The Lake Land College Foundation kicked off the new year by welcoming new faces to the college advancement staff and breaking ground for a new building on campus.
In October 2019, the foundation welcomed the new Executive Director for College Advancement Christi Donsbach, Teutopolis. With more than 14 years of experience in fostering a culture of philanthropy in a college setting, Donsbach brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to Lake Land College.
Donsbach most recently held the position of director of development for Eastern Illinois University where she also participated in their first comprehensive capital campaign, taught a university foundation introductory course and presented at several educational seminars.
Prior to her time at EIU, Donsbach served as the director of donor & alumni relations at Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship in Effingham, director of development & alumni relations at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and director of development at Pony Bird Inc. in Missouri.
In her role as the executive director for college advancement, Donsbach leads the foundation and alumni areas of the college and serves as the chief executive officer of the Lake Land College Foundation.
“I’ve enjoyed getting to know our donors and alumni and am excited to build even stronger relationships in the future,” Donsbach said.
Amanda Tucker, Laker Nation Class of 2015, Effingham, joined college advancement in the fall of 2019 as the alumni engagement and special events coordinator.
After graduating from Lake Land, Tucker attended Eastern Illinois University while simultaneously working as a manager for a bed and breakfast, an event team member for a wedding rental company and beginning her career as the director of weddings and events at the Keller Convention Center in Effingham before graduating in 2017.
Tucker contributes to the surrounding community outside of work in various ways as well. She currently serves as social chair for YBNext in Effingham—a group of Effingham Young Business Professionals that has a goal to educate, inform and employ the talents of the next leadership group of Effingham County.
“Having worked at Lake Land as a student, it was a smooth adjustment diving into the coordinator position,” Tucker said. “It’s nice seeing familiar faces, and it has given me the chance to hit the ground running in a sense.”
Along with Tucker, Nicole Jackson, Charleston, joined college advancement as the donor information and database coordinator.
Jackson, the organizing powerhouse behind all foundation and alumni operations, attended Oklahoma Christian University where she received a bachelor’s degree and Graceland University in Iowa where she obtained a master’s degree.
Jackson joins Lake Land with more than 10 years of admissions-related work experience in various higher education institutions. Most recently she worked as an admissions officer for Franklin University, a private university headquartered in Ohio.
“I’m devoted to helping students see that it is possible to earn a degree. I share that information with them as I was the first in my family to earn not only a bachelor’s degree, but also a master’s as well,” Jackson said.
Outside of higher education, Jackson regularly makes a splash at the Mattoon Area Family YMCA as a professional lifeguard. As a lifeguard for more than 20 years, she shares her passion for the water by teaching swimming lessons, CPR courses and lifeguarding courses.
“Christi, Amanda and I feel completely welcome here at Lake Land. The staff, faculty, donors and Laker Nation overall have provided us with a tremendous amount of support as we begin our college advancement careers with Lake Land College,” Jackson said.
NEW FOUNDATION AND ALUMNI CENTER
With the Laker Nest bookstore relocated to the Luther Student Center, the old, temporary bookstore that stood its ground for nearly 44 years was demolished in early January. The demolition paved the way for the construction of a stunning Lake Land College Foundation and Alumni Center that will link inner campus to Alumni Park. The center will provide a large space on campus to host meetings, receptions and small banquets.
The facility will serve as a welcoming center to alumni and guests of the foundation and facilitate a connection between current students and the alumni office as they walk by on their way to class every day. The new center will also provide a central location for the college advancement staff.
The completion of the center is tentatively scheduled for August of 2020—just in time for the 50th anniversary of the Lake Land College Foundation.
The renderings call for a large event room that will boast glass doors that open onto Alumni Park. Events can be planned for guests to fluidly move between the beautiful park grounds and indoor event room.
“We are excited to have a large venue for annual events, as well as a nice central location for our alumni to come back to,” Amanda Tucker, alumni engagement and special events coordinator, said.
The foundation’s source of revenue for the project, totaling $1.5 million, will come from the Neal Charitable Lead Trust—a discretionary fund by the late Burnham Neal who included the foundation as one of the beneficiaries of his lead trust.