High school seniors across southeastern Illinois who have already taken college classes or explored entrepreneurship while still in school will soon have another opportunity waiting for them after graduation. Through Illinois Eastern Community Colleges’ new Running Start program, eligible students who participated in dual credit courses or the CEO entrepreneurship program will receive a three-credit tuition waiver they can use for a class at IECC after graduating from high school.

Lincoln Trail College will soon offer agriculture courses on its campus, creating a new pathway for students interested in careers in one of the region’s most important industries. Beginning this fall, Lincoln Trail College will offer agriculture courses designed to introduce students to the field and prepare them to continue their studies through Illinois Eastern Community Colleges’ agriculture programs. LTC President Tona Ambrose said the launch reflects years of interest from students, schools and community members.

Written by: Delaney Williams MOUNT CARMEL, Ill. - Nine students from Wabash Valley College recently traveled to Branson, Missouri, to compete in the 2026 National Professional Agriculture Students (PAS) Conference, earning multiple top finishes in both team and individual events.

The Olney Central College Music Department has vocal and instrumental scholarships available for the 2026-2027 academic year. Any student who plays a band instrument or sings is eligible for consideration, regardless of major. To schedule an audition and interview, contact Dr. Andrew Pittman at pittmana@iecc.edu or Jena Combs at combsj3@iecc.edu.

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges will host its first-ever coordinated Day of Giving on March 31, inviting alumni, businesses, and community members to support student success across its four campuses. The 24-hour event will feature fundraising efforts led by the foundations of Frontier Community College, Lincoln Trail College, Olney Central College, and Wabash Valley College. Each campus will focus on raising support for scholarships, programs, and initiatives that benefit students.

Lincoln Trail College is inviting alumni, community members, and supporters to come together on March 31 for the college’s first-ever Day of Giving. The 24-hour event will bring attention to the ways community support helps students succeed while strengthening the programs and opportunities available on campus. The effort is part of a coordinated Day of Giving across Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, with each campus foundation focusing on supporting its local students and priorities.

OLNEY, IL — Olney Central College Theater’s production of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opens on March 20 at the Dr. John D. Stull Performing Arts Center. The production marks the return of the beloved musical to the OCC stage for the first time in 18 years. Known for its lively music and colorful storytelling, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat retells the familiar biblical story of Joseph, his famous coat of many colors, and his journey from hardship to triumph.

Olney Central College is proud to announce that 100 percent of its 2025 Cosmetology graduates passed the Illinois Licensed Cosmetologist Exam — marking the fourth consecutive year the program has achieved a perfect completion rate.

More than a century ago, two sisters from southern Illinois helped lay the foundation for nursing education in the region. Today, their legacy will continue through a new scholarship supporting the next generation of nurses at Lincoln Trail College. Beginning with the 2026–27 academic year, the Lincoln Trail College Foundation will award the Katharina and Philomina Weber Nursing Scholarship to a student enrolled in the college’s Nursing program. The scholarship honors the Weber sisters’ lasting contributions to nursing care and education in southeastern Illinois.

Olney Central College is hosting a FAFSA Completion Night from 3 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24 in Room 205 on the second floor of Dr. Kent L. Wattleworth Hall. OCC Financial Aid experts will be available to answer questions and assist students and parents in Filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Those attending should bring their FSA ID and 2024 tax returns to simplify the process.