One Laker Nation Magazine

ONE LAKER NATION THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LAKE LAND COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

WINTER 2015

ONE LAKER NATION FELLOW ALUMNI: It is my pleasure to be part of the Lake Land College Alumni Association and to serve as president this year. I have seen Lake Land College strategically position itself and embrace change and technology to become a state-of-the-art community college and a leader in the community college arena. This is particularly evident when you look at all the lives Lake Land College has touched. Seeing that we have alumni in all 50 states illustrates we truly are One Laker Nation, a point of pride we all share as Laker alumni.

The Lake Land College of my years in the 1980s compared to campus today is so vastly different, exciting and technologically advanced that I am continually amazed at the advances over the years. The Alumni Association has made great strides in aligning itself with the college and developing a mission that is sensitive to the needs and wants of individuals in an organization. The board development and restructuring has been significant and the group has embraced the idea of growing our organization.

We welcome ideas and involvement from the alumni group at large. Please invite us to partner with you. We are eager to participate in and support Lake Land College.

I am very proud of the work the board has accomplished in the past year. I am proud to call myself a Lake Land alumna and I am very proud to have served as a board member since 2007 and as the president of the Lake Land College Alumni Association in these exciting times. I charge all of our members to become engaged with Lake Land College and support One Laker Nation into the future!

Go Lakers, KAREN L. NOFFKE Lake Land College Alumni Association President

LAKE LAND COLLEGE ALUMNI

live in each state, truly making us ONE LAKER NATION.

Map created by Brooke Ferguson, adjunct geography instructor.

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INTRODUCING THE LAKER MASCOT! WINTER 2015

CONTENTS 2

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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n 1980, Lake Land College adopted its first mascot, Dunker Duck.

Coined by a faculty member in recognition of all of the players on the men’s basketball team who could dunk the ball, Dunker Duck served as a goodwill ambassador, visiting local schools and nursing homes and revving up the crowd at Laker athletic events. Recently, through

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LAKER LESSONS LEAD TO SUCCESSFUL CAREER

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FACULTY MEMBER FOSTERS PRIVILEGE OF EDUCATION

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ONE LAKER NATION CLASS NOTES

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DIVISIONAL UPDATES

a college-wide effort, involving recommendations by the Student Government Association and more than 100 community members, alumni and students, college officials decided to resurrect the mascot, update its look and, re-introduce the Laker Mallard to the community college district. Watch out for the Laker Mascot in your community!

ormer physical education instructor Barbara (Shelton) Hundley taught at Lake Land College from 1970-1972, where she also coached cheerleading. During the late 60s and early 70s, Laker athletics were just getting started with the inaugural athletic season held in 1967. During those years, the college offered men’s basketball, men’s

tennis, baseball and cheerleading.

Reminiscing on her time at the college, Hundley remembers that while the athletic teams were called the Lakers, there wasn’t a unifying mascot to bring the budding athletic department together. Barbara Hundley is shown here with her original cheerleading coach jacket.

LAKE LAND COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MISSION STATEMENT

ONE LAKER NATION MAGAZINE

The mission of the Lake Land College Alumni Association is multifaceted. First the Association endeavors to foster relationships, promote the association. Secondly the Association will recognize current and future alumni and help promote Lake Land College. Lastly, The Association will accomplish their mission by being visible, supportive of students, building loyalty to the Lake Land brand and promoting a positive learning experience.

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is published yearly for the alumni of Lake Land College in coordination with the Lake Land College Alumni Association and Marketing & Public Relations. Views and opinions expressed by individuals in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of Lake Land College. For inquiries, please contact Marketing & Public Relations at 217-234-5408.

DIRECTOR: Kelly Allee EDITOR & WRITER: Jennifer Ferguson GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Paula Rosine

LAKE LAND COLLEGE DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE

on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation or any basis of discrimination precluded by applicable federal and state statutes in admission or access to or in treatment of employment in college programs and/or activities. Limited English language skills will not be a barrier to enrollment, nor will race be a barrier to the receipt of financial aid. The Director of Human Resources, Lake Land College, 217-234-5210, has been designated to coordinate compliance with nondiscrimination requirements contained in the implementing regulations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Age Discrimination Act of 1975. The Counselor/Coordinator of Disability Services, Lake Land College, 217-234-5259 is designated as the Section 504 Coordinator of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

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LAKE LAND COLLEGE’S ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INDUCTS FOUR INTO THE

2015 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI SOCIETY

The Lake Land College Alumni Association recently inducted the Distinguished Alumni Society Class of 2015. From left to right are: Brian Henningsen, Class of 1981, Atwood, Ill./Nashville, Tenn.; Wendy Greeson, Class of 1987, Hanover Park, Ill.; and Mike Kallis, Class of 1985, Charleston, Ill. The Distinguished Alumni Society recognizes alumni whose Lake Land experiences have inspired them to success in their professions and communities. Not pictured is Ryan Montgomery, Class of 1993, Chesterfield, Mo.

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n the spring, the Lake Land College Alumni Association inducted the Distinguished Alumni Society (DAS) Class of 2015.

The inductees were Wendy Greeson, Class of 1987; Brian Henningsen, Class of 1981; Mike Kallis, Class of 1985; and Ryan Montgomery, Class of 1993. The Distinguished Alumni Society recognizes alumni who have utilized the Lake Land experience to make an imprint on their profession or community. Take this time to read about your fellow alumni and the influencers that made them so successful.

WENDY GREESON

HANOVER PARK, ILL

HOMETOWN: Neoga, Ill. EMPLOYER: Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. JOB TITLE: Global Director, Learning & Organizational Development PROFESSION/OCCUPATION: Talent Management ATTENDED: 1987 MAJOR: Non-Degree Seeking “Starting at a community college really helped ground me and provided the initial support I needed as a college student. As the first in my immediate family to attend college and because I was responsible for paying for my own education, I knew that the next four years would not be easy.

I also knew that if I could stay focused, my hard work would eventually pay off.

Suddenly faced with learning how to manage my time and money in order to work and attend classes, Lake Land College was affordable and allowed me to do both. While paying my way through school was challenging, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything as it has helped me appreciate the value of my education. My time at Lake Land College helped me become better prepared to navigate and succeed as a student. As a result, I finished my bachelor’s degree in exactly four years.”

PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE: Diana Ingram taught my speech class and was one of my first instructors at Lake Land College. She made learning fun.

Her informative and engaging style left a lasting impression on me. With her class, I began to hone my presentation skills, and this influenced my decision to declare my major as speech communication.

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BRIAN

MIKE

RYAN

WILLIAMSPORT, TENN

MATTOON, ILL

ST. ALBANS, MO

HENNINGSEN

HOMETOWN: Atwood, Ill. EMPLOYER: Sony Music Nashville/ Arista Records/Sony ATV Publishing/ Henningsen Farms PROFESSION/OCCUPATION: Country Music Artist/Songwriter/Farmer ATTENDED: 1981 DEGREE: Associate in Applied Science MAJOR: Agriculture Production & Management “Lake Land College has a wonderful agriculture program. As a student, it was a truly rounded and hands-on education.

Our teachers were not only experts in the classroom, but had a broad range of realworld experience under their belts. They were all truly respected by the students.

I made great use of that education for years on our family farm near Atwood.

Interestingly, my music career also started at Lake Land. My first band included a friend from ag classes. We would sing and play country music for friends and it soon became a passion. I look back fondly on my years at Lake Land. It was a great life experience!”

PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE: Tom Reedy, Ed Dunphy, Chris Hurt and Roy Stephens were all great teachers.

They were all very knowledgeable and were great friends with their students. We all respected them and had a lot of fun as well.

KALLIS

HOMETOWN: Mattoon, Ill. EMPLOYER: Sound Source Music, Inc. JOB TITLE: President/Owner PROFESSION/OCCUPATION: Music Retailer GRADUATED: 1985 DEGREE: Associate in Arts MAJOR: Music “College was a new experience for me and Lake Land College eased me into this world. I enjoyed music, so that’s what I went to college to study. Little did I know the many choices out there in the music industry. My music professor, Wayne Bradtke, opened my eyes to the many choices that awaited me. I found a quick passion for my business classes and really enjoyed the many other courses I was taking for my degree. I truly believe if I had attended a four-year university I would have been intimidated on which path to choose. Lake Land instructors took the time to discuss my interests and guided me to look at the many choices I was facing. If it was not for Lake Land College and especially people like Wayne Bradtke, I would not be an entrepreneur today.

Thank you, Lake Land College.”

PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE: Wayne Bradtke was a guiding force in helping me through those early years of my life. I graduated from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale and purchased Sound Source Music from Don Shepard in 1988. Who came in and checked up on me? Wayne Bradtke, of course. It was a great feeling seeing my past instructor in my new life and career path.

MONTGOMERY HOMETOWN: Mt. Zion, Ill. EMPLOYER: Reliv, Inc. JOB TITLE: President PROFESSION/OCCUPATION: Attorney GRADUATED: 1993 DEGREE: Associate in Science MAJOR: Business Administration “My two years at Lake Land College gave me the confidence, maturity and strength to move on with my college career.

The curriculum stretched my thinking in the classroom and the competition on the baseball field prepared me for a smooth transition as a junior to Vanderbilt University, where I studied economics and played two years of top ranked Division I baseball. Without my two years of growth at Lake Land, I honestly don’t believe I would have finished my college career with a degree from a top 20 university or played baseball in the Southeastern Conference. My Vanderbilt experience then gave me the poise and readiness to pursue a higher level of education at St. Louis University to earn a law degree.

Each degree was a stepping stone for the next phase of life and today I lead an international corporation doing business in 16 countries with more than 200 employees and more than 50,000 independent distributors. My parents always taught me, ‘It’s not where you start, it’s where you finish.’ Lake Land gave me the start that was best for me.”

PEOPLE OF INFLUENCE: Coach Gene Creek furthered my understanding of the game of baseball, and the lessons learned on the field stick with me today. Baseball always came easy to me, but Coach Creek challenged me to earn a starting position which taught me a lot about myself and the importance of hard work, determination and positive attitude. Thanks, Coach Creek!

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“IT’S HARD TO PUT A PRICE ON A PLACE LIKE LAKE LAND; IT’S IMMEASURABLE, ACTUALLY.” - RUDY HUBER

LAKER LESSONS LEAD TO

SUCCESSFUL CAREER

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udy Huber is an all American kind-of guy. A small town boy growing up in Tuscola, Ill., Huber was the only son in a family of five girls. So when it came to the family farm, helping with livestock and crops was just a part of it. In fact, he spent a good portion of his childhood in his father’s John Deere dealership, Huber and Sloan Implement.

“I was born and raised to bleed green and not too much has changed about that,” Huber said as his cadre of John Deere tractors lined the Huber Farms headquarters, just outside of Tuscola.

Huber and his wife Linda farm 3,500 acres throughout east central Illinois and are proud proponents of what it means to run a family farming operation in America’s heartland.

“I am fortunate that I love what I do,” Huber said. “I like to watch these small plants grow and be successful, which in turn makes me successful. To make success, you have to surround yourself with knowledgeable, trustworthy people. That’s really what this kind of culture is all about.”

Studying agriculture production, Huber attended Lake Land College from 1974-1976, where he also played basketball. According to him, he visited the University of Illinois with the intention of attending a four-year university after high school.

But after that visit, Huber decided he wanted something more personal, something he could better navigate and be more comfortable with.

different backgrounds from his and at the same time, being close to home, he was able to help with planting and harvest on his parent’s farm.

“Going to a larger university would have really been a culture shock to a younger me, but by attending Lake Land my two passions – basketball and agriculture – came together,” Huber said.

At 6’ 5” tall, Huber held the record as leading scorer at Tuscola High School for nearly 20 years. Moving on to play collegiate ball, Huber said he learned more about determination, teamwork and attitude being a Laker for two years than he ever had.

“I think I ran more playing ball at Lake Land than I did in all the different sports in high school together,” Huber said. “We were a well-oiled machine and we had guys from all walks of life on the team. It didn’t matter who you were outside of the court because when it was game time, we all came together for the greater good.”

“It’s hard to put a price on a place like Lake Land; it’s immeasurable, actually,” he said. “The impact the college has, especially on the farming communities in central Illinois gives so much to our area.”

Huber said that since he has started farming, a lot has changed in the industry and educational institutions such as Lake Land ensure that industries like agriculture continue to thrive and grow.

“It used to be that if you grew up in a farm family, that’s usually what you did with your life. You just kept on farming,” Huber said. “But places like Lake Land make agriculture accessible to everyone. Whether it’s the business side of it or the technology side, there is something for everyone in ag these days, and I’m proud to be a part of a place that provides and promotes that.”

A proud Lake Land College alumnus, Huber thinks institutions like Lake Land are an invaluable asset to its students and surrounding communities.

“Lake Land was a good stepping stone into adulthood for me,” Huber said. “I’m pretty certain that if I had attended the University of Illinois, I would have flunked out. Lake Land not only gave me the opportunity to play ball right away, but it gave me a quality education at an affordable cost with instructors who wouldn’t let me fail.”

Huber said that attending Lake Land offered him a way to experience the world without being too far from home. Through basketball, he met other athletes from larger cities with

Rudy Huber is pictured with his wife Linda at the Huber Farm headquarters, outside of Tuscola, Ill.

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TEACHING TO CREATE A BETTER FUTURE,

ONE LAKER FACULTY MEMBER FOSTERS THE PRIVILEGE OF EDUCATION

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hen you see Dr. Iffat Ali in the halls of the Northwest Building, she epitomizes the essence of a chemistry instructor.

Donning a white laboratory coat, accompanied by safety glasses, Ali enthusiastically greets her students.

She emits a certain passion for teaching that many Lake Land College instructors share. But it’s the audacity she had to attain her own education and perpetuate that enthusiasm in her classroom that allows her to stand out as an outstanding instructor.

As a young girl growing up in her native Bangladesh, Ali’s road to educational attainment was not easy.

While her parents were proponents of education for both boys and girls, access to equal education and opportunity for girls was limited.

Growing up in the 60s in then East Pakistan, the literacy rate was about 20 percent, and only about 5 percent of the female population attended school past the 5th grade. In fact, Ali’s mother couldn’t attend school after 5th grade as education for girls wasn’t available and coeducation was out of question. According to Ali, girls waited in home to become a wife and mother.

“When I grew up, girls and women stayed close to home and many things were restricted to us,” explained Ali. “But my father taught my brothers, sisters and me to dream big. In fact, it was his tenacity for learning that inspires me to perpetuate his legacy.”

Ali was taught from a young age that education was the best way to contribute to the betterment of

society. She saw this first-hand growing up as her father, a headmaster of a local school, spearheaded a campaign to bring science education into the girls’ high school in her hometown, Thakurgaon, located on the northwestern border of Bangladesh.

“My father was socially rebellious, but he had a conviction deep inside him to fight for science education for all students because it was education that changed his life and allowed him to leave the village where he grew up,” Ali said.

In 1969, after years of her father working with local families, trying to convince them of the importance of science education for girls, Ali was among the first class of female students introduced to biology,

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chemistry and physics in her high school.

Outside of the chemistry lab, Ali spends her hours working with young students and in the community Having both a high school diploma “The then division chair, Joe Hanley, garden at Lake Land College. For and the academic aptitude, Ali hired me and he appreciated the several years, she worked with the entered Rajshahi University, where she diversity I brought to the college along Girl Scouts and hosted “Let’s Do a completed a bachelor’s and master’s with being female in a male dominated Science Project” for middle school degree in Applied Chemistry and area of study,” Ali said. “But more aged children, a summer camp where Technology. importantly he was impressed by my children get hands-on experience academic and industry background. I conducting science experiments.

“In my freshman year at the university, brought real-world experience to the Today, she is the regional chair for the I was one of eight females in the class. classroom, which is an invaluable asset Illinois Junior Academy of Science, an When graduation came around, I for students to experience.” organization that promotes science was the only female to complete the education in middle and high school program,” Ali said. “For my father, According to Ali, the core of her level students with an annual science the pursuit of education was personal teaching philosophy is to inspire fair. survival and existence. For me, students to solve problems in order to education grew into a privilege that I improve society.

“Involving young kids in science was determined to foster and cherish.” education is one of the best ways to “I’m trying to breed a group of build a country’s future,” she said.

So just like her father, Ali was the people who can solve problems so “It allows learners to find patterns first in her family to leave home that, collectively, we can flourish as a in problem solving and the skill of for something more. Seeking the society,” said Ali. problem solving alone produces good opportunity to advance in her workers, which results in a stronger university teaching career, Ali came Ali said she identifies with students economy. Plus, these young children to the United States to complete who attend Lake Land College, are so impressionable. They believe in another master’s degree, this time because like she experienced as a me; so I’m absolutely going to believe from Southern Illinois University – young woman, many students at in them.”

Carbondale. Reluctantly leaving her Lake Land face barriers to accessing husband and daughter in Bangladesh, education.

Through her work both inside and she arrived in the U.S. with only $200 outside of the classroom, Ali hopes and a 26-inch suit case of personal “The community college system she can continue to inspire learners belongings. is the bridge to a better life for of all ages to reach their college and so many people,” she said. “It’s career goals.

“I was tremendously apprehensive affordable, more flexible and more coming here not only to earn a degree supportive than a lot of other learning “If you have the will to dedicate from an international university, but to environments. To have open access to yourself to necessary education, there learn to speak English and accept new education, which can ultimately lead isn’t anything you can’t do.” food and culture,” Ali said. “It was by to the realization of one’s dreams, is working through that apprehension invaluable.” and overcoming those barriers that boosted my knowledge base and confidence. So, I stayed in Carbondale to earn my doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry, inviting my husband and daughter to join me in this country.”

Upon the completion of her doctorate program, Ali and her family decided to stay in the U.S. because of the educational opportunity and better life for her daughters.

While teaching was her passion, she accepted employment at a contract laboratory in Mt. Vernon, Ill., where she analyzed samples for the Environmental Protection Agency in order to put her skillset to practical use in the industry. She worked there for six years until a reduction in staff was

enforced. Shortly thereafter, she was hired at Lake Land College.

Dr. Iffat Ali is pictured here in the Lake Land College Community Garden on campus.

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ONE LAKER NATION UPDATES

10’s

Amanda Arena (2013 & 2015) is pursuing a degree in accounting at SIU-Carbondale.

She resides in Mattoon and currently serves as the scholarship and special events coordinator at Lake Land College.

Kindra Finney (2013) is working as a registered nurse in Charleston, Ill. and is active in Special Olympics, Races for all Paces and Relay for Life.

Renea Kapper (2012) is a registered dental hygienist in Olney, Ill. Micah Slifer (2012) recently completed an environmental education apprenticeship with the U.S. Forrest Service and is currently doing outdoor education with Nature’s Classroom Institute in Mukwonago, Wis. Bailiegh Basham (2011) is a sales and marketing strategist at Countryside Amish Furniture.

Danielle Ochs (2011) is an account executive with Cromwell Radio Group and owner/photographer of Moments in Focus

by Danielle Rae. She resides in Teutopolis with her husband Curtis Ochs (2011).

Baylee Kirk (2010) is an account development specialist with the Celadon Group, Inc. in Indianapolis.

Ann Ignalaga (2010) is an administrative office assistant with Eminent Home Health Care in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area.

Aubrey Crozier (2010) serves Lake Land College as an admissions representative.

Jeremy Clow (2010) is the CEO of Saluki Craft in Carbondale, Ill.

00’s

Scott Loos (2006) is working as a registered nurse in the emergency room of Taylorville Memorial Hospital and resides in Pana, Ill.

Angie Benninghoff (1988) is a senior executive recruiter for Preston Hunter, Inc. in Chicago.

Zachary Hyde (2005) currently operates a family farm in Macon County and serves as young farmer chairman for Macon County Farm Bureau and chairman for Macon County Soil and Water Board.

Rob Calhoun (1987) is a production supervisor and morning show host for Hit Mix 88.9 WEIU at Eastern Illinois University.

Crystal Watkins (2004) is a human resource assistant with Savannah Technical College in Savannah, Ga. Adam Milburn (2004) lives in Newman, Ill. and operates the family farm. He also serves on the Newman Township Board as well as the Shiloh Youth Baseball Board.

Sara Jennings (2003) works on the surgical care floor at St. Anthony hospital and serves on the United Way of Effingham County Board.

Tim Sanders (2003) is a media consultant at WTWO-TV/WFXW-TV in Terre Haute as well as a member of the Marshall City Council. He also serves on the Lake Land College Radio/TV Advisory Board.

Christopher Swing (2001) is the CFO for Vantage Outsourcing and owner/agent of Swing Insurance Center in Effingham, Ill.

Thomas Overmyer (1987) is the owner and operator of Phoenix Consulting Engineers based in Mahomet, Ill. Derek Sanders (1986) is a customer service representative at Sanders Home Improvements in Decatur, Ill. Carol Snyder (1985) lives in Bethany and is a nurse with Decatur Memorial Hospital.

Thomas Olmsted (1984) is an independent associate with Veridian Energy and a real estate investor and property manager for Painted Lady Properties, Inc. Carolyn Boldt (1980) lives in Stewardson and recently retired after 27 years as a registered nurse from St. Anthony’s Hospital in Effingham.

Nancy Pals (2000) is the Corporate Recruiting Manager at Heartland Dental Care in Effingham, Ill.

Bob Taylor (1980) is the vice president of operations for Glass Doctor of east-central Illinois in Charleston, Ill.

90’s

70’s

Brian Murphy (1994) is the director of technology at Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Systems.

Deborah Fraembs (1992) is a wireless benefit manager with Sprint in the greater Chicago area.

Ali Rauch (2008) is a director of marketing at Chicken Salad Chick in Auburn, Ala.

80’s

Austin Frank (2006) was recently hired by First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust as a retail mortgage officer in Mattoon, Ill.

Bub McCullough (1987) recently celebrated his 26th year with the Cromwell Group and WMCI 101.3.

Cari Rincker (2000) is principal attorney, Rincker Law, PLLC in the greater New York City area.

Christal Finch (2009) is an emergency 911 dispatcher for Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department in Toledo, Ill.

J’nai Huckaba (2008) is employed as a registered nurse at Carle Hospital in Urban. She recently announced her engagement to Cliff Wiley of Urbana.

David Cox (1987) serves as the director of alumni relations and annual giving at Lake Land College. He also serves on the city council and resides in Mattoon.

Karen Sanders (1989) is the executive director of college advancement at Lincoln Land Community College.

Tonya Siner (1989) is the vice president of operations for Premier Broadcasting, Inc. in Effingham, Ill. Michael Anderson (1988) is the regional director of state probation and parole for the northern region of Florida.

Mitchell Garrett (1977) resides in Simpson, Ill. and is owner and president of Shawnee Professional Services with offices in Vienna, Ill., Benton, Ill. and Paducah, Ky. Terry Youngblood (1975) is a broker associate with RE/Max Key Advantage Realtors in the Decatur, Ill. area.

Carroll Jo Fritts (1974) is the president and CEO of First Neighbor Bank Chairman of the Board of First Neighborhood Bancshares Inc. and lives in Jewett, Ill.

Send us your story and information at lakelandcollege.edu/alumni.

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DIVISIONAL UPDATES

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR DIVISIONS ARE UP TO

MATH AND SCIENCE

SOCIAL SCIENCE & EDUCATION

BY IKEMEFUNA NWOSU, DIVISION CHAIR

BY CHARLES JARRELL, DIVISION CHAIR

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n the 2014-2015 academic year, the Math and Science Division experienced its second highest graduation number in the last five years with 240 students receiving degrees.

This amounted to almost 19 percent of all degrees and certificates conferred on Lake Land College students.

In the same period, the following transfer degrees collectively were the majority of the degrees within the division: prenursing, biological science, other majors, pre-medicine and pre-engineering. This trend may reflect the general career trends we see nationwide.

Some of our faculty have continued their strong collaborative professional relationships with industry. Brenda Hunzinger, our biological sciences instructor last year worked as a project consultant for Pearson Publishing and also as a co-author of test bank for a biology textbook published by W.W. Norton Publishing. Mike Rudibaugh recently revamped the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) certificate in a bid to make it more widely applicable to a greater number of students across disciplines. This fall, it received 13 students as a result of his innovative approach to offering the curriculum.

We are very excited and we hope this number will reveal the growing awareness of the application of GIS across most industries within our district.

The Anatomy and Physiology courses have been fortunate to receive funding for three cadavers. This has enabled the division to have three cadavers of dissected at different levels to enrich the learning experience of our students. The cadaver experience is especially helpful to a subset of Allied Health students every semester. These students take a cadaver immersion class if they have transferred from another college and had no human cadaver experience.

LOOK FOR US ON facebook.com/LLCAlumni @OneLakerNation

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he Social Science and Education Division is excited to add Katie Parrish to our full-time teaching faculty.

Katie was recently hired as a sociology instructor, filling a vacancy in a much needed area. Katie brings a wealth of previous college teaching experience, having taught at various colleges in the Chicago area, and most recently the St. Louis area. Katie is a native of Lerna and a graduate of Lake Land College.

Another recent addition to the division is the Associate in Applied Science degree in Law Enforcement. In Fall 2015, as a result of three years of active collaboration with local criminal justice professionals, the criminal justice program began offering three new pieces of curriculum in addition to its transfer degree (Associate of Arts – Criminal Justice). The Associate in Applied Science degree in Law Enforcement is meant for students who wish to obtain a two-year college education but do not wish to transfer to a 4-year university after graduation, but rather enter the law enforcement field at a city or county level. This degree offers more practical and hands-on classes to help students prepare for successful employment after graduation.

The certificate in Criminal Justice Leadership is a combination of criminal justice courses and business courses, aimed at preparing students for a leadership role in their criminal justice agency. Though any student can take this certificate, it is aimed at criminal justice professionals currently working in the field who wish to advance into a leadership/supervision role.

The certificate in Law Enforcement Operations consists of core criminal justice classes that can be used as a “stackable certificate” toward earning the Associate of Applied Science degree in Law Enforcement. Through a partnership with the local Mobile Training Unit #13, part-time police academy graduates from the MTU will also benefit from receiving this certificate from Lake Land College. For more information, contact Dustin Heuerman, coordinator of Criminal Justice Programs.

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NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID MATTOON, IL 61938 PERMIT NO 280

5001 Lake Land Blvd.

Mattoon, IL 61938 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

“LAKE LAND COLLEGE WAS A MAJOR MILESTONE IN MY LIFE AND I WILL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE DOORS IT HAS OPENED FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.” - JOHN LIVESAY

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fter graduating from Lake Land, my transfer to Eastern Illinois University and later on to the University of Illinois for a master’s program, was successfully accomplished with the initial help of Lake Land College.

No doubt there are thousands of similar stories that can be told of

how Lake Land College has changed lives. Unfortunately, we all know the rising costs of an education make it prohibitive for many to even attempt to make the effort to change their lives. That is where we and hundreds of faithful donors gladly give each year to help others help themselves and their families to better their lives through education.

I encourage everyone to participate and give to the Lake Land College Foundation. You will be glad you did your part to help others and you will never regret that decision.

- John Livesay, Pana Ill. For more information on giving visit lakelandcollege.edu/foundation.