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Lincoln Trail College and the Crawford County Development Association will invite the community to explore a new space built around connection, collaboration and opportunity during an open house for The 618 Project.
The open house will be held Nov. 12 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lincoln Trail College. Visitors will have an opportunity to tour The 618, learn more about how the space can be used and enjoy a light lunch.
The 618 brings together entrepreneurs, small businesses, students and community members in a space designed to support business development, workforce development and collaboration. The facility includes flexible workspaces, private offices, co-working areas and meeting spaces.
Lincoln Trail College President Tona Ambrose said the vision for The 618 goes well beyond providing a place to work.
“I envision The 618 being a place that feels active every day. A place where you might see a student working alongside an entrepreneur, a small business owner meeting with a consultant, an employer meeting with a potential employee, or a community member attending a workshop,” Ambrose said.
The project expands the college’s role as a place where education, entrepreneurship and workforce development can intersect. Ambrose said The 618 can provide students and community members opportunities to make connections that might otherwise be difficult to find in a rural area.
“Lincoln Trail College has always been about more than what happens inside our classrooms,” Ambrose said. “We have a responsibility to fulfill the IECC mission to strengthen the community and region we serve.”
The 618 is also the new home of the Crawford County Development Association, further connecting the college with local economic development efforts. The space will provide a gathering place for CEO and Leadership Crawford County participants and will host workshops and other programming through the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges Small Business Development Center.
CCDA Executive Director Resa Shaner said the project is intended to provide entrepreneurs and business owners with both a place to work and access to resources that can help them move their ideas forward.
“This space will function as a true community hub for business development,” Shaner said. “The goal is to reduce the barriers that often keep great ideas from turning into viable businesses.”
For Ambrose, one of the project’s greatest strengths is its ability to bring together people who may have different needs but can benefit from being connected to one another.
“Ultimately, I want The 618 to become a place on campus where people come with an idea and leave with a connection, a resource, a new skill, a business plan, or maybe even the beginning of a new business,” Ambrose said.
The Nov. 12 open house will give community members their first opportunity to take a closer look at those possibilities. Visitors can tour the facility, see its different work and meeting areas and learn more about the organizations and resources available through The 618.
Those planning to attend are encouraged to RSVP by emailing Heather Watts at wattsh@iecc.edu.
