Published on September 18, 2026

Two Lake Land College alumni, Matt Ogle of Charleston and Cody McQueen of Oakland, recently led a free, interactive 3D printing workshop at the College’s Effingham Technology Center.

During the event, Ogle, a Software Engineering Manager with the digital student safety company Gaggle, and McQueen, a Network/Systems Engineer with Eastern Illinois Area of Special Education, shared their professional expertise with an engaging lesson on 3D printing and design. The lesson included in-depth tutorials on the 3D design platform Tinkercad as well as the state-of-the-art Bambu 3D printers available in the Innovation Center labs at the Effingham Technology Center.

The free, family-friendly event was open to community members of all ages. More than 30 participants from neighboring communities, ranging from Greenup all the way to Vandalia, attended the event, where they enjoyed the opportunity to build and print their very own 3D designs.

The event was a part of Lake Land’s brand-new monthly STEM Night series, introduced in August 2026 to provide engaging opportunities for education and exploration for local community members. Each STEM Night event features a different topic every month, giving community members a chance to explore a wide range of subjects. For the College’s initial STEM Night event in August, participants enjoyed an interactive tutorial on video game development that introduced them to an exciting and rewarding career field.

“We’ve been thrilled to have such wonderful results from our new STEM Night events,” said Tiffany Maillet-Gibson, Lake Land College Innovation Center Assistant. “We introduced these events to provide our community with free, beginner-friendly opportunities to engage in fun STEM activities, and it’s been very rewarding to see them resonate early on with so many eager leaners across the region.”

Lake Land College STEM Nights are held the first Wednesday of every month from 5-7 p.m. at the Innovation Center on the first floor of the Effingham Technology Center. All events are free, and registration is required to attend. The next STEM Night event, held Wednesday, October 7, will feature an interactive lesson on coding with the free programming language Scratch.

To learn more or to register for upcoming STEM Nights, contact Maillet-Gibson at 217-234-5328 or InnovationCenter@LakeLandCollege.edu.