Lake Land College Softball Team Headed to Nationals Posted on May 9, 2018 The Laker Softball team is headed to the National Tournament in St. George, Utah on May 16. The Laker Softball team clinched the 2018 NJCAA Division I Region 24 Championship and is headed to the National Tournament in St. George, Utah on May 16. This is the seventh time the softball team has made the trip to Nationals in eight years. The team is also an Academic All American team. Holly Marousek, Chicago, was named to the Region 24 All-Tournament Player of the Year. Haylee Short, Madeline Adams, Delanie Johnson and Alina Lance make the All-Tournament team. Under Director of Fitness Center/Head Softball Coach Nic Nelson’s leadership, the team went 48-16 for the season. Laker Softball players are: Madeline Adams Hobart, Indiana Addison Baele Washington, Illinois Madison Bostick Roosevelt, Utah Braylyn Burdick Boonville, Indiana Hope Collier Effingham, Illinois Sophie Cooper New Athens, Illinois Kassidy Evans Marshall, Illinois Samantha Forrest Lostant, Illinois Olivia Haas Normal, Illinois Kendall Hastings Riverside, Illinois Allison Helton Colorado Springs, Colorado Delanie Johnson Streator, Illinois Alina Lance New Athens, Illinois Holly Marousek Chicago, Illinois Molly McElwee St. Joseph, Illinois Rachel Quaritsch Cornell, Illinois Haylee Short Hillsboro, Missouri Sydney Rawlings Lone Tree, Colorado All games will be aired on WLKL 89.9 FM and 899themax.com. For more information about Laker Athletics, visit lakelandcollege.edu and select the “Athletics” drop-down menu.
Lake Land College Faculty raises money for scholarship at annual softball game Posted on May 8, 2018 Pictured here are the Lake Land College faculty members and students who participated in the annual Faculty vs. Student Softball Game, which raised nearly $1,800 for scholarships. Each spring at Lake Land College, faculty and students square off to raise money for scholarships. This year, the annual Faculty vs. Student Softball Game raised nearly $1,800. During the event’s 16-year-history, more than $22,000 has been raised. This year, the students won both games 4-2. “After sixteen years of playing the faculty vs. student softball game, the instructors’ age finally caught up with them, being soundly beat by younger and more athletic students!” English Instructor Matt Landrus, who organizes the event every year, said. “But more importantly, the game was a huge success, raising the second highest total in the event’s history.” Members of the Faculty Softball Team are: Bryan Burrell, academic counselor; Greg Powers, speech communication/broadcasting instructor; Dirk Muffler, director of adult and alternative education; Greg Capitosti, chemistry instructor; Tina Moore, director of career services; Marc Dal Ponte, biological science instructor; Jordan Rauch, agriculture instructor/judging team coach; Eva Ritchey, speech communication instructor; Josh Fulk, civil engineering technology instructor/coordinator; Kristen Holsapple, dental hygiene instructor; Sarah Hill, information services librarian; Matt Landrus, English instructor. The Student Softball Team players are: Lily Laatsch, Altamont; Ashley Miller, Armington; Tessa Philpot, St. Elmo; Ryan Kremer, Teutopolis; Charles Meaker, Mattoon; Travis Winans, Taylorville; Sterling Howard, Windsor; Hunter Laughhunn, Mattoon; Brock Burgener, Moweaqua; Brett Langen, Taylorville; Eric Wolff, Effingham; Lija Workman, Sullivan. To learn more about scholarship opportunities at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/scholarship-opportunities.
Lake Land College honored for outstanding technology in annual survey Posted on May 7, 2018 For the seventh year in a row the Center for Digital Education named Lake Land College as one of the top 10 colleges to achieve a first-rate student learning environment. The college is one of a handful of mid-sized colleges recognized nationally in the annual Digital Community Colleges Survey conducted by the Center for Digital Education, based in Sacramento, California. According to a press release by the Center for Digital Education, the “survey analyzes how community colleges use digital technologies to improve services to students, faculty, staff and the community at large.” Overall, this is the ninth time Lake Land College has been recognized for the outstanding use of technology on campus. Awards were given in 2007, 2008 and then seven years in a row beginning in 2011. “Lake Land College strives to be at the forefront of emerging technologies in order to provide the best educational opportunities and learning environment for our students, faculty and staff,” said Lee Spaniol, director of information systems and services at Lake Land College. “The college makes every effort to make information as accessible as possible. Our hard work and dedication to that has paid off.” The Center for Digital Education is operated by e Republic Inc., the parent company of Government Technology magazine. To learn more about the technological advances at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu.
Lake Land College Nursing Faculty and Students raise funds for local homeless shelter Posted on May 4, 2018 Lake Land College Nursing faculty presented Mattoon Area PADS Executive Director Michael Stopka with an $800 donation. Nursing faculty and 74 nursing students adopted the homeless shelter as a charitable cause this past semester. Pictured at center is Stopka, left to right are Lake Land College Nursing Instructors: Erin Swingler, Nicole Zeller, Tisha Goad and Cassandra Porter.
Lake Land College celebrates 50 years of graduates with Commencement May 11 Posted on Lake Land College is celebrating 50 years of graduates at the annual Commencement Ceremony Friday, May 11. The ceremony will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Field House. More than 1,150 students will receive degrees and certificates this spring, with about 400 graduates expected to participate in the ceremony. The very first Lake Land College commencement took place on August 18, 1968 at the First Baptist Church in Mattoon. In those 50 years, more than 55,000 students have graduated from Lake Land College. “We look forward to celebrating 50 years of graduates this spring. We are certain the Lake Land faculty, staff and graduates throughout those five decades shared in the same excitement and pride we feel in preparing for this significant moment,” Lake Land President Josh Bullock said. In commemoration of the college’s 50th anniversary, graduates and guests will be invited to join their voices in singing the Laker Loyalty fight song prior to the recessional. Lake Land College debuted the first-ever recording of the school fight song last fall during homecoming. The song was written by former Lake Land music instructor Wayne Bradtke and then recorded by the Eastern Illinois University marching band. The Lake Land College Radio-TV Broadcasting Club will be filming the commencement ceremony. Interested individuals will be able to order a copy in the lobby of the Field House following the ceremony. The ceremony will also air on Consolidated Communications’ DVS channel 13 (WEIU) on Saturday, May 19 at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. and again on May 20 at 12 p.m., May 22 at 7 p.m., May 28 at 6 a.m. Mediacom MC 22 will air the ceremony on May 18 at 7 a.m. Photos taken by Marketing and Public Relations will be available for download at lakelandcollege.edu and on social media.
Lake Land College hosts annual business and computer contest Posted on Shelbyville High School won the 2018 Lake Land College Business and Computer Contest. Pictured in the front row, left to right are Shelbyville High School students: Allison Schricht and Carolyn Nohren. In the back row, left to right are: Wade Johnston, Joel Bleskey, Harrison Wooters and Kyle Stauder. Shelbyville High School placed first in the team event at the annual Business and Computer Contest sponsored by the Lake Land College Business Division and Club IT. Other high schools participating in the event were Arthur Lovington Atwood Hammond High School, Centralia High School, Champaign Centennial High School, Champaign Central High School, Charleston High School, Fairfield Community High School, Flora High School, Martinsville High School, Monticello High School, Neoga High School, Newton Community High School, Paris High School, PBL High School, and Shelbyville High School. “We look forward to this contest every year,” said Kathy Black, business division chair/business instructor and coordinator of the contest. “We enjoy seeing and visiting with area business teachers and interacting with talented students. It’s a great opportunity for students to showcase their business and computer skills.” Students from area high schools competed in the following categories: accounting, general business and current events, MOS Word, MOS PowerPoint and MOS Excel. Depending on the category, students either completed a written test or a hands-on test on the computer. First place winners of each contest received a three-credit-hour tuition waiver from Lake Land College. The winners are as follows: Accounting: Devan Warren, Flora High School General Business and Current Events: Amber Marie Clark, Fairfield Community High School MOS Word: Lexie Madlem, Charleston High School MOS PowerPoint: Nicholas Freeman, Flora High School MOS Excel: Braden Reedy, Charleston High School For more information about the Business Division at Lake Land College, contact Kathy Black, business division chair/business instructor, at 217-234-5348 or email kblack@lakelandcollege.edu.
Lake Land College Club IT students offer technology assistance session to seniors Posted on May 3, 2018 Lake Land College’s Club IT hosted a “Tech Savvy” informational session at the LifeSpan Center in Mattoon on April 21. Lake Land students offered their expertise to seniors seeking assistance with various technical devices—phones, laptops and tablets. Participants were encouraged to bring their own devices and bring questions to the students. Students helped explain Apple and Android operating systems and also provided one-on-one assistance. They also covered the basic and more advanced functions of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Participants called the event “fascinating” and “very informative” and expressed a desire for future sessions dedicated to navigating Facebook. Club IT frequently organizes events that benefit the club and local community. Club IT received the Outstanding Club Award this year at the annual Lake Land College Club Recognition Luncheon. For more information about Lake Land’s clubs and organizations, visit lakelandcollege.edu and look for the “Student Life” drop-down menu.
Lake Land College holds first induction ceremony for National Society of Leadership and Success chapter Posted on May 1, 2018 Lake Land College’s National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) inducted 81 members on April 18 in the Luther Student Center Theater. Lake Land College’s National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) inducted 81 members on April 18 in the Luther Student Center Theater. Lake Land enrolled more than 300 students as paid members in the chapter and inducted more than 80 students who met the requirements for NSLS induction. Student Life Director Valerie Lynch received a grant to introduce NSLS to campus in fall 2017 as an opportunity to expand leadership roles at Lake Land. It is the nation’s largest leadership honor society. To be nominated for the society, students need a GPA of at least 2.75, be involved in at least one campus activity and have completed at least 15 credit hours. Upon accepting the nomination and paying one-time membership dues, students need to complete three requirements to qualify for induction. To be officially inducted, students complete an orientation day, attend leadership training day and three video presentations that consist of success networking team meetings and speaker broadcasts. Lynch led the ceremony and imparted some words about leadership. “To our inductees, after today’s ceremony, you are officially an active lifetime member of the society. Your completion of the membership requirements is just the first step in a larger journey you now share with fellow members,” Lynch said. For more information about NSLS and Student Life contact Lynch at 217-234-5270 or vlynch@lakelandcollege.edu. To learn more about NSLS, visit lakelandcollege.edu and select the “Student Life” drop down.
Ellen Trainor honored with Lake Land College’s Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award Posted on April 30, 2018 Ellen Trainor, Lake Land College Adjunct Faculty Agriculture Division, received the 2018 Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award. Ellen Trainor, Lake Land College adjunct faculty in the agriculture division, received the 2018 Outstanding Part-Time Faculty Award. Trainor has worked at Lake Land College for several years and has brought inspiration to the college and her classroom. “Her combined background in software, paired with her real world agriculture experience, makes for an outstanding combination of skills for her students,” said nominator Ryan Orrick, division chair agriculture/agriculture instructor. Dave Storm, Lake Land College Board of Trustees chair, said in her nomination, “Ms. Trainor has been an esteemed member of our part-time faculty for several years and has an exemplary record as an innovative classroom instructor. She consistently incorporates emerging agricultural technologies into her instructional plan, thus preparing her students for the rapidly changing pace of industry demands.” As agriculture technology changes, Trainor is training her students to be up to date with the newest technology and to perform without hesitation with real world industry demands. Trainor also strives to go above and beyond academic course objectives and make personal connections with each of her students. This encourages her students to feel comfortable with her, as well as encourage them to set goals and meet high expectations. Trainor has a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness economics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a master’s degree in agriculture education from the University of Illinois. She lives in Shelbyville with her husband Chuck and their three children Sydney, Chase and Sophie, where they raise cattle and grow corn, soybeans, wheat and hay. For more information about Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu.
John Deere donates equipment to Lake Land College Posted on April 27, 2018 The Agriculture Division at Lake Land received a donation of $100,000 worth of John Deere equipment recovered from Houston, Texas. Due to the devastation of Hurricane Harvey last year, the equipment was unable to be sold to customers. As a result, John Deere decided to donate the equipment to be used for student training in 17 North American schools, including Lake Land College. The John Deere Tech program is offered through a partnership between John Deere and Lake Land; making it one of the few programs in the country that offers students first-hand experience working at a John Deere dealership. For more information about the program, contact John Deere Technology Instructor Allen Drake at 217-234-5308 or adrake@lakelandcollege.edu.