Laker Nation News

What happens when you take some of the most brilliant minds from area high schools and put them under one roof? Nothing other than an academic face off, where teams are pitted against each other in eight subject areas in order to take home the Academic Challenge regional championship title.

The regional Academic Challenge will be held at Lake Land College on Friday, Feb. 7. Twenty-five high schools will come together to battle in biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering graphics, English, mathematics and physics.

Each high school will compete against other high schools in the same division, which is based on school enrollment, and awards will be given to both individual competitors and teams. Students advancing at the regional competition will compete at Eastern Illinois University with another round for advancement, which will be held at the University of Illinois.

During the event, students will be tested from 9:20-11:10 a.m., with an awards ceremony following at 1:30 p.m.

For more information about the Academic Challenge, contact Lisa Shumard-Shelton, director of dual credit and the honors experience, at 217-234-5044 or email DCP@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College Athletics and Mattoon High School Baseball are sponsoring the St. Louis Cardinal Caravan on Sunday, Jan. 19 at 12 p.m.

The event will be held at the Lake Land College Field House. Doors open at 11 a.m. There is no preferred seating. Tickets can be purchased in the Laker Athletics office in the Field House or at Washington Savings Bank.

The cost of the ticket is $10 and includes a hot dog, chips and drink. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door.

According to the Cardinals Caravan website, the first 400 children, 15 and under, through the door on the day of the event will receive a free Autograph Ticket which guarantees one autograph from each current and former player. Due to high demand, autographs will only be available for fans 15 and under. All attendees have a chance to talk baseball with current players, alumni and broadcasters.

The 2020 Cardinal Caravan is presented by Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance and is sponsored by Lake Land College Athletics and Mattoon High School Baseball.

Attending players for the Mattoon stop will be announced closer to the event date.

For more information, visit mlb.com/cardinals/community/caravan or contact Wrobria Roberts, administrative assistant to field house operations, at 217-234-5333 or at wroberts52500@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College is offering a Painting with Oils or Acrylics class at the Kluthe Center in Effingham. The eight-session class is available to register and will be on Wednesdays beginning Feb. 12 through April 1 and will meet from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The class will be taught by Vera Keplar, who has a master’s degree in art from Eastern Illinois University and has taught art at K-12 and adult level for many years. In addition, Vera has been a judge for several art competitions.

Beginner and experienced artists are all welcome to attend. Students will paint on canvas using oil or acrylic paints and will be able to choose their own subject matter. Students will need to bring their own paint supplies. The supply list includes: basic colors of oil or acrylic tubes of paint, variety of sizes of oil or acrylic paint brushes and 16” x 20” minimum size canvas panels or stretch panels. The cost is $52 for the class.

To register, go to lakelandcollege.edu/learn. Drop date for a refund is five business days prior to the class.

For more information, contact Jackie Wake, professional development support, at 217-234-5087 or email jwake@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College Adult Education will hold an orientation for free manufacturing skills classes on Tuesday, Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. at the Lake Land College Workforce Development Center, room 105.

Classes begin March 23, 2020 and run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., for qualified applicants. The classes count as college credit and there is no cost to attend. Registration is limited to the first 12 applicants.

For more information contact Adult Education at 217-238-8292 or adulteducation@lakelandcollege.edu. Visit the Adult Education Facebook page at Lake Land College Adult Education.

Lake Land College will offer a two-day Introduction to Concealed Carry class at Accuracy Firearms in Effingham on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Sunday, Feb. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 16-hour course, taught by Illinois Concealed Carry Instructor Dwayne Beccue, is designed to educate students about handguns best suited for personal defense, how to carry handguns safely and how to deploy and use them efficiently in the context of a dynamic critical incident. The course will also cover the laws pertaining to the appropriate and lawful use of carrying handguns in public.

Enrollment in the class is $150. To register, go to lakelandcollege.edu/learn and click on the class link. Drop date for a refund is five business days prior to the class.

Accuracy Firearms is located at 1300 S. Raney St., Effingham.

For more information, contact Jackie Wake, professional development support, at 217-234-5087 or email jwake@lakelandcollege.edu.

With the fall semester at a close for students and the holiday season well underway, Lake Land College will have varied office hours for the upcoming winter holiday season.

The following are important upcoming dates and hours of operation:

• Dec. 24-Jan. 1 – College closed.
• Jan. 2 – Services resume.
• Jan. 8 – Textbook pick-up begins.
• Jan. 10 – 10 a.m.-7 p.m. extended registration. Offices closed from 8-10 a.m.
• Jan. 13 – First day of classes for spring semester.

Students can enroll over the holiday break by going to lakelandcollege.edu/enroll.

Three Lake Land College students were awarded a $1,000 Illinois Community College Faculty Association (ICCFA) Student Scholarship each at the 2019 ICCFA Teaching and Learning Excellence Conference in East Peoria. Tanner Clark, Strasburg, Lara Owens, Windsor, and Jacob White, Mattoon, were three of seven students selected throughout the state to receive the scholarship.

The criteria for the scholarship includes a brief letter explaining the student’s academic and personal goals, as well as a description of all voluntary work on campus and in the community. Additionally, the applicant packet must include a letter of recommendation from a community college faculty member.

All three students are members of Lake Land College’s Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), which is an international honors society for two-year colleges that concentrates on scholarship, leadership, service and fellowship. For two years in a row, PTK at Lake Land College has reached the highest distinction as a 5 star status chapter.

“Tanner has been an outstanding leader at Lake Land College since he stepped foot on campus as a freshman in fall 2018. Not only does he maintain an outstanding GPA as an engineering science major, he is president of PTK, participates in other clubs and activities on campus and volunteers in his local community,” Krista Burrell, academic counselor, said. “Lara held a leadership role on campus most recently as a PTK member. She chaired the Girls on the Run committee for PTK that included marketing, recruitment and leading the group to participate in a successful event at the Mattoon YMCA. She has a strong work ethic and is talented at motivating others to do their best.”

“Jacob is a great student who works hard and always seeks out counsel. He is professional, always prepared and an example to his classmates,” Casey Hoenes, nursing instructor, said.

“Jacob is eager to learn and very caring,” Maria Nohren, nursing instructor, said. “He is a great student and will be a great nurse.”

For more information about ICCFA and its role in higher education within community colleges, visit www2.iccb.org/iccfa/.

For more information about PTK and other honors opportunities at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/honors-program/ or contact Burrell at 217-234-5042 or kburrell@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College will offer an eight-week Welding Fundamentals (WEL – 057) course beginning Saturday, Jan. 11. The class will meet every Saturday from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on campus in Mattoon.

Basic welding processes including oxy-acetylene welding, arc welding, cutting and brazing will be covered within the course.

The condensed course has a cap of 12 students and will run eight weeks. The course is open to the public. Regular tuition and fees apply.

For more information, contact John Gentry, welding instructor, at 217-234-5065 or jgentry@lakelandcollege.edu.

Lake Land College and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) officials met recently and renewed a partnership that provides an accelerated, seamless path to a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the SIUE School of Nursing.

Lake Land College President Dr. Josh Bullock, SIUE Chancellor Randy Pembrook, SIUE Dean of Nursing Laura Bernaix and Associate Dean Roberta Harrison discussed further initiatives regarding nursing educational opportunities.

Lake Land nursing students interested in the partnership option are dually enrolled in the SIUE program their second year at Lake Land and can take several co-requisites and general education courses at Lake Land. Once students successfully complete the Associate Degree Nurse (ADN) program at Lake Land College and obtain licensure as a registered nurse (RN), students may progress through the remaining RN to BS nursing courses through the SIUE online program.

“We know so many of our nursing graduates find employment in their hometowns and have limited options to complete a bachelor’s degree. This partnership eliminates geographic boundaries and provides a seamless opportunity for students to complete their goals,” Cheryl Beam, nursing instructor/director nursing programs, said.

“Our partnership with Lake Land College demonstrates our mutual dedication to ensuring lifelong learning for our students and our commitment to preparing the nursing workforce for the region and beyond,” said Dr. Laura Bernaix, dean of the SIUE School of Nursing.

The partnership provides students with the opportunity to advance their careers in the nursing field while simultaneously saving money and gaining valuable work experience along the way.

Kaylee Nottmeyer, Mattoon, Laker Nation Class of 2019, described her experience transitioning from Lake Land College to SIUE as effortless.

“I am currently working as a full-time RN at Sarah Bush Lincoln in the Emergency Room and taking classes online at both Lake Land College and SIUE,” Nottmeyer said. “The nursing staff at both schools are very approachable and they explain the entire process. It is clear that the partnership is designed to set you up for success.”

Lake Land’s ADN program is a competitive special admission program, providing students with a rigorous two-year program of study. Fully-equipped nursing labs provide students with hands-on learning allowing students to master required skills before completing clinicals in area healthcare facilities. In May of 2019, more than 70% of Lake Land College ADN program graduates were employed as an RN by graduation.

To learn more about the SIUE bachelor of science degree in nursing completion program and to begin your nursing career at Lake Land College, visit lakelandcollege.edu/high-demand and look for the nursing option. Review the ADN checklist and application procedures to meet the application deadline of Feb. 1, 2020.

Lake Land College nursing students recently received their pins at the Land College Associate Degree in Nursing Pinning Ceremony on Monday, Dec. 9.

Madeline Morrison, Neoga, received the Associate Degree Nursing Peer Award. Morrison was chosen because of her clinical and scholastic performance, willingness to help other students, professionalism, maturity and spirit. The award is characterized by a true team player, who also is considered a leader. Morrison was selected for this award by fellow nursing students.

Martha Vargas, Pana, received the award for Clinical Excellence, which is given to the graduate who demonstrates excellence in skills while exhibiting compassion, respect, integrity and professionalism.

The following students received their pins at the ceremony:

Amy Eggers                          Charleston

Andrea Spears                      Charleston

Emily Galbreath                    Charleston

Ramie Jenkins                      Charleston

Holly Simons                         Effingham

Jody Kollmann                      Effingham

Allison Posten                       Mattoon

Lauren Romack                     Neoga

Madeline Morrison                 Neoga

Karla Price                             Pana

Kristi Peters                           Pana

Martha Vargas                      Pana

Taylor Inman                         Pana

Tonya Claxon                        Pana

Kodie Martin                         Toledo