Terri Bailey, VALIC financial advisor, will be on campus Tuesday, Jan. 30 from 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the VP conference room to answer questions about the 403(b) and 457(b) deferred compensation plan options available to LLCC employees from VALIC. View the invitation to find out how you can register for a consultation time. Deferred compensation options are available to employees from VALIC and TIAA-CREF.

Andy Mitkos, learning management systems coordinator, and Amy Chernowsky, instructional designer, were recently awarded master’s degrees in instructional design and technology from Western Illinois University. Congratulations to both Andy and Amy!

Ana Till, nursing instructor, and her husband, Nick, have a new baby boy! Owen Daniel was born on Jan. 17. Congratulations!

The James S. Murray Gallery is featuring the exhibit “A Fire Within: New Work by Michelle Coakes” through Feb. 1. The exhibit is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and all are invited to a closing reception with the artist on Thursday, Feb. 1 from 4-6 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Coakes is professor of art and the ceramics expert at LLCC, having taught and managed the college ceramics lab since 2002. She has created ceramic pieces for more than 40 years and taught at schools throughout the country. In 2013, she founded Bad Wolf Pottery, a pottery shop and studio producing handmade, functional pottery and sculptural clay objects. She is the author of the book “Creative Pottery: A Step by Step Guide and Showcase” and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts from Northern Illinois University.

Coakes is best known for her functional and quasi-functional vessels in stoneware, most of which are finished in a wood-fired kiln. Almost all of her work is wheel-thrown and manipulated. The rich, variable wood-fired surfaces add greatly to the illusion and references she sets up between old and new.

Read more about Professor Coakes, LLCC’s James S. Murray Gallery and its exhibits at www.llcc.edu/james-s-murray-gallery.

Tamie Penning, project and web services manager, was recently awarded a master’s degree in information systems and technology management from Capella University. She received the honor of “graduation with distinction” with a 4.0 grade point average. Congratulations!

Thank you to everyone who has sent a card or note, or had a message of kindness and sympathy for me due to the death of my dad on Jan. 6. I appreciate it very much.

Deborah Brothers
Ph.D., professor of English

Condolences to family and friends of Bill Shank, former LLCC faculty member in computers and office information systems, who passed away Jan. 15. Read the obituary.

The following LLCC staff members have taken on new positions at the college:

Nichole Coffey is our new accounts receivable collection technician in the LLCC Finance Department. She has been at the college since 2010, working in LLCC Financial Aid.

Nichole can be reached at 786-2244, via the student accounts line at 786-2480 or at nichole.coffey@llcc.edu.

Sharon Fritts is our new administrative assistant to the dean, health professions. She has been with LLCC for six years, working part time at LLCC-Taylorville as an education services representative and at LLCC-Hillsboro as a nursing program assistant.

Sharon can be reached at 786-2445 or sharon.fritts@llcc.edu.

We cannot find the proper words to express our appreciation for the support you gave us after the passing of our father, Wayne Mahan.

We are deeply touched and grateful for your expression of sympathy, whether a kind word was spoken, you attended the services or you sent flowers/plants or a card.

Times like these remind us of what good and caring people we are fortunate to work with at LLCC.

Thank you so much.

Sincerely,
Maureen Curry, facilities office coordinator
David Mahan, police officer

LLCC has been awarded the 2018 “Best Places to Work” award from the Springfield Business Journal and United Community Bank. The recognition honors organizations dedicated to their employees’ growth and a quality workplace. As a previous winner (2010), LLCC is receiving the award in the alumni category, along with Orthopedic Center of Illinois. First time recipients are Resource One Office, Mid-West Family Broadcasting and Staab Funeral Homes.