Laker Nation News

Several Lake Land College broadcast communication students recently earned certification as broadcast sales professionals.

The students who earned their certificates are Casey Bence, Charleston; Ethan Cortez, Defiance, Missouri; Bennett Green, Herrick; Gaige Schlanser, Effingham; Aaron Tardy, Mattoon and Krayten Willison, Oakland.

The students will be honored with a photo and plaque displayed alongside previous year’s students in the Broadcast Communication Facility in the Northwest Building.

The broadcast sales professional certification is a nationally-recognized credential, qualifying students to work as highly-coveted broadcast sales professionals. The students earned their certifications as part of the Lake Land College broadcast sales class, instructed by Broadcasting Communication Instructor Greg Powers.

“This certificate demonstrates our students’ mastery of broadcast sales and makes them highly marketable to potential employers,” Powers explained.

The students earned the broadcast sales professional certificate by completing a four-week course from P1 Learning, a nationally-recognized company that administers training in the topics of sales, leadership, management, on-air, compliance and more for hundreds of broadcast stations, corporations and state broadcaster associations. Lake Land College offers students the P1 course in partnership with the Illinois Broadcaster Association (IBA) Sales Training Program, with the IBA funding the training.

“I would like to thank IBA President and CEO Dennis Lyle as well as the IBA board for this partnership,” Powers said. “Their financial support is creating remarkable career opportunities for our students.”

To learn more about Lake Land College’s Broadcast Communication program, contact Powers at 217-234-5335. More information is also available online by visiting the Lake Land College broadcast program page at LakeLandCollege.edu/High-Demand-Programs/Radio-TV-Broadcasting or the WLKL page at 899TheMax.com.

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During the regular May meeting, the Lake Land College Board of Trustees approved a partnership with the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Eastern Illinois University. Under the agreement, Lake Land will provide space in the new Effingham Technology Center for the SBDC to provide its services in the Effingham community.

Hosted by the Eastern Illinois University Lumpkin College of Business & Technology, the SBDC provides free, in-person advising and affordable training to support local start-ups and small businesses with planning, funding, marketing and more. It is grant-funded on the state level by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and federally by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

The EIU SBDC serves eight Illinois counties and is one of many SBDCs assisting small businesses across the nation. Collectively, these organizations support one million business owners nationwide every year.

By partnering with Lake Land College and leasing space in the Effingham Technology Center, the EIU SBC looks to expand its reach moving forward.

“We pursued an SBDC and this newer satellite center for Effingham County to support business and economic development of the region,” said Austin Cheney, Dean of the Lumpkin College of Business & Technology. “I’m thrilled with the partnership formed and grateful to Lake Land College for providing space in the beautiful, newly renovated Effingham Technology Center!”

The Effingham Technology Center is a 100,000-square-foot building that was acquired by Lake Land in 2023 with the goal of expanding educational programs and college class offerings in the Effingham area. The space available in the facility also presents new opportunities for the College to create partnerships with local organizations. Under the agreement, the College will lease space at no cost to the SBDC in the new Effingham Technology Center.

“One of the priorities outlined in our strategic plan is to leverage partnerships just like this to support the local workforce,” Lake Land College President Josh Bullock said. “We’re excited to work with a wonderful organization like the SBDC that shares our commitment to strengthening our communities.”

The SBDC is one of three Lake Land College partners that will host operations in the Effingham Technology Center. The building also houses the operations of Patterson Companies as well as the Effingham-based Creating Opportunities for Regional Employment (CORE) Academy.

More information about the Small Business Development Center is available on the Eastern Illinois University website at EIU.edu/SBDC.

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The Lake Land College Lakers Baseball team defeated Iowa Western Community College on Saturday, May 17 to win the NJCAA Division I Midwest District Championship.

After losing the first game in the tournament, the Lakers rallied to win four straight, including a thrilling 19-18 victory over Southwestern Illinois and back-to-back wins over Iowa Western to clinch the championship.

With the championship victory, Lake Land secured an appearance in the NJCAA Division I World Series. The tournament begins Saturday, May 24 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Entering the World Series Tournament for the first time since 1988, the Lakers will look to continue one of the most successful baseball seasons in school history. The team currently holds an overall record of 42-18, including a record of 21-9 in region play. Earlier in May, Lake Land won its first Region XXIV (A) Championship since 1998 with a victory over John A. Logan College.

The 2024-2025 Lake Land College baseball team is comprised of the following student athletes:

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The Lake Land College Lakers Softball team defeated John A. Logan College on Sunday, May 11 to win the Region XXIV and Central District Championships.

With the victory, the Lakers officially claimed a spot in the NJCAA Softball World Series national tournament. The Lakers were named the 15 seed in the tournament and will face Rose State College in the opening round on Monday, May 19 at 2:30 p.m. CT in Yuma, Arizona.

The game will be available to stream live on the NJCAA Network website at NJCAA.org/Network/Landing/Index.

In Yuma, the Lakers softball team will look to continue an impressive season. The team currently boasts an overall record of 45-18, including a record of 35-9 in region play.

The 2024-2025 Lake Land College softball team is comprised of the following student athletes:

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Lake Land College recently hosted its fourth annual Spring Art Show. The show included submissions from students, staff, faculty and artists throughout the Lake Land community.

All submissions were displayed in the Luther Student Center from April 21-25. During the week, spectators voted for their favorite submissions in a number of categories, and the winners were announced during a closing ceremony.

Lauren Hosfield, Casey, received the Best in Show Award for “Untitled.”

The awards for Most Ambitious went to Breeze Corda, Charleston, for “The Shelly Art Museum,” Kelly Cothern, Mattoon, for “Snowgrave” and Emma Fraser, Neoga, for “Elephant and River.”

The awards for Most Impactful went to Jesse Horton, Sullivan, for “On the Run,” Layla Ballard, Mattoon, for “Thank You for the Music” and Jennifer Uthell, Teutopolis, for “A World with Color.”

The awards for Most Thought-Provoking went to Sarah Thomas, Mattoon, for “Making a Difference” and Sarah Housh, Charleston, for “Making a Small Difference.”

“We are once again awed by the talent showcased year after year in this exhibition,” Mercury Bowen, Coordinator of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging, said. “It is so exciting to see the show continue to grow and to have the opportunity to see the exceptional abilities of our incredible Laker community.”

The following is the full list of artists who participated in the Lake Land College Spring 2025 Art Show:

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The Lake Land College Board of Trustees recently nominated Kerry Fisher, Shelbyville, for the Illinois Community College Trustees Association (ICCTA) Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award.

A Lake Land College graduate, Fisher now serves as an Allied Health Basic Nurse Assistant (BNA) Adjunct Faculty Member. With nearly 40 years of nursing experience, she provides innovative instruction that engages students, encompasses diverse learning needs and offers practical opportunities for real-world application. She equips her students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be successful nurses while also stressing compassion and empathy as they care for their communities.

Fisher is a team player who collaborates with her Lake Land College peers as well as members of the Illinois Department of Public Health. These efforts contribute to the College’s mission of aligning curriculum with changing healthcare trends, which better prepares students for immediate career success.

“Kerry’s exceptional instruction and innovative spirit are instrumental to the success of our students and to the strength of our institution,” Vice President for Academic Services Ike Nwosu said. “It is our honor to recognize her contributions to our nursing programs and to our College as a whole by nominating her for this award.”

The ICCTA Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award is presented annually to a part-time instructor at an ICCTA member college. Fisher’s nomination will be considered among 21 statewide nominees, with the recipient announced at the ICCTA Awards Banquet on June 6 in Normal. For more information about the award, visit the ICCTA website at CommunityColleges.org/ICCTA-S-Awards-and-Scholarships.

To learn more about Lake Land College nursing programs, contact Division Chair Allied Health/Nursing Instructor Erin Swingler at 217-234-5448 or eswingler@lakelandcollege.edu.

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Lake Land College will hold its annual commencement ceremony on Friday, May 16 beginning at 6 p.m. in the campus Field House.

The College is implementing a wristband admission system to ensure all graduates are able to have their loved ones present in the Field House during the ceremony. Each graduate will receive four wristbands to share with the guests of their choice. Each guest must present a wristband to enter the Field House for the graduation ceremony. Wristbands will be available for students to pick up at the Admissions & Records Office in the Luther Student Center from May 12-16.

For all guests without wristbands, the ceremony will be streamed in the Luther Student Center Theater and the Foundation & Alumni Center. Seating in these venues will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. The ceremony will also be streamed live on the College’s home page: LakeLandCollege.edu.

Doors to the Field House will open at 5 p.m. on the day of the event. Parking near the Field House will be available in lots A and B. Guests who will be viewing the graduation livestream in the Luther Student Center Theater or the Foundation & Alumni Center are encouraged to park in lots B or E.

Any guests in need of accessible seating accommodations in the Field House can complete the Accessible Seating registration at LakeLandColllege.edu/Admissions/Graduation. The deadline to submit the accessible seating registration form is Monday, May 12. Guests utilizing accessible seating will need a wristband to enter the Field House.

For questions about the Lake Land College Commencement ceremony or to learn more, contact the Admissions & Records Office at admissions@lakelandcollege.edu or visit LakeLandCollege.edu/Admissions/Graduation/.

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Three Lake Land College Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honors students were recognized at a banquet in Springfield for their inclusion on the All-Illinois Community College Academic Team.

Kyra Hazelton, Effingham, was one of two transfer student nominees recognized at the banquet. Kyra is an active member of both the Lake Land College Honors Program and Phi Theta Kappa (PTK). She will graduate in Spring 2025 with a degree in Environmental Science. With a strong interest in conservation and sustainability, she hopes to make a meaningful impact in the Environmental Science field. She also gives back to her community by volunteering at the Effingham County Humane Society.

Aubrey Hebenstreit, Vandalia, was also recognized as a transfer student nominee. She graduated from Lake Land College in December 2024 and transferred to the University of Illinois Springfield, where she serves as the President of the National Honor Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS). While at Lake Land, she served as Vice President of Phi Theta Kappa, Treasurer of the Student Government Association (SGA) and student representative for the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).

Angela Shaw, Greenup, was recognized as a career and technical education (CTE) student nominee. She currently serves as the Vice President of the Alpha Theta Psi chapter of PTK and will be the acting President next academic year. She is pursuing a degree in nursing from Lake Land College and plans to transfer and continue her education at Eastern Illinois University.

“I am so proud of these students for their exemplary work both within the classroom and beyond,” said Tessa Wiles, Director of Dual Credit and Honors Experience. “As they move forward in their education and careers, they will serve as tremendous representatives of our College.”

Phi Theta Kappa is an international honor society and one of many opportunities available for students through the Lake Land College Honors Experience. To learn more, contact Wiles at 217-234-5044 or twiles@lakelandcollege.edu or visit the Honors Experience webpage at LakeLandCollege.edu/Honors-Program/.

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Lake Land College student Allison Meese, Robinson, was named the 2025-2026 member of the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB).

Meese’s election as the ICCB student member marks the second consecutive year a Lake Land College student has held the position. Lake Land alumna Aubrey Hebenstreit, Vandalia, was previously named the ICCB student member during the 2024-2025 academic year.

Meese is in the Lake Land College Ag Transfer Program and is studying Ag Education. She is a member of the Student Government Association (SGA), the Student Activity Board (SAB), the Professional Agriculture Student (PAS) club, the Collegiate Farm Bureau and was named the 2025-2026 Ag Transfer Treasurer.

“I am looking forward to serving and representing my fellow community college students all over the state of Illinois,” Meese said.

Hebenstreit graduated from Lake Land College in December 2024 with an associate degree. During her time at Lake Land, she served as Treasurer of the SGA and Vice President of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She currently studies communication at the University of Illinois Springfield, where she serves as the President of the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS).

“With the internship at the ICCB, I have learned how to network and build connections with people across Illinois,” Hebenstreit said. “I am learning how to be a leader along with how to navigate bills. I am extremely grateful for the opportunities the ICCB has given me.”

The ICCB represents Illinois’ 48 public community colleges, overseeing state and federal funding, setting curriculum standards and maintaining a high-quality, accessible community college system. One current community college student is elected to the board each year as the student member.

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Earthrise Energy has awarded a $15,000 grant to the Lake Land College Foundation to support the Lake Land College Student Emergency Fund. This funding will provide financial assistance to students facing unexpected challenges, ensuring they can remain enrolled and continue their education without disruption.

“Unexpected financial hardships can be a major barrier to student success, especially for those in rural and low-income communities,” said Christi Donsbach, Executive Director for College Advancement. “With this grant from Earthrise Energy, we can offer critical support to students facing emergencies, allowing them to focus on their education instead of worrying about financial instability.”

The Student Emergency Fund assists students in covering urgent expenses such as medical bills, car repairs, or housing costs—expenses that, without support, could force them to pause or abandon their education. By reducing these barriers, the fund helps students stay on track academically and successfully complete their coursework, even during difficult times.

“Earthrise Energy is proud to support Lake Land College’s efforts to help students stay in school despite financial setbacks,” said Nicole Vaughn, Senior Project Development Manager at Earthrise Energy. “This program empowers students to focus on their education and future success.”

Earthrise Energy is an independent power producer which owns five natural gas plants in Illinois, including the Shelby Energy Center in Neoga and is developing more than 1.5 gigawatts of solar power in the state. The Shelby Energy Center itself is operated by several Lake Land College alumni, who recently reunited to lead a special tour of the plant for the Lake Land College President and staff.

Through its RISE Grant program, Earthrise Energy has committed over $235,000 in funding to support education, financial resilience, and community development in the Coles, Cumberland, and Shelby counties.

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