Illinois Eastern Community Colleges is preparing for the return of students to the classroom when the Fall Semester begins August 20. The Presidents and Deans at Frontier Community College, Lincoln Trail College, Olney Central College, and Wabash Valley College have been following the guidance of the Illinois Community College Board and the Illinois Department of Public Health and are taking proactive steps to prepare for the return of students.  

Adam Rotar was named the Head Women’s Basketball Coach for Lincoln Trail College. Rotar had served as the Assistant Coach for the team since 2016. He replaces Scott Sparks, who stepped down this summer so he could spend more time with his family. “I am excited and thrilled to lead the Lady Statesmen,” says Rotar. “It’s a unique situation to be in now from a different seat, but with the same goals in mind: to rise back to the top of the conference, and to get back to where the program last won a regional championship in 2010.”

Olney Central College will offer after-hours registration to assist students enrolling in fall semester classes. Work-It-Out Wednesdays for Knight Registration will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on July 29, Aug. 5 and Aug. 12.  To schedule an appointment, call 618-395-7777. Walk-ins are welcome. Fall semester schedules are available at www.iecc.edu/occ. Classes start Aug. 20.

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Olney Central College is making it easier to enroll in fall semester classes with Mobile Registration. Advisor/Recruiters Sheri Gray and Jodi Schneider will be traveling to area communities to answer questions and assist students in applying and registering for Fall 2020 classes.

Olney Central College’s success with Signal Vine is being highlighted on the company’s website. OCC implemented the two-way text messaging platform last year as part of the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Title III Block Grant initiative to enhance academic advising. The Signal Vine platform enables advisors to strengthen communication and better engage with students.

Evening classes are now available for Olney Central College’s new Unmanned Aerial Pilot Certificate. “We know there are individuals who would like to complete the certificate, but are unable to take daytime classes because they are working,” said Morgan Henton, Unmanned Aerial Technology Specialist. “We hope this will make it easier for them to complete the training.”

The NJCAA honored 32 Lincoln Trail College student-athletes for their work in the classroom during the 2019-20 academic year. They also recognized five LTC teams for their academic achievements. Four student-athletes earned NJCAA All-Academic First Team honors. Volleyball player Sydni Bailey, golfer Jordan Hosick, baseball player Joey Perkins, and volleyball player Emily Yocom all achieved a 4.0 GPA to earn first-team honors.

When retired Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesey told his longtime friend Dr. Patricia Owens, a former Wabash Valley College professor, that he wanted to use her work in a book project he had been working on, she was surprised. As a way to stay connected, Mr. Whittlesey and Dr. Owens often exchanged works they had published throughout the years.

Each year, the IECC TRIO Student Support Services program awards the Student Support Services Participation Grant to eligible students. For students to receive said grant, they must fulfill several requirements. The students must attend the “Learning to Succeed” seminars which are held two days at the beginning of each academic year. The seminars are comprised of several sessions each day giving the students valuable information to help them be successful during the school year.