Mount Carmel, IL — Wabash Valley College is proud to share that WVC’s Cozy Corner has been named the winner of the Spring 2026 NILRC Photo Contest, hosted by the Network of Illinois Learning Resources in Community Colleges (NILRC).

For Landry Price, the classroom isn’t always defined by four walls and a lesson plan. Sometimes, it looks like a group of grade school students gathered around a table, hands covered in paint, learning about creativity, teamwork and even a little bit about college along the way.

For Elizabeth Womble, the path to becoming a teacher is clear. Getting there is the challenge. A student at Lincoln Trail College, Womble is working toward a degree in education with plans to become a high school home economics teacher. It’s a goal shaped not just by her interests, but by her life experience. “I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for 10 years,” Womble said. “I knew I wanted to be a teacher, and I thought about what I’ve been doing that I wouldn’t mind teaching for a long time.”

Academic achievement took center stage as Lincoln Trail College welcomed a new class of students into the Alpha Iota Epsilon chapter of Phi Theta Kappa during its spring induction ceremony. The ceremony recognized students who have demonstrated excellence in the classroom and a commitment to scholarship, leadership and service.

Olney Central College student Jacob Kimbro, of Flora, captured first place in the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center Welding Competition — becoming the first OCC student to earn top honors in the Nix Industrial-sponsored event. “Being in the competition was a really good experience,” Kimbro said. “I feel great about winning — it was definitely a surprise. I didn’t think I was going to take first place, but it felt good. I was proud to represent OCC, the Welding Program and Instructor Maverick Fisher.”

Olney Central College is undertaking an extensive $2 million project to renovate four science labs in Dr. Kent L. Wattleworth Hall. The work will focus on transforming the third-floor physics, chemistry and two biology labs into modern, high-tech learning spaces. OCC President Chris Simpson said the renovations will be a much-needed addition to the campus.

Four Lincoln Trail College Process Technology students have qualified for the NAPTA Troubleshooting Skills Competition, earning the opportunity to compete against top programs from across the country. Hannah Potts, Natalie Ramsey, Korbin Alger and Dalton Spahn will represent LTC at the national competition, which is organized by the North American Process Technology Alliance and will be held April 29-May 1 in Pasadena, Texas.

Illinois Eastern Community Colleges (IECC) announces that Dr. Matt Fowler, President of Wabash Valley College and IECC Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, has formally notified the Board of Trustees of his intent to retire and not to seek renewal of his current contract, which expires on June 30, 2027.

In its April 21 meeting, the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Board of Trustees approved a resolution honoring Jerry Cox, a longtime supporter of Frontier Community College, and granting him naming rights to select elements of the new athletic center currently under construction on campus. Cox has recently made the FCC Foundation the beneficiary of a generous estate gift.  

The Lincoln Trail College Community Choir and Jazz Band will present a spring concert at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 1, in the Zwermann Arts Center Theater. The concert will feature a blend of choral works and jazz standards performed by ensembles made up of community members and Lincoln Trail College students.