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.

Join us in welcoming recent new faculty and staff!

Sonja Harvey is LLCC’s new associate dean of nursing. Her hospital background includes neuro, trauma and critical care. She has taught LPNs, been a clinical skills/simulation coordinator and most recently served as associate dean of nursing at Illinois Central College in Peoria. Sonja earned her associate degree in nursing from LLCC and her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Benedictine University. She is currently completing her doctoral studies in educational leadership from American Standard University. Sonja can be reached at 786-4913 or sonja.harvey@llcc.edu.

Joi Mauk is our new nursing instructor in LLCC Health Professions. Joi has a background in pediatric nursing, having worked at St. John’s Children’s Hospital. She also worked with adult patients as a clinic nurse for Southern Illinois University Trauma Services. In addition, she has served as an adjunct for the LLCC associate degree nursing program since 2015 and also for Lakeview College of Nursing. Joi earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from St. John’s College of Nursing and her master’s degree in nursing from Benedictine University with a concentration in nursing education. Joi can be reached at 786-4941 or joi.mauk@llcc.edu.

Sarah Laurent is a new CNA instructor in the LLCC Health Professions Department. She has a clinical background in acute care and long-term care nursing. Sarah also has experience teaching and coordinating a CNA program in a long-term facility, in addition to experience as an LLCC CNA adjunct and teaching CNA at Kaskaskia College. Sarah received her associate degree in nursing from LLCC and her bachelor’s degree in nursing from Benedictine University in Springfield. Sarah can be reached at 786-9628 or sarah.laurent@llcc.edu.

Tim Ervin has joined LLCC as director of construction and environmental, health and safety. Previously, he was employed at BLDD Architects in Decatur for more than 10 years and specialized in the design and construction of elementary, secondary and higher education buildings. He is a graduate of SIU Carbondale where he earned his bachelor’s degree in architectural studies. Tim can be reached at 786-9605 or timothy.ervin@llcc.edu.

Attend the free seed saving program in the LLCC Community Garden (behind Montgomery Hall) today at noon. Save money and grow healthier plants with the best of this year’s crop. Learn techniques and processes for saving various seeds. The program is open to students, employees and the public. For more information, call 786.4993.

LLCC Community Garden education programs

Terri Bailey, VALIC financial adviser, will be on campus today, Wednesday, Sept. 13 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. Those interested can register online for a consultation time. Deferred compensation options are available to employees from VALIC and TIAA-CREF.

You Are Invited

Shelby Bedford has accepted the new position of compliance and prevention coordinator, student success. She was previously program assistant, student success. Her new office is Menard 1145, and her phone number is 786.4682. Congratulations!

The U.S. flag and the state flag are being flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday, Sept., 11, 2017 in honor and remembrance of the heroes of Sept. 11, 2001 and all those who lost their lives. The flags have been at half-staff since sunrise on Saturday, Sept. 9 in honor of Officer Bernard “Bernie” Domagala of the Chicago Police Department and in honor of Petty Officer 3rd Class Logan Palmer, United State Navy.

Submissions for fall Professional Development Day are due by 5 p.m. today, Monday, Sept. 11.

LLCC’s fall Professional Development Day will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 7 and is a great opportunity to share ideas, learn something new or expand upon skills and talents you already have. Anyone interested is invited to take this opportunity to submit a presentation proposal based on the following themes and criteria.

The Professional Development Day work group is currently seeking proposals for 50-minute concurrent sessions based on the new core values of Access and Success, Diversity, Accountability, Progress, and Teaching and Learning. Each proposal will be evaluated based on it relating to college’s new core values, aligning with college mission and goals, being a topic of interest to a diverse college audience and highlighting best practices, innovative techniques, new policies, new developments and/or new initiatives. To submit a concurrent session proposal that you would present, complete the session proposal form.

The Professional Development Day work group is also collecting ideas/suggestions for concurrent sessions. To submit an idea for a session outside of your particular expertise/knowledge, but you feel would be of great interest to yourself and/or others, complete the session idea form.

The days of watermelons, cucumbers, sweet peppers and tomatoes are numbered! Visit the farm stand in A. Lincoln Commons today from 1:30-4:15 p.m. (or until sold out) for end of summer produce. Please note, the farm stand accepts cash only.

Below are the workshops being offered by LLCC Academic Innovation & eLearning for the week of Sept. 11. Please note that registration is required for all sessions, other than open labs.

• Beginning Blackboard – Monday, Sept. 11 – 4-5 p.m. – S0119
• Developing Effective Visual Vehicles for your Course Content – Part I – Tuesday, Sept. 12 – 2:30-3:30 p.m. – S0119
• Office of Academic Effectiveness Open Lab – Wednesday, Sept. 13 – 10 a.m.-noon – S0119
• Facilitator Training – Wednesday, Sept. 13 – 2-4 p.m. – TBA
• Program Review Training – CTE Program – Thursday, Sept. 14 – 2-3 p.m. – TBA
• ZogoTech Open Lab – Friday, Sept. 15 – 1-3 p.m. – S0119
  

A list of all courses, detailed descriptions and registration information can be found at www.llcc.edu/aiel/workshop-schedule.