Lake Land College’s Navigator News receives awards at ICCJA contest Posted on April 17, 2018 The staff of Lake Land College’s Navigator News recently won seven awards at the spring 2018 Illinois Community College Journalism Association ICCJA conference. Pictured in front row, left to right: Catrina Oberfeldt, Dieterich; Derby Roan, Sigel; Abigail Buenker, Effingham. Back row, left to right: Cedric Peoples, Mattoon; Will Starwalt, Effingham; Ethan Neal, Windsor; Zoe Donovan, Windsor. The staff of Lake Land College’s Navigator News recently won seven awards at the spring 2018 Illinois Community College Journalism Association ICCJA conference held at Lincoln Land Community College. The entire staff was commended for their hard work and received Honorable Mention for General Excellence at the conference. The Navigator News is Lake Land College’s student newspaper and is produced by the students for the students every month during the fall and spring semesters. The eight to 12 page tabloid consists of news, features, sports, entertainment and upcoming events. Listed below are the awards the Navigator News staff received: 1st Place Advertising, Tamesha Moss, Mattoon 3rd Place Feature Writing, Derby Roan, Sigel 3rd Place News Column, Catrina Oberfeldt, Dieterich Honorable Mention Editorial Cartoon, Derby Roan, Sigel Honorable Mention Feature Photo, Derby Roan, Sigel Honorable Mention Graphics, Derby Roan, Sigel Honorable Mention General Excellence, staff of Lake Land College Navigator News The staff also had the opportunity to attend education sessions taught by distinguished journalism faculty, current journalists and graphic designers. For more information on the Navigator News or any other student life activity, visit lakelandcollege.edu/student-life.
Lake Land College announces annual Outstanding Club Award winners Posted on April 16, 2018 Lake Land College’s Club I.T. received the Outstanding Club Award at the college’s 2018 Annual Club Recognition Luncheon. Pictured from left to right are: Scott Rhine, IT Instructor/Program Coordinator and Club I.T. advisor; Darrius Frazier, Charleston; Bradley Livingston, Effingham; Olivia Price, Effingham; Cody Borntreger, Oakland; Race Underwood, Bethany; Joshua McCombe, Pana; Logan Malcome, Neoga; Justin Pryor, Mattoon; Samantha McClain, Atwood; Jesse Wright, Neoga; Shelby Cooper, Bethany; Annette Lynch, Charleston; James Munger, IT Instructor/Program Coordinator and Club I.T. advisor. Pictured on the left is Valerie Lynch, director of student life, and James Munger, IT instructor/program coordinator, IT-web technology and one of Club I.T.’s advisors, who received the Outstanding Club Advisor Award for 2018. Lake Land College’s Club I.T. received the Outstanding Club Award at the 2018 annual Lake Land College Club Recognition Luncheon. Over the past year, Club I.T. participated and facilitated numerous activities that benefited the club and the community. The club regularly offers computer maintenance and support to community members in exchange for club donations. Members designed and built a computer application for Boy Scouts. The club hosted a “Cans for Credit” can drive last fall, where they gathered more than 1,000 food items and donated them to local food pantries. Club I.T. sponsors an annual Game Design contest, open to all Lake Land students. During the contest, students are able to participate in game development workshops. Members attend IT talks with a group of industry software developers from the Effingham area. The software developer group also hosts “Hack Nights” where Club I.T. members are able to work on projects and network with professionals in the field. For team-building, the club hosts “Fun Fridays” where members hold software workshops, participate in outdoor activities and play multiplayer video games. To be eligible for this honor and considered an active student club, each club must accomplish its objectives as stated in the club’s constitution and bylaws, maintain a high attendance and participation record of its members, maintain adequate minutes of its meeting and records of its activities, have an up-to-date roster of its members and officers, have complete and accurate financial records of its activities and be a solvent organization. The club must present this information to the Student Government Association (SGA). James Munger, IT instructor/program coordinator, IT-Web Technology and one of Club I.T.’s advisors, received the Outstanding Club Advisor Award. Munger was recognized for his commitment to student success and his enthusiasm for planning club events. Members of Club I.T. went on to praise Munger for all the times he went above and beyond for students. “James deserves this award because the positive attitude he has about his job, the opportunities he has created for educational advancement and his availability to assist us,” said Club I.T. members in Munger’s nomination form. In addition to Club I.T., the following clubs were nominated for the Outstanding Club Award: Phi Theta Kappa, Future Educators Association and Early Childhood and Family Services. Honorable mentions went to Early Childhood and Family Services and Phi Theta Kappa. The runner-up for Outstanding Club Award went to the Future Educators Association. 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 and LaunchCode to host informational night Posted on April 12, 2018 Lake Land College and LaunchCode will cohost an informational session about the new IT-LaunchCode program on Wednesday, April 18 from 6-7 p.m. at the Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology in Effingham. LaunchCode’s Director of Growth Daniel Fogarty and Lake Land College representatives will share information about the LaunchCode organization, the curriculum and outcomes of the new 20-week certificate being offered in the evenings at the Kluthe Center from June 5 to Oct. 18. Lake Land College IT Instructor/Program Coordinator, IT-Web Technology James Munger, who will be teaching the classes, will be available to meet with interested students. Craig Nielson, president and CEO of the Effingham Regional Growth Alliance will also share information about scholarship and employment opportunities. Enrollment in the program is limited. The deadline to apply is May 1 and an aptitude test is required. A practice test, FAQ and list of steps to get started can be found on the High Demand Programs page at lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand-programs. Lake Land College representatives will be available to help students get started with the enrollment process or financial aid. Lake Land College and LaunchCode are partnering to offer students an opportunity to train for a career in the fast growing field of web application development in just 20 weeks. Students will gain skills in Python, Java, SQL and front-end development. Those who complete the program will earn a Lake Land College certificate as well as the opportunity to test for eight industry-leading Microsoft certifications. The program is offered through a collaborative agreement between the college and LaunchCode, an innovative non-profit providing job seekers opportunities to enter the technology field. Jim McKelvey, the co-founder of Square, the payments processing company, founded LaunchCode to create pathways for people seeking careers in technology. For more information about the informational meeting contact Bonnie Moore, director to Center for Business and Industry, at 217-238-8260 or bmoore71258@lakelandcollege.edu. For more information about the IT-LaunchCode certificate program visit lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand-programs.
Lake Land College to fund construction for Rural Development Technology Center in Effingham Posted on Lake Land College President Josh Bullock announced Wednesday that the college’s new master building plan includes funding for construction of the Rural Development Technology Center adjacent to the Kluthe Center in Effingham. Karen Kull, director of the Kluthe Center, left, and Bullock, right, are pictured in front of the sign announcing the future site of the Rural Development Technology Center that will serve as a home to the Effingham Regional Career Academy. Lake Land College President Josh Bullock announced Wednesday that the college’s new master building plan includes funding for construction of the Rural Development Technology Center in Effingham. The new construction is expected to begin in 2022 and will be adjacent to the Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology. The center will house the Effingham Regional Career Academy as well as additional classroom and lab space. The goal is to have 150 area students participating in the academy within the first year and provide a space for the partnered programs such as welding and manufacturing skills now held at area high schools. The center will offer opportunities for high school students, in addition to adult students, to gain in-demand workforce skills. “The goal is to make sure that opportunities are available to students, regardless of what school district they reside in. We plan to meet the needs of our students, community members and district employers,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. The center will focus on providing educational opportunities to train for careers in advanced manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, technology and transportation. Through decades of conservative fiscal management the college will be able to implement these new construction plans without raising property taxes. “The Lake Land College Board of Trustees is committed to our communities,” Bullock said. “It’s important that we provide opportunities for students to train for life sustaining careers within their hometowns.” For more information about the Effingham Regional Career Academy, visit effinghamregionalcareeracademy.com. For more information about Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu.
Lake Land College’s Business Partnership Award presented to The Equity Posted on April 10, 2018 The Lake Land College Board of Trustees presented the Business Partnership Award at the April 9, 2018 meeting. Pictured left to right are Bruce Vernon, CEO of The Equity; Robin Brown, manager of employee relations and marketing of The Equity; Dave Storm, chair of Lake Land College Board of Trustees; Josh Bullock, president of Lake Land College. The Equity was presented with the 2018 Business Partnership Award at the April 9, 2018 Lake Land College Board of Trustees meeting. The award was accepted by Bruce Vernon, CEO of The Equity and Robin Brown, manager of employee relations and marketing. The Equity is one of largest independent agricultural cooperatives in the state and has been a strong supporter of the agriculture division at Lake Land College. The Equity routinely hires students for internship positions and regularly visits the college to share information about new and exciting opportunities in the agriculture industry. This partnership provides Lake Land agricultural students with the necessary skills to enter the workforce. “Over the past several years, The Equity and Lake Land College have collaborated in various ways, including offering internships to students and serving on the advisory board for the agriculture programs. The Equity has been an invaluable industry partner and Lake Land College looks forward to the new collaborations on the horizon,” said Lake Land College Board of Trustees Chair Dave Storm. The Equity seeks to extend civic leadership to spark a positive change for the good of the community and its service area. The Equity offers educational programming and internship opportunities for Lake Land College students and often hires Lake Land College graduates. For more information about the agricultural division at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/agriculture-division.
High School students invited to explore health care careers at informational night Posted on April 9, 2018 Are you a student interested in a career in the medical field? Learn more at the health-related college fair on Monday, April 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Lake Land College in Neal Hall. For convenient parking, enter from the main entrance and follow signs for Webb Hall. Students and parents will have the opportunity to learn more about the many careers in the health field, in addition to meeting with several colleges and businesses to discuss their health career programs and hiring practices. Colleges scheduled to attend are as follows: Eastern Illinois University, Lake Land College, Lakeview College of Nursing, McKendree University, MacMurray College, Millikin University, Lindenwood University – Belleville, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville – School of Pharmacy, Southern Illinois University – School of Medicine and Western Illinois University. The event is coordinated through a partnership called Health CareeRX Club, which is supported by the Area Health Education Centers, Carle Foundation Hospital, Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital, Eastern Illinois Education for Employment Systems, Eastern Illinois University, Lake Land College and Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Free pizza and drinks will be provided. For more information, contact Lisa Shumard-Shelton, director of dual credit and honors experience, at 217-234-5044 or lshumard-shelton@lakelandcollege.edu.
Lake Land College Agriculture Students Excel in Competition Posted on March 29, 2018 Lake Land College agriculture students excel in the competition of Postsecondary Agriculture Student Organization. Pictured in the front row, left to right are: Alex Hartke, Teutopolis, Illinois; Christiana Quance, Beecher City, Illinois; Kathryn Helmink, Montrose, Illinois; Emma Repking, Teutopolis, Illinois; Gretchen Macklin, Findlay, Illinois; Bryce Gullidge, Louisville, Illinois; Maddie Fugate, Mahomet, Illinois; Brandon Stickler, Pleasant Plains, Illinois. In the back row, left to right are: Micah Smock, Jackson Center, Ohio; Jordan Stewart, Williamsfield, Illinois; Patrick Watson, Paris, Illinois; Michael Schmidt, Marshall, Illinois; Justin Johnson, Bloomington, Indiana; Wyatt Claire, Watseka, Illinois; Riley Reynolds, Mt. Zion, Illinois. Lake Land College agriculture students recently attended the conference and competition of the National Professional Agriculture Student Organization (PAS) in Louisville, Kentucky the week of March 12th. Six-hundred students representing agricultural colleges in 18 states from across the country competed in various areas of agriculture specialization. After winning at the Illinois PAS conferences in their respective areas, the following students went on to compete at the National PAS conference. Illinois PAS Organization is part of a nationwide PAS group known as a career and technical agriculture student organization, for the promotion of skills, leadership and education in agriculture. 2017-2018 LAKE LAND COLLEGE PAS STUDENTS – NATIONAL PLACING: Beef Specialist Wyatt Claire 1st place individual, 1st place team Watseka, Illinois Bryce Gullidge 2nd place individual, 1st place team Louisville, Illinois Justin Johnson 10th place individual, 1st place team Bloomington, Indiana Swine Specialist Micah Smock 1st place individual, 1st place team Jackson Center, Ohio Brandon Stickler 4th place individual, 1st place team Pleasant Plains, Illinois Maddie Fugate 5th place individual, 1st place team Mahomet, Illinois Livestock Overall Gretchen Macklin 2nd place individual, 3rd place team Findlay, Illinois Kathryn Helmink 6th place individual, 3rd place team Montrose, Illinois Landscape Specialist Christiana Quance 5th place team Beecher City, Illinois Patrick Watson 5th place team Paris, Illinois Ag Machinery Technician Riley Reynolds 5th place individual, 5th place team Mt. Zion, Illinois Jordan Stewart 9th place individual, 5th place team Williamsfield, Illinois Soil Science Specialist Michael Schmidt 5th place team Marshall, Illinois Alex Hartke 5th place team Teutopolis, Illinois Emma Repking 5th place team Teutopolis, Illinois Prepared Speaking Maddie Fugate Mahomet, Illinois Career Planning Taylor Hartke Teutopolis, Illinois The Lake Land College Agriculture Division offers 12 majors that prepare students to enter the workforce or prepare to transfer to a four-year college. For more information visit lakelandcollege.edu.
Lake Land College holds annual Foundation Golf Classic Posted on March 26, 2018 The Lake Land College Foundation will host the annual golf classic at Meadowview Golf Course in Mattoon on Friday, May 18 with a shotgun start at noon. Registration and lunch for the participants will be at 11 a.m. with dinner provided at the end of the day. The entry fee is $125 per golfer or $500 per team of four and includes lunch, 18-holes, cart, refreshments and dinner. All proceeds benefit the Lake Land College Foundation. “Over the past 20 years this has really become an outing that I think everyone looks forward to and we have a great time raising funds for the foundation,” said Jackie Joines, executive director for college advancement. “Committee Chair Preston Smith and his committee do a great job. This allows us to continue our mission of assisting with the student experience at Lake Land.” The golf outing will follow a scramble format with teams of four. Teams or individuals can sign up through the Lake Land College Foundation at lakelandcollege.edu/foundation/golf or by calling 217- 234-5363. Individuals will be placed on a team. Organizations or individuals can support the foundation with a $100 donation to the golf classic as a tee sponsor. While golfing, participants will have the chance to win a car sponsored by KC Summers for a hole-in-one on a par three. Other major prizes, such as $5,000 in cash, will be available to win at the putting contest and a skins game. This year, exciting new vendors and prizes will be offered via silent auction and squares board game. Prizes will be awarded for low-net and low-gross scores for all male teams, all female teams and mixed (two male, two female) teams. The winners and raffle prizes will be announced at the dinner following the tournament. The outing is made possible by the support of the event’s corporate sponsors. Confirmed sponsors at this time are: TITLE CTS – Control Technology & Solution CART SPONSOR NAL – North American Lighting PAR 3 SPONSOR Grunloh Construction Wells Fargo Advisors EAGLE SPONSORS The First National Bank Robbins Schwartz OTHER IMPORTANT SPONSORS Ronchetti Distributing Meadowview Golf Course “The committee wholeheartedly thanks our corporate sponsors who support this event each year. Without their generous support, this event would not have the impact that it does on the foundation’s activities throughout the year,” Joines said. Entries are limited to the first 136 golfers. All proceeds assist the Lake Land College Foundation in the mission to help students as they pursue a better life through the power of a Lake Land College education. To register for the golf outing, visit lakelandcollege.edu/foundation/golf or contact Paula Rosine at 217-234-5445 or prosine@lakelandcollege.edu. All mail entries should be sent to the following address: Lake Land College Foundation Golf Classic, 5001 Lake Land Blvd., Mattoon, IL 61938
Lake Land College President Workforce Ready March Editorial Posted on If I asked how you think most college students learn, most likely you would say through lectures, reading textbooks, studying and taking tests. While this model is the traditional foundation of our higher education system, today’s learning environments are rapidly changing. Open educational resources (OER), electronic textbooks, video conferencing, virtual reality, game based learning and so many more innovations are finding their way into the lesson plans of educators. While traditional classroom concepts are evolving, our college continues to build on unique learning experiences. Our Workforce Ready programs, also known as career and technical majors, have always relied heavily on a combination of book and hands-on learning using real-world tools and techniques. This combination of learning works so well for thousands of students each year at Lake Land and more than two-thirds of all community college students in Illinois, according to the Illinois Community College Board. At Lake Land College, we offer more than 100 Workforce Ready majors that train students with the skills necessary to graduate and enter the regional workforce. Our latest economic impact study indicated that nine out of 10 area employers have hired a Lake Land College alumnus in the past. We’re seeing similar results with our current Laker Alumni Pride campaign. One area company discovered 25 percent of its 400 employees are Laker Alumni. Another was excited to report that all of their employees were alumni. What an amazing testament to Lake Land’s impact on our local economy. These alumni made the wise decision to invest in a Lake Land College education, allowing them to enter the workforce with a positive financial outlook. To put the value of a Workforce Ready degree into perspective, consider that a Lake Land education costs roughly $4,000 per year, or $8,000 for a degree. A student who graduates in two years and secures employment in a technical field at $40,000 per year will see a net positive return of $72,000 after four years. In that same four-year time period, a student who attends a university will face an average of $16,000 per year in tuition and fees (excluding room and board), or $64,000 for a degree. At the conclusion of those four years, the graduate will just be getting started, possibly facing a future with significant student loan debt. Through our program advisory committees, Lake Land College instructors regularly consult with industry professionals to ensure our course content is relevant and reflects the needs of area businesses. Our faculty regularly seek new opportunities to help students reach their educational goals. This summer the college will introduce the new IT-LaunchCode certificate, in conjunction with St. Louis based tech training company LaunchCode. This 20-week boot camp trains students in web application development skills and will be offered in the evenings at the Lake Land Kluthe Center in Effingham. The Medical Assistant major has added a new flexible online component to its options. Students can now take all of their classes online and only have to travel to campus one night a week for lab. Providing relevant work experience is at the forefront of our Workforce Ready programs and these opportunities will expand with a new apprenticeship program that is being developed through a grant from the Illinois Community College Board. Plans are to create at least 30 new apprenticeships in both the production technician and the plastics manufacturing fields as well as the finance and banking field. As you think about your future, or that of your child’s, I encourage you to explore a Workforce Ready major at Lake Land College. The combination of hands-on learning and classroom experience may be a perfect investment in your future success. Dr. Josh Bullock Lake Land College President
New Lake Land College IT-LaunchCode program to be offered in Effingham Posted on March 15, 2018 The new Lake Land College IT-LaunchCode certificate program offers students an opportunity to train for a career in the fast growing field of web application development in just 20 weeks. The program will begin June 5 and run through Oct. 18. Courses will meet in the evenings at the Lake Land Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology in Effingham. Students will gain skills in Python, Java, SQL and front-end web development. Those who complete the program will earn a Lake Land College certificate as well the opportunity to test for eight industry-leading Microsoft certifications. The course curriculum is developed to give students the skills that are in high-demand in the tech industry. The program is offered through a collaborative agreement between the college and LaunchCode, an innovative non-profit providing job seekers opportunities to enter the technology field. Jim McKelvey, the co-founder of Square, the payments processing company, founded LaunchCode to create pathways for people seeking careers in technology. Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said the college is pleased to have the support of The Effingham Regional Growth Alliance, the countywide economic development organization. The Alliance will be seeking local companies and individuals who are interested in supporting students with scholarships or internship opportunities. Web programmers and coders are in high demand. The US Department of Labor estimates that 1 million coding jobs will go unfilled by 2020 and that employment of web developers is projected to grow 32 percent through 2026 (bls.gov). All courses in the IT-LaunchCode program count toward the associate degree in IT-Web Programming. Those who complete the certificate will have about one-fourth of the degree completed. Enrollment in the program is limited. The deadline to apply is May 1 and an aptitude test is required. A practice test, FAQ and list of steps to get started can be found on the High Demand Programs page at lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand-programs. The Nelnet payment plan allows students to spread tuition and fee payments out over the course of the program. Additional funding may also be available through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. For more information visit lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand-programs or contact Counseling Services at 217-234-5232.