One Laker Nation One Laker Nation

Alumna Takes the Stage

ON "THE VOICE"

REALITY COMPETITION

Fellow Alumni:

This past year has been a busy yet great year for the Foundation & Alumni office. We were able to enjoy many fun and exciting opportunities, including the annual Foundation Golf Classic held in September, the unveiling of the new Retiree Wall of Fame, recognizing our award recipients from 2020-2022 and breaking a new giving record for our Love a Laker giving campaign. In addition, the office brought back our annual Scholarship Reception, which allowed donors and their scholarship recipients to engage with one another. It was an incredible year!

Whether you are among the first to graduate in 1968 or a member of the Class of 2023, we welcome you into One Laker Nation. For those who have earned at least one credit hour, know that you are also a valued alumnus of Lake Land College.

Please like our Facebook page to stay connected and see how and when you can join us. You can stay updated with upcoming events and opportunities by visiting our Alumni webpage. There is always something for everyone at Lake Land College, and that continues after graduation.

AMANDA ALLEN

Laker

Nation Class of 2015

Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Relations

217-234-5376

YOUR ALMA MATER WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Update your information to receive the monthly Alumni e-newsletter at lakelandcollege.edu/alumni and be sure to follow us on social media.

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2 A MESSAGE TO ALUMNI

4 WELCOME LAKER NATION CLASS OF 2023

6 50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP AND 30 YEARS OF GIVING BACK

8 ALUMNA TAKES THE STAGE ON "THE VOICE" REALITY COMPETITION

10 Q & A WITH THE LAKER MASCOT: THEN & NOW

13 THREE DECADES STRONG: A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE

14 LAKER LOUIE EXPLORES CAMPUS AND MAKES FRIENDS IN A BRAND NEW DUCK TALE

Make a gift

To make a gift to the Lake Land College Foundation that supports students and college programs, call 217-234-5363 or visit lakelandcollege.edu and look for the “Give” button at the top right of the homepage.

ONE LAKER NATION MAGAZINE

Is published annually 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 217-234-5215.

EDITOR: Kelly Allee

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Megan Nelson, Laker Nation Class of 2006

WRITER: Mercury Bowen and Kelly Allee

LAKE LAND COLLEGE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION MISSION STATEMENT

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

LAKE LAND COLLEGE IS COMMITTED

to developing and maintaining an environment for students, employees and college community that embraces and actively supports diversity, equity and inclusion. We aspire to be an institution where the quality of education and work environment are enhanced and enriched by an inclusive campus community that encourages multiple perspectives and the free exchange of ideas.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Lake Land College is committed to maintaining a working and learning environment that promotes equal opportunity and affirmative action and that is free from unlawful discrimination and harassment. It is the policy of Lake Land College not to engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital or civil union status, veteran status, sexual orientation or any basis of discrimination precluded by applicable federal and state statutes. This policy applies to admission and access to and participation, treatment and employment in the College’s programs, activities, and services. The following campus office is assigned the responsibility for ensuring compliance with this policy as well as federal and state statutes and regulations concerning affirmative action and equal access: Office of the Director of Human Resources 217-234-5210. Human Resources Office Complaint forms and procedures for filing can be obtained through Counseling Services or Human Resources. In addition, these offices will maintain current copies of appropriate laws, regulations, and policies.

We welcome our newest alumni!

LAKER NATION CLASS OF 2023

50 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP AND 30

Years of Giving Back

"THERE WASN’T A SINGLE DAY WHEN I WOKE UP AND THOUGHT ‘OH, I DON’T WANT TO GO TO WORK.’ I LOVED IT, I REALLY DID."

-GUTZLER

SCHOLARSHIP DONORS

Dennis “Denny” Gathmann (right) and Larry Gutzler (left) have given not only years of time and dedication to Lake Land College, but also more than $30,000 to different college funds since 1994.

The two have been close friends since teaching together more than 50 years ago, right as Lake Land College was getting started.

Gutzler began his time teaching at Lake Land College in 1967, only one year after the college’s opening. Teaching several courses in zoology, anatomy and physiology, this culminated in Gutzler spending more than 30 years at Lake Land.

“I enjoyed every day of teaching at Lake Land College,” Gutzler said. “There wasn’t a single day when I woke up and thought ‘Oh, I don’t want to go to work.’ I loved it, I really did.”

Gathmann taught botany, biology and chemistry during his first semester teaching at the college in 1969. He went on to teach other subjects such as anatomy and physiology as well.

Echoing Gutzler’s sentiments, Gathmann said the most challenging thing he ever did at Lake Land College was to sign a contract to retire four years later.

“I loved every moment from 1969 to when I retired in 2002 down to the very last scratch on the blackboard,” Gathmann said. “The whole experience

was thrilling, like magic. I’d go through the class door into the lab and it was like going into another aura of wonderful things.”

Both Gutzler and Gathmann used audio tutorial teaching methods, which included reel to reel tapes of biology, botany and zoology lectures, as well as a few scheduled meeting times for the group of students in the classes.

“They handled large numbers of students well enough, but it wasn’t the same as having them in class,” Gathmann said.

Gutzler also shared a story about an experience he had with a student in one of his classes. At the beginning of each class, Gutzler would tell his students “I want you all to get As and Bs because I don’t want to be rolled into an ER on a gurney and stare up into the face of a C student.”

Years later, Gutzler did in fact encounter a former student from a patient perspective, however the student assured him that she “didn’t get a C, [she] got an A.” Gutzler shared that he laughed and was touched by the fact that she had remembered that anecdote from his class.

“Every place I go it seems like there’s former students,” Gathmann said. “It’s always fun to be around people and that’s what Lake Land really set up. It was very special to share a close relationship with our students and have them know we were always caring about them.”

"IT WAS VERY SPECIAL TO SHARE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR STUDENTS AND HAVE THEM KNOW WE WERE ALWAYS CARING ABOUT THEM."

-GATHMANN

Alumna Takes the Stage

ON "THE VOICE" REALITY COMPETITION

LESS THAN 10 YEARS AGO,

Lake Land alumna Allie Keck was feeling nervous about singing the national anthem at commencement. Now, Keck has just completed a run on NBC’s The Voice and is pursuing a career in music from her home in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I honestly would not do anything differently,” Keck said. “It was a crazy, crazy experience, but I’d do it all over again if I could.”

Keck participated in both the “Blind Auditions” and the “Battle Rounds” of The Voice before leaving the competition. Throughout that time, she said she was grateful to have had the opportunity to go through such an amazing experience.

“It was probably the scariest, greatest experience of my life,” Keck said. “Working with Kelly [Clarkson] was absolutely amazing. She really is a wonderful person, and the whole experience helped me grow so much.”

Before attending Lake Land, Keck said she was undecided on what she wanted to do after high school. Because she had family who had both worked at and attended college there, Keck said Lake Land seemed like the perfect fit for her.

“I knew I wanted to get my degree before moving to Nashville,” Keck said. “One of the biggest aspects of Lake Land I appreciated was how much money I saved. It’s a lot harder to pursue a music career full time if you have a ton of student debt.”

Keck also praised the instruction she received from Lake Land College faculty and staff, especially expressing gratitude to retired Music Instructor Nancy Caldwell.

“My advice is to attend community college at all costs’,” Keck said. “There’s a good chance you’re going to end up changing your major anyways, so it’s best to go to a place that’s formed around that idea: that it’s okay to not be sure at that age.”

“MY ADVICE IS TO ATTEND COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT ALL COSTS."

-KECK

Q

A WITH THE Laker Mascot

ON DEC. 12, 1980

Dunker Duck, Lake Land College’s (then unofficial) mascot, made his debut. At the beginning of that year’s Laker Classic Basketball Tournament, Dunker Duck, portrayed by Civil Engineering student Tim Zahrn, sprang from a cardboard box adorned with Christmas decorations at half court, thus introducing the College’s new mascot to fans.

Dunker Duck was voted on by students in a survey organized by cheerleader sponsor Melinda Gill and was designed by an art student who donated his illustrations to the school. As all the players on the men’s team were able to easily dunk the ball during games, the “dunk” part of his name was coined by Wally Taylor, division chairperson of the English department and recent Retiree Wall of Fame inductee.

In 2015 the college introduced a comprehensive brand that included the development of a new Laker Mascot. In that process, students once again had the opportunity to vote on the mascot’s name. Laker Louie’s name was revealed at a basketball game on November 24, 2015.

In 2020, Lake Land invested in the creation of a Louie illustration and in 2021 a new costume was ordered to match the illustration.

HOW DID YOU COME TO PORTRAY DUNKER DUCK?

TIM ZAHRN (1980-1981):

When I was a Pre-Engineering honors student in my sophomore year Wally Taylor, my speech and composition professor, approached me after class one day to gauge my interest in becoming the newly created mascot Dunker Duck. I was not on the high school team but attended every game and cheered loudly with my friends. Being Dunker Duck provided a great way to experience Lakers basketball and have fun cheering on the team so I said yes.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF BEING LAKER LOUIE?

JORDI OLIVER (2021-2023):

There were so many great memories of being Louie that I will cherish for a lifetime! I loved seeing everyone smile and laugh when I was able to dance and make the environment fun! There were so many kids that would come to the sporting events, and I loved getting to dance and play with all the kids. Some were scared and I walked the other way, but for those who loved Louie, they would remember me and give me a high five or hug almost every single time I saw them! I also really enjoyed the “secrecy.”

Continued on page 12

ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC MOMENTS DURING YOUR TIME AS THE MASCOT THAT STAND OUT IN YOUR MIND?

TIM ZAHRN:

That would be the activities we did outside the gym in the community. I vividly remember visiting a nursing home and the smiles on the faces of the residents. That, along with how hot it was inside that costume that was made with heavy material and inside the paper mâché head created a lasting memory!

ROSS LYNCH (2016-2018):

When I had a kid around four or five years old basically hang with me throughout the night. There was an event for kids I did in the field house (it was through the Early Childhood Program) and this young boy was in awe of Louie. He was so happy, he never wanted to leave. He would walk with me, jump around me and just never leave my side. I sat down on the bleachers and someone got a photograph of us sitting together and it’s just him looking at me with the widest smile and me looking down at him. Very cool moment. I have the picture up on the wall at home.

JORDI OLIVER:

Honestly, I don’t think I can pick just one memory. My favorite part was during the sporting events. My friends and people in the crowd would already be there for the game, and my favorite part was walking out after being put in Louie, seeing everyone look and their faces light up! Especially for the kids who would point and get happy! Those were the best moments.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TOOK AWAY FROM YOUR PERFORMANCES?

TIM ZAHRN:

Hopefully the fans, especially the kids, enjoyed, and fed off the enthusiasm I tried to bring to each game.

ROSS LYNCH:

I hope people took away a sense of pride and dedication to Laker Louie. Not very many people wanted to play him and when I did I gave every ounce of energy I had to make him seem alive. I hope people left with smiles on their faces.

JORDI OLIVER:

I always tried to interact with people and make everyone feel included. He is a happy character that is there to cheer on his school and make others feel at home with Lake Land College! I hope they took away good times when I was dancing, and smiles when high fives and hugs were given. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that I am forever blessed to have and will cherish for a lifetime! I hope in my performance as Louie, the people could see how much it meant to me and that I did the best I could for the college.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE FOR FUTURE LOUIE PORTRAYERS?

TIM ZAHRN: Have fun and bring energy to each event!

ROSS LYNCH:

If you’re going to play him, give him every ounce of energy you have. Bring the story to life, but most importantly have fun!

JORDI OLIVER:

My advice is to just let loose, don’t worry about what anyone thinks and just have fun with it! Being Louie is a place where you can be free! Dance around, wave, be crazy in a good way! You are there to make others happy! Do what you love most! No matter what the mood may be from others, you play Louie to your fullest potential, put a smile on your face and bring joy to others. The world is yours! Louie is a place where you can let the world go, have a good time and bring joy to others!

ANYTHING ELSE?

TIM ZAHRN:

I am excited to see that something Mr. Taylor started more than 40 years ago has carried on. I am proud to have been there at the start of this tradition. Lake Land College is a great educational institution and I would encourage students to experience the athletic events as well. I believe that helped me immensely in my professional career by instilling a sense of team spirit.

ROSS LYNCH:

Louie holds a special place in my heart and I loved my time being him. It was a great experience being the first Laker Louie. Everyone was so happy to see him and it brought joy to people and to the College.

JORDI OLIVER:

This position is once in a lifetime, and one I would never change for anything in the world. I am forever grateful for all that Lake Land College has done for me and one of the best opportunities was serving as Louie Laker!

THREE DECADES STRONG:

A Tradition of Excellence

More than 30 years ago, Lake Land faculty, staff and trustees and John Deere representatives braved a winter storm to break ground for the new innovative John Deere Tech program.

This May, sunshine streamed into the Farm Credit Room as the college celebrated 30 years of John Deere Tech during the annual graduation luncheon.

Current faculty welcomed all of the retired John Deere and Agriculture instructors who shaped the program into a nationally recognized education-industry partnership. Throughout the program, current John Deere Technology Instructors, Brent Curry, Russell Neu and Matthew Rodgers, who are all alumni, praised the retirees and the program for creating such a unique experience for students.

Pictured first row, left to right: Ryan Wildman, agriculture business instructor; Woody Reinhart, ag power technology instructor; Brad Osborne, retired John Deere Tech instructor; Allen Drake, retired John Deere Tech instructor; Ken Drollinger, retired John Deere Tech instructor; Curt Rincker, retired ag division chair; Bob Jurgens, retired ag instructor. Second row left to right, Kerwyn Stoll, retired John Deere Pro Tech instructor; Ryan Orrick, division chair agriculture/agriculture instructor; Jon Althaus, retired vice president for academic services and ag division chair; Neu; Curry; Rodgers; Mark Niemerg, retired agronomy instructor/farm manager.

Ways to give

OF JOHN DEERE TECH AT LAKE LAND COLLEGE

LAKER LOUIE EXPLORES CAMPUS AND MAKES FRIENDS IN

A Brand New Duck Tale

EVERY LAKER’S FAVORITE FEATHERY FRIEND

Laker Louie has made his literary debut. In “High Fives for Laker Louie,” the college mascot has an exciting adventure on Lake Land College’s campus in the book written and illustrated by Lake Land employees Lisa Shumard-Shelton (above right, reading to Laker Louie Junior Academy Child Care Lab) and Brett Sawyer respectively (top right, page 15).

"IT’S HONESTLY EVEN BETTER THAN I COULD HAVE EVER IMAGINED... I WANTED IT TO BE DONE RIGHT, AND IN THE END IT WAS ALL THAT AND MORE."

Shumard-Shelton went on to share that though the story for the book had been written for some time, it was not until recently that she began to seek an illustrator and bring the book to life.

- SHUMARD-SHELTON

“I actually wrote the story for this book when my kids were little,” Shumard-Shelton said. “Back then we had been gifted several books based on colleges, and I knew how important it was to start teaching my kids about higher education at an early age.”

“Brett really just had a great vision for how to go about it,” Shumard-Shelton said of the book’s illustrations. “What you see in the finished product is very near to the first drafts he showed me. He definitely brought what I envisioned into reality.”

Sawyer said the process began with him receiving all of the body text as well as some brief written descriptions of what the scenes should portray.

“I basically got everything together then said ‘can I go nuts with this?’” Sawyer said with a laugh. “Then Lisa looked over some of my drafts and made suggestions, and finally we ended up with a product we are both really proud of.”

"I GAVE ONE TO MY DAD TO READ TO MY NIECE...I KNOW HOW MUCH SHE ENJOYS IT, AND I HOPE OTHER KIDS GET THAT ENJOYMENT.

“It’s honestly even better than I could have ever imagined,” Shumard-Shelton said. “It was a slow process, but I wanted it to be done right, and in the end it was all that and more.”

ShumardShelton echoed Sawyer’s pride in the book, expressing gratitude to Sawyer and Scott Rhine, who was largely instrumental in bringing the book to fruition, and everyone else at Lake Land that made it possible. She added that the best part of the whole process was getting to see the finished product physically in her hands.

- SAWYER

“Once we had some copies printed, I gave one to my dad to read to my niece,” Sawyer said. “I know how much she enjoys it, and I hope other kids get that enjoyment and education from mine and Lisa’s work.”

PURCHASE YOUR OWN COPY OF "HIGH FIVES FOR LAKER LOUIE" BEFORE THEY FLY OFF THE SHELVES!

To get your copy visit the Laker Nest Bookstore in the Luther Student Center or scan the QR code here to purchase a copy online at lakelandcollege.edu/ bookstore.

Illustration credit to Sawyer

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