Olney Central College is expanding opportunities for young musicians through its new Children’s Choir directed by Keegan Tucker. An elementary music teacher in Robinson, Tucker has been active for many years in the Olney Central College Theater and helps facilitate its Summer Children’s Theatre Workshop, which is held in conjunction with the Olney Arts Council.

The Olney Central College Community Choir will present its Holiday Pops Concert at 7 p.m. on Dec. 9 in the Dr. John D. Stull Performing Arts Center. Director of Choral Activities Dr. Andrew Pittman said this year’s event will feature a lighter fare of holiday favorites including Winter Wonderland, All I Want for Christmas is You, You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch and Christmas Time is Here from the 1965 animated television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Students from 22 different countries came to Lincoln Trail College on November 17 for IECC’s Annual Thanksgiving Meal. International students from each campus are invited to participate in the event and they were joined by several American students, including some from the TRIO Student Support Services program.

Members of the Alpha Delta Nu Nursing Honor Society put a focus on mental health for their fellow nursing students. They put on a special event on November 13 where students in the nursing program could visit a variety of stations and learn about mental health topics and study tips.

Olney Central College Professor David Denton will explore the most recent developments in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy during a presentation at 6 p.m. on November 21 in the Dr. John D. Stull Performing Arts Center at OCC.

Lincoln Trail College business students had the opportunity to learn about a venture that’s made the Guinness Book of World Records and another that’s headed by an LTC alumnus. The students took separate trips that took them to visit Casey, Ill. to learn about their Big Things in a Small Town and to The Woods Event Center located between Robinson and Oblong.  

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges received high marks from Intelligent.com, as the education research website ranked Frontier Community, Lincoln Trail, Olney Central and Wabash Valley among the top community colleges in Illinois and the nation.  

The Aspen Institute has named Olney Central College as one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation's signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.

Olney Central College will host its annual Meet the Knights event at 6 p.m. on Monday, October 23. Fans are encouraged to come out and support the Blue and Lady Knights as they prepare to kick off the 2023-2024 basketball season. The evening includes player introductions and court time for both the Blue and Lady Knights. An autograph session with the players will follow. Admission will be a Gatorade, Powerade, or any sports drink.

Spring registration is now open at Olney Central College. Call 618-395-7777 to schedule an appointment with an advisor. New students can apply online for free at www.iecc.edu/apply. The Spring 2024 schedule is available at www.iecc.edu/schedules.