Olney Central College’s Knight Kafe is expanding its menu this fall to include homemade pizza. The medium-sized pizzas contain eight slices each and come with a choice of one to three toppings for $10. Choose from traditional favorites like pepperoni and mushrooms or try new combinations like chicken and spinach. Specialty pizzas are $12 and include Hawaiian, Philly Cheese Steak, Taco, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Meat Lovers, BBQ and Italian Beef.

Olney Central College’s Operations and Maintenance Department has been busy undertaking several campus-wide improvement projects this summer, including two that will increase energy efficiency in Wattleworth Hall. O&M Team Leader Clay Atkins said OCC received 1,000 free LED lights through an Ameren Illinois sponsored program. Existing fluorescent tube lights in all hallways have been replaced with the new bulbs.

Dr. Michael Patilla joins Lincoln Trail College as the Director of Music and Performing Arts Coordinator. He has a diverse national and international teaching and performance career. Dr. Patilla comes to LTC from Lake Land College, where he served as the Associate Dean of Correctional Programs. Before that, he was a music professor at Mississippi State University for 18 years. 

Local artist Mari Yamato invites both college students and area residents to attend her fall ceramics course. “I am very excited about working with the students,” Yamato said. “For the past year, we haven’t had ceramics due to COVID. I taught TRIO students this summer and enjoyed it, but it was a very condensed month-long course. I’m looking forward to this fall when I’ll have four months to teach and work with the students. In a full semester, we can relax and you can see the gradual growth in the students.”

Local quilter Laurie Rist will share her expertise with students during Olney Central College’s 10-week evening quilting course. The non-credit class is open to varying skill levels and will meet at the West Richland Center in Noble from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, starting Sept. 14. Beginners will complete a designated quilting project from start to finish while learning how to read patterns as well as cut and prep material. More advanced students can work on a project of their choice with Rist’s guidance.

Lincoln Trail College is getting set to make some upgrades to the Rowland-Nicholas Natatorium. The first phase of the project will improve access to changing rooms and begin adding recreational features to the pool. Patrons of the pool will see some improvements in how they can use the facility. Plans call for two individual showers and a changing area. Previously, people that wanted to change had to either use an athletic locker room or a restroom at the College. 

OLNEY, Ill. — Outstanding students at Olney Central College have received academic honors for the Spring 2021 Semester. Students named to the Chancellor’s List have attained a grade point average of 3.90 or higher, on a 4.0 scale. Those on the President’s List have achieved a grade point average between 3.75 and 3.89, while those students named to the Dean’s List have earned a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.74. Chancellor’s List: Albion: Camden Cowger and Omalee McDonald Allendale: Ashley Carie

On July 13 – 16, 2021, the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges TRIO Student Support Services program took 30 of its participants to Washington D.C. Travel was by charter bus so in two days, the group was able to visit many of the D.C. landmarks. TRIO SSS is a program that is 100% funded by the U.S. Department of Education to help students that are first-generation, low-income, or have other qualifying barriers to completing their education. The program offers many services to assist students with basic college requirements and increase college retention and graduation, and transfer rates.

Olney Central College Director of Choral Activities Dr. Andrew Pittman is excited to announce the OCC Community Choir is returning for Fall 2021. “After a very difficult year, I’m so excited to see my friends in the Community Choir again, for us to sing, to connect, and to just plain have fun,” he said. Last fall the OCC Music Department made the difficult decision to cancel Community Choir and its annual Christmas Concert due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Olney Central College Instructor Heather Sandy’s artwork, Protect and Respect, won first place in the 2021 Art for Health and Unity Competition sponsored by Unity in Action Magazine in Champaign. Sandy used both Procreate, an iPad app, and Adobe Illustrator to create the digital piece, which features four individuals walking together as the COVID-19 virus lurks in the background.