Associate Dean of Nursing and Allied Health Dr. Theresa Marcotte is retiring after 22 years with the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges District. During her career, Marcotte has worked in a variety of positions at all four colleges — Frontier, Lincoln Trail, Olney Central and Wabash Valley. She has been a nursing instructor, department head and administrator. She was Dean of Instruction at Wabash Valley College from 2007 to 2010 and has served the last five years in her current position at OCC.

Olney Central College’s Information Systems Technology Program recently refurbished and donated 10 computers to the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges’ TRIO Student Support Services Program. “We are thrilled PJ (Zeilstra) thought of us and our students,” said TRIO SSS Director Wain Davis. “These computers will help students get access to the technology they need to further their education.”

Lincoln Trail College is giving high school students the chance to make up credits this summer. LTC’s Secondary Education Academy runs from June 7 through July 30 and is broken up into four cohorts, each lasting two weeks. “We’ve heard from the high schools that there were some students that struggled with online learning during the pandemic,” says Lincoln Trail College Dean of Instruction Brent Todd. “We’re offering the SEA as a way that those students can take classes in a face-to-face setting and make up credits that they need.”

Lincoln Trail College announced the winners of this year’s student awards. Abbey McCord was awarded the Joseph C. Piland Excellence in Scholarship Award. Mallory Mundy was awarded the J. Rod Harmon Excellence in Service Award and Winter Harmsen was awarded the Bev L. Turkal Excellence in Leadership Award.

Lincoln Trail College honored faculty and staff members for their service at the 42nd Annual Service Recognition Night. Retiring English Professor Dr. Ann Wolven was the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching Award. It is awarded to faculty members who have demonstrated sustained excellence and have adopted innovative or highly effective practices to aid student learning.

Olney Central College is offering three summer hybrid math courses students can complete in just 6 weeks. MTH 1105 Trigonometry will meet from 8 to 8:50 a.m. and MTH 1102 College Algebra will meet from 9 to 10:50 a.m. OCC is offering MTH 1103 Liberal Arts Math for the first time as a summer course. The class, which meets math requirements for graduation, will be held from 11 to 11:50 a.m.  All three courses will meet Monday through Thursday, from June 7 to July 19, with Instructor Lisa Benson.

Top high school welders put their skills to the test during the First Brandon Blackford Memorial Welding Competition hosted by the Olney Central College Welding Program. Fourteen students from Richland County, Fairfield Community, Red Hill, Newton Community, Edwards County and Hutsonville high schools competed for scholarships and prizes during the event held at the West Richland Center in Noble.

Olney Central College students Stephanie Blake and Caleb Thomas have been named to the All-Illinois Academic Team by Phi Theta Kappa, the international two-year college honor society.

Registration Form Olney Central College Baseball is hosting Summer Little League Camps. Ages 6-8 will meet June 7, 9, 14 and 16. Camps for ages 9-12 will be offered June 8, 10, 15 and 17. All sessions will meet from 9 to 11 a.m. at OCC’s Dennis Conley Field. Rain dates are June 11 and 18.

Casey Wyllie has been named the head men's basketball coach at Olney Central College. He has served as the interim coach since June when Coach Mike Burris left to take an assistant coaching position at the University of Indianapolis.