LLCC’s annual Recital Series kicks off Sunday, Sept. 24, with a performance by The River Ramblers. The recital begins at 4 p.m. in the Trutter Center.

The River Ramblers is a six-piece bluegrass band that hails from Springfield and surrounding areas. The group assembled in 1987 with the commitment to maintain the traditional bluegrass sound. Members of the group include three of the band’s original members: Duane Patterson, Marc Bourne and Mike Smith. Other members are Jennifer Ramm, professor of chemistry at LLCC; Don Randle and Steve Hatfield. The band performs the music of bluegrass icons such as Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers and Flatt and Scruggs, and has issued four recordings, which include traditional songs combined with original tunes.

All LLCC Recital Series performances are free and open to the public.

Read more about upcoming recitals.

Michelle Coakes, art professor, will have nine pieces of ceramic art featured in a statewide exhibit at the State Street Gallery in Chicago Oct. 16-Dec. 21. The exhibit, “Connections: Select Work by Illinois Artists and Artisans,” highlights the work of 33 artists and artisans living and working in Illinois. The juried collection is largely tactile and three dimensional.

An artists’ reception will be held on Oct. 26 from 5-7 p.m. The gallery is located on Robert Morris University’s Chicago campus, 401 South State St., Chicago, IL 60605. It is open Monday to Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Featured artists and artisans include: Sharon Bladholm, William Butler, Michelle Coakes, Michael Coakes, Kass Copeland, Sharon Davie-Barrett, Tammy Deck, Roberta Elliott, Deborah Fell, Alan Emerson Hicks, Sarah Kaiser, Ginny Lee, Anne Leuck, Patty Kochaver, Mays Mayhew, Eugenia Meltzer, Jason Messinger, Heather McQueen, Didier Nolet, Dennis O’Malley, Nancy Pirri, Robin Power, Michelle Rial, Mary Russell, John Scarborough, Beth Shadur, Laurie Shaman, Hugh Spector, Jim Spizzo, Mary Watson, Nina Weiss, James Wilbat and Shelley Wright.

View the poster for the exhibit: Connections: Select Work by Illinois Artists and Artisans.

Each semester, LLCC tests its emergency notification system called LLCC ALERT. The next test will take place today, Thursday, Sept. 21, at approximately 2 p.m. You will receive a test message from LLCC ALERT. You will later receive a follow-up email to make sure you received the test message.

LLCC ALERT allows the college to communicate with you by text, phone and email in an emergency, as well as for severe weather and other closures. Current employees and students are automatically enrolled in LLCC ALERT.

We encourage you to visit www.llcc.edu/alert and log in with your LLCC username and password to check your current contact information and manage how you receive emergency notifications. LLCC ALERT uses the information about you currently stored in the college’s Colleague system, and this information may need updating. Please add your office phone number if it is not listed, and make any other revisions needed.

For assistance, please contact the IT Service Desk at 6.2555 or helpdesk@llcc.edu.

Note: Updating your contact information in LLCC ALERT will NOT update that information in Colleague. To update your information in Colleague, please contact LLCC Human Resources.

A presentation is being held today, Thursday, Sept. 21, at 2:30 p.m. in Bistro Verde about a two-week trip to Italy that is being planned through the culinary arts department in conjunction with Centro Studi Italiani in Urbania, Italy. This trip is open to students and the community. The trip is scheduled for May 27-June 10, 2018. Participants will travel to three areas: the Marche region, which is nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea; the food valley area of Modena and Parma, located in the Emilia-Romagna region and known for prosciutto, balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese; and finally finishing in the city of Rome, the capital of Italy.

While there, various classes will be held in the Italian language, culture and culinary heritage and tradition of Italy. This two-week culinary immersion will also include meeting with culinary experts, local wine and food producers, restaurant owners and culinary entrepreneurs. Excursions to destinations with high artistic interest and natural beauty around Italy will provide a well-rounded perspective of Italian life and culture.

At the presentation, Giovanni Pasotto, managing director from Centro Studi Italiani, will discuss the trip in more detail. Click here to learn more about the itinerary. If you are interested in learning more but unable to make the meeting, contact Nancy Sweet at 786-4613 or nancy.sweet@llcc.edu.

Join us this afternoon from 4-6 p.m. at the Trutter Museum for the opening reception of the exhibit “Inspired – ‘On My Own Time’ artwork created by LLCC faculty, staff and friends.” Refreshments and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.

OMOT is a program of the Springfield Area Arts Council offering individuals the opportunity to display original art created outside the office. The Trutter Museum is proud to present this one-of-a-kind display celebrating LLCC’s own, as well as the creativity of Phil Trutter who had a lifelong love affair with art.

Misty Hagstrom, 786-2466, misty.hagstrom@llcc.edu
Judy Jozaitis, 786-2420, judy.jozaitis@llcc.edu
Janet Semanik, 786-2217, janet.semanik@llcc.edu

Dr. Chris McDonald would like to thank his AQIP Action project team members. “We just completed a nearly two-year project to establish a database and feedback process for stakeholders with formal agreements with the college (the DSIP – Dynamic Stakeholder Inventory Process).

It was a rather long and somewhat unglamorous project, but one which I think has made a real and concrete contribution to the college’s operation. This was recognized by the HLC reviewer who wrote, ‘The outcome of this action project is a valuable resource for the institution. Identifying and documenting all these valuable stakeholders will serve the institution now and into the future. Good work.” This would not have been possible without two years of meetings, emails and spreadsheet work. So I would like to publicly thank and recognize those who made it possible: Libby Elder, Sarah Goodman, Dr. Judy Jozaitis, Paula Luebbert and the incredible and efficient Amy Williams (for keeping us all on task and on time!)

Chris McDonald, Ph.D., professor of political science

The farm stand is open today in A. Lincoln Commons from 1:30-4 p.m. (or until sold out). The stand will feature sweet peppers, tomatoes and herbs with recipes on using and storing the ingredients. Please note that the farm stand accepts cash only and that during the seasonal transition there will be fewer items and smaller quantities.

Laurel Bretz begins her new position today as director, LLCC Community Education. She was formerly workforce development program coordinator, government educational services at the Capital City Training Center. Her phone number is 786-2430 and office number is MCTR-1135. Congratulations!

Deanna Blackwell, director, TRIO Student Support Services, snapped this early morning photo on campus.

LLCC Social Sciences will host a Constitution Day presentation entitled “Presidential Pardons” today, on Friday, Sept. 15 at noon in the Trutter Center on the LLCC-Springfield campus. Speakers are LLCC Professors of Political Science Chris McDonald, Ph.D., and John Vinzant, Ph.D. A discussion period will follow the presentation.