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Trustee Barbara Shimer reflects on a lifetime of learning, teaching, and service as she steps down from the IECC Board
When Barbara Shimer talks about her time at Lincoln Trail College, she often starts with a teacher.
Elsie Floreck was a professional opera singer who came to the United States after World War II with her husband, a musician, along with a baby, a box of music and $12.
“She was amazing,” Shimer said.
For Shimer, those experiences helped define what Lincoln Trail College and Illinois Eastern Community Colleges could be. As she steps down from the IECC Board of Trustees, she said the college has shaped her life in ways that go far beyond the classroom.
“Lincoln Trail College and IECC have been the story of my life,” she said.
Shimer first enrolled at Lincoln Trail College in 1972 after graduating from high school. She took classes that transferred before beginning her career, working as a travel agent and bookkeeper.
Music had always been a part of Shimer’s life.
She said being cast as the lead in a high school play was a defining moment that helped shape her confidence and interest in performing. She later served as Director of Music at St. Elizabeth Catholic Church for more than 30 years, beginning in the early 1970s.
While building a career as a travel agent and bookkeeper, that interest in music never went away.
“I was working as a travel agent, and I really wanted to study voice,” she said.
That decision brought her back to campus and into Floreck’s classroom, where she became part of a dedicated group of singers helping build a strong performing arts presence at the college.
Shimer earned her Associate in Science from Lincoln Trail College in 1985.
Her connection to the college continued to grow when she began teaching in 1992.
“It was life-changing,” she said.
Shimer worked with the Concert Choir and Children’s Summer Theater, directing large groups and organizing performances that often included orchestras and joint concerts with Olney Central College.
“I really enjoyed it,” she said. “I wanted to give people life experiences with our concerts.”
She later spent several years teaching music and theater in Robinson schools, working with students from elementary through high school.
In 2007, she returned to Lincoln Trail College full time.
“It felt like home,” she said. “I loved working with younger students, but I also loved working with people of all generations.”
She served as an instructor and director until 2018, helping lead the college’s theater and music programs and working closely with students in performances, classes and community productions.
In 2024, she was inducted into the Lincoln Trail College Foundation Hall of Fame.
Following her retirement from LTC, Shimer continued her work in the community with the United Way of Crawford County, helping connect residents with local services and support.
She also continues to manage financial operations for family-owned oil drilling investment companies and trusts, drawing on decades of experience in bookkeeping and business management.
Not long after retiring from teaching, Shimer was encouraged to consider another role.
“Jim Lane called me and said he was stepping off the Board of Trustees and thought I might have something to bring,” she said.
Shimer said her time as a student and instructor gave her a perspective she could carry into the role.
During her time as a trustee, Shimer said she focused on the impact IECC has on students and the community.
“Lincoln Trail College and IECC have been hugely important to my life,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine life without them.”
She said that impact is especially clear in the performing arts, where students often gain confidence that carries into other areas of their lives.
Before performances, Shimer said she would gather cast members together, have them hold hands, and share a simple message, “let’s make magic.”
“Being on stage means you put all of your personal stuff to the side and bring your inner gifts,” she said. “You’re making magic with the people you’re performing with. It makes you walk taller and feel more confident.”
Some of her favorite moments came from watching that growth happen in others.
“I’ve worked with people who are terrified when they first come on stage,” she said.
“Watching them become confident really makes me happy.”
Shimer also pointed to efforts to bring performing arts programs together across IECC as something she is proud to have supported. She said collaboration between campuses has helped strengthen programs districtwide.
As she steps away from the Board, Shimer said she plans to remain connected by supporting the college and attending performances when she can.
“I’ve had so many wonderful experiences working with everyone from kids to seniors,” she said. “LTC has really been the story of my life.”
Shimer’s term on the Board of Trustees was scheduled to run through spring 2027. The Board is seeking a qualified individual to fill the remainder of the term.
Those interested should submit a letter of interest to Board Secretary Sonja Holtz, 233 E. Chestnut St., Olney, IL 62450.