stands alone as the only source of critical news, information and insightful commentary on the full range of issues concerning diversity in American higher education. To see all the rankings of higher education institutions and how they compare in awarding degrees at diverseeducation.com/top100.

The ALS degree is a non-traditional degree for students who may have accumulated a variety of credits in different programs. It requires fewer and more flexible general education requirements than a traditional associate in arts or science degree, with the bulk of the program comprised of electives.  Elective credit is earned for an unlimited number of career and technical level courses as well as transfer level courses.

These programs are a good fit for students who need an associate degree in an unspecified field of study to qualify for initial employment or for a promotion. When appropriate general education courses are selected, the ALS degree can transfer well to non-traditional bachelor’s degree programs.

Visit lakelandcollege.edu for more information on how to get started at Lake Land College.

Lake Land College Important Dates for Semester Change

Posted on December 13, 2018

With the fall semester coming to a close and spring semester right around the corner, Lake Land College will have varied office hours for the upcoming winter holiday season.

The following are important upcoming dates and hours of operation:

  • 20- Final day to return textbooks for Fall.
  • 24 – Jan. 1 – College closed.
  • 2 – Services resume; Textbook pick-up begins.
  • 4 – 10 a.m.-7 p.m. extended registration. Offices closed from 8-10 a.m.
  • 7 – First day of classes for spring semester.
  • 1 – Foundation scholarship application due.

For more information or to get started visit lakelandcollege.edu.

St. Louis Cardinals Coming to Lake Land College

Posted on December 10, 2018

Lake Land College Athletics and Mattoon High School Baseball are sponsoring the St. Louis Cardinal Caravan on Sunday, January 20 at 12:00 p.m.

The event will be held at the Lake Land College Field House. Doors open at 11:00 a.m. There is no preferred seating. Tickets can be purchased at the Laker Athletics office in the Field House or at Washington Savings Bank.

The Laker Athletics office will be open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. through December 21, and January 2 and 3. On Friday, January 4 the office will reopen from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Monday – Friday, thereafter, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The cost of the ticket is $10 and includes a hot dog, chips and drink. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door.

According to the Cardinals Caravan website, the first 400 children, 15 and under, through the door on the day of the event will receive a free autograph ticket which guarantees one autograph from each current and former player. Due to high demand, autographs will only be available for fans 15 and under. All attendees have a chance to talk baseball with current players, alumni and broadcasters. Attending players for the Mattoon stop will be announced closer to the event date.

The 2019 Cardinal Caravan is presented by Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance and is sponsored by Lake Land College Athletics and Mattoon High School Baseball. For more information, visit mlb.com/cardinals/community/caravan or contact Wrobria Roberts, administrative assistant to field house operations, at 217-234-5333 or at wroberts52500@lakelandcollege.edu.

Renowned Genetics Educator Speaks at Lake Land College

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World-renowned human genetics educator Dr. Sam Rhine spoke at a Genetics Update Conference hosted by Lake Land College, Thursday, Dec. 6.

Described by experts in the human genetics field as the most effective human genetics educator in America today, Rhine is the director of the Genetics Education Center near Indianapolis.  He received the “Honorary Membership Award” by the National Association of Biology Teachers.  The award is recognized as the highest honor bestowed on members of the profession and is awarded annually.

Rhine has made more than 8,500 presentations to more than 3.75 million teenagers in the United States, Canada and Europe.

Rhine is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Indiana in Bloomington in the Department of Applied Health Science where he teaches a summer class on “Causes and Prevention of Birth Defects.” He also teaches summer classes at the University of St. Thomas in Houston and the University of Texas Pan AM campus in Edinburg, Texas. He has lectured in London, Prague, Montreal, and Tokyo and taught human genetics in St. Petersburgh States in St. Petersburgh, Russia.

For more information visit www.samrhine.com.

The conference, sponsored by the Lake Land College Math and Science Division, and coordinated by biology instructor, Brenda Hunzinger, was open to students, teachers, staff, and the entire community.  Approximately 250 individuals, including many high school, college, and university students, were in attendance.  Topics of discussion for this year’s conference included multifactorial inheritance, gene editing, and tissue engineering.

Lake Land College Offers Dance Classes

Posted on December 6, 2018

Lake Land College is offering a series of dance classes in Mattoon and Effingham from January to May.

Five different dance styles will be offered including Country Slow Dance, Country Waltz, Night Club 2 Step, Swing, and West Coast Swing. Classes will meet at both Lake Land College West Building Atrium and Effingham Emergency Management Agency Building. Students can choose either location. Instructors Scott and Cheryl Sweet have been teaching dance for many years. The cost is $38 for four sessions of class.

To register, go to lakelandcollege.edu/learn – choose the class date, and enroll. Drop date for a refund is five business days prior to the class. For more information, contact Jackie Wake, professional development support, at 217-234-5087 or email jwake@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College Paris Plastics Manufacturing Program Press Conference

Posted on November 29, 2018

Lake Land College introduced the Paris community to its new plastics manufacturing program, the first of its kind in a 180-mile radius, on Thursday, Nov. 29.

The program meets the region’s need for skilled employees in the plastics manufacturing industry. Students will gain hands-on experience in injection and extrusion molding processes and equipment coupled with basic maintenance and automation skills used for several positions in plastics manufacturing.

“When Lake Land College approached us about using the VoTech Center to teach the classes, we thought it was a great opportunity for area residents to gain valuable skills,” said Paris Mayor Craig Smith.

Paris Economic Development Organization Director Terry Elston also showed support for the Lake Land program at the press conference saying “We applaud Lake Land College for working with our area businesses leaders to develop a program that is so timely and relevant to our region.”

The new program is a collaborative effort among several businesses, educational institutions and the community. Evening courses will be held for the first time beginning January 7 and will follow the semester schedule for the college, ending with finals the week of May 7.

“Lake Land College is proud to offer the new major exclusively in the city of Paris and have the mayor and city’s council’s support in hosting the lab at this location,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said.

Area companies such as North American Lighting and Libman Co. have already dedicated resources and funds to get the program started.

“We are grateful to NAL for donating two (2) 90-ton injection molding presses and a die to use with them,” Bullock said, “Early in the development process, The Libman Company, joined NAL in assisting the college in creating the program. The company donated $10,000 to the college as well as two used dies for the injection molding press.”

“We are also grateful to Eastern Illinois University for donating several pieces of equipment to be used in the lab,” Bullock said.

The Lake Land College Foundation also gifted an electric Toshiba 180-ton injection molding press. “We are fortunate to be a part of the new manufacturing program that will provide opportunities for residents to train for a career and will assist businesses in meeting the need for a highly skilled workforce,” Foundation Board President Michael Bohannon said.

To learn more about the new plastics program contact Michael Beavers, division chair of technology/electronics engineering instructor, at 217-234-5341 or mbeavers@lakelandcollege.edu. To enroll in the courses, visit lakelandcollege.edu and select the “Enroll Now” button.