New Entrance Plaza to be Dedicated in Honor of Former Trustee Mike Sullivan
Published on September 23, 2026
The Lake Land College Board of Trustees invites Laker alumni, retirees and community members to attend a formal dedication of the new Sullivan Plaza on Thursday, October 8. The dedication will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the plaza.
During the ceremony, the Sullivan Plaza will be dedicated in posthumous honor of Lake Land College former trustee and alumnus Mike Sullivan.
Among the first ever graduates of Lake Land College and later serving on the Board of Trustees from 1987 to 2024, Mike Sullivan fostered a culture of student-centered excellence and innovation throughout his decades of service. During this time, Sullivan served as a champion for students, helped enhance Lake Land’s campus and advanced the College’s mission of transforming lives through the power of education.
“As the longest-serving trustee in Lake Land’s history, Mike Sullivan helped lead our college to national acclaim and strengthened a foundation of excellence that has now served our community for 60 years,” said Lake Land College President Josh Bullock. “It is with great pleasure that we dedicate our new, beautiful plaza in honor of Mike Sullivan as we continue to uphold his vision of student and community enrichment.”
The Sullivan Plaza is located in front of Neal Hall, at the east side of Lake Land’s campus in Mattoon. It serves as a new central landmark that welcomes students, visitors and community members as they arrive through the campus’ main entrance. The new Plaza was also designed to offer incoming and graduating students a scenic location for photos and inspire a sense of pride for past, present and future Lakers.
Guests of the dedication ceremony will receive an up-close look at the Sullivan Plaza. Immediately following the dedication ceremony, guests will enjoy refreshments and visit with the Lake Land College community in the Foundation and Alumni Center.
For more information about the Sullivan Plaza dedication ceremony, contact Jean Anne Highland, Chief of Staff, at 217-234-5329 or jhighland@lakelandcollege.edu.