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. 

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. 

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.

The Lincoln Trail College Athletic Department produced 41 student-athletes that earned All-Academic honors from the NJCAA. Six teams earned Academic Team of the Year honors. “This is a great honor,” says Athletic Director Kevin Bowers. “It is a very important part of our culture that our student-athletes work hard in the classroom as well as in their sports.”

Lincoln Trail College is planning a variety of different Community Education Classes throughout the Fall. LTC’s summer Community Education offerings wrap up with a Herb and Botanical Extractions and Infusions class that begins August 3. Instructor Nicole Martin will teach the class about flower and herb infusions that you can do yourself. Students will learn how to create their own lotions, salves, and oils. The class is on August 3, 10, and 17 from 6-8 p.m. each night. 

Lincoln Trail College Summer Theatre Director Brennan Seth Tracy announced the cast for the College’s production of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl. Eurydice reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus and Eurydice not through Orpheus's infamous pilgrimage to retrieve his bridge, but through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters and plot twists, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story.

The new Crawford County Recreation Center will be a reality at Lincoln Trail College. The Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Board of Trustees gave their approval for the project in May of 2018 and gave the green light to move forward on the project based on local fundraising at their May 2021 meeting. Now the facility can start moving forward in the pre-construction process.

The Spring ’21 semester was unlike any other for community college student-athletes across the nation, but there was one thing that remained consistent at Lincoln Trail College: strong performance in the classroom. For the 15th consecutive semester, LTC student-athletes combined for an overall GPA above 3.0.

Lincoln Trail College’s Alpha Iota Epsilon Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society was recognized at the Illinois Region Phi Theta Kappa Hallmark Awards. Once again, LTC was recognized as a Five Star Chapter. The recognition is the highest honor a chapter can receive. 

Junsie Cotten is back for another run with Lincoln Trail College. Cotten, who led the Statesmen to a Regional Championship in 2007, was named the head coach of the men's basketball team at the May 18 IECC Board meeting.  "I am absolutely thrilled to be returning to Lincoln Trail College as the head men’s basketball coach,” says Cotten. “It is a place I’m very familiar with and one that has welcomed me with open arms. I am looking forward to developing lifelong relationships with our players, coaches, and the Robinson community.”