Trustees thank Dick Levi for generous donation 

The LLCC Board of Trustees met in special session yesterday afternoon and unanimously approved naming of a new aviation classroom building the Levi, Ray and Shoup, Inc. Aviation Center at Lincoln Land Community College.

The board’s special meeting preceded a press conference at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport to announce a gift of $850,000 from Dick Levi of Levi, Ray and Shoup, Inc. to the LLCC Foundation to allow for construction of a new classroom facility adjacent to the current LLCC aviation center at the airport.

At the special board meeting, LLCC Chair Craig Findley noted the many years of work by former chair and long-time LLCC trustee Kent Gray in envisioning and planning for the expansion.

Mr. Gray joined the board in thanking Mr. Levi and Levi, Ray and Shoup for the generous and community-minded donation. “This gift will fulfill our long-held dream to improve our training facilities in the growing field of aviation mechanics. We will potentially be able to double the number of students we serve who can train for secure careers in the aviation maintenance field. We will have more room for classrooms, currently housed in modular structures, and outstanding spaces for hands-on technical training.”

The Springfield Airport Authority will own and oversee construction of the new facility, which is scheduled to begin this spring and open next fall.

At the press conference following the board meeting, Mr. Levi commented, “I am truly pleased and proud to make this gift to benefit students and the community.”

A number of LLCC aviation students who were on hand for the press conference have paid internships and offers to work at StandardAero, located at the airport, which was acquired last fall by Veritas Capital based in New York. At the time of the acquisition, the company announced an increase in hiring, and LLCC’s program puts students in a good position to compete for those expanding jobs.

LLCC’s 18-month aviation mechanics program, the only such program in central Illinois, prepares students to take the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification exam for airframe and power plant mechanics. The program emphasizes hands-on experience with the repair and maintenance of modern engines and airframes.

Classes in the program begin every January and August. The new program beginning January 19 still has openings for students.

More information on enrolling is available by calling Dave Pietrzak, director of aviation, at 217.544.4965 or 309.530.7372 or online at www.llcc.edu/aviation.

Facilities Services will be conducting tests of the fire sprinklers in the outreach centers today, 1/6/16. During these tests it will be necessary to periodically activate the fire alarm horns and strobes. Disruption will be kept to a minimum as much as possible and as always, we appreciate your patience.

The LLCC Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting today, Jan. 6, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, Hangar 4. The purpose of the meeting will be acceptance of a donation and naming of the aviation center. A press conference will follow.

Thank you all for the gift cards, cake, picture and retirement wishes. I do not know who all donated for everything so this is a heartfelt thank you to each and everyone of you. A special thanks to Laurie Clemons for coordinating everything. To Advising and all of Student Services, it’s been great working with you. Another thank you goes to Karen Sanders and Ryan Murphy for the baseball surprise gathering. And, a special, special thanks to Ron Riggle and the Athletic Department who got me, not once, but three times. It’s been a pleasure working with all of you. You are like family! Go Loggers!

Craig Findley, chair, LLCC Board of Trustees, wrote the essay “Community Colleges respond to community needs” in the Sunday, Jan. 3 Our Towns section of the State Journal-Register.

Jolene Adams, coordinator, Culinary Institute, was the featured author of Dec. 30 SJ-R Epicuriosity 101 column with “New Year, New You with Ancient Grains.”

Karen Sanders, executive director, LLCC Foundation, spoke on Sports Radio 1450 Dec. 23 on the recent generous gift from Selvaggio Steel to establish a new scholarship endowment fund.

Welcome Week volunteers are needed to greet students and assist students during the first few days of spring classes. For available volunteer times and to sign up, click HERE or contact Colleen Pittman at colleen.pittman@llcc.edu or 6-4906.

Effective Jan.1, 2016 the standard mileage rate for the business use of a passenger vehicle will be $.54 (54 cents) per mile.  This is a decrease from the 2015 mileage rate.  The revised mileage forms will be available on the Accounts Payable portal page or in the Finance Office.  Please contact Jill Whitney or Cheryl Sneed if you have any questions.

Names of employees celebrating a January birthday have been posted. Click HERE or on the birthday tab at the top. We’ve included late December birthdays also, in case you missed those over break.

I wish to express my heartfelt thanks for all the cards, gifts and well-wishes in honor of my retirement. I have been blessed to work with so many wonderful, dedicated individuals throughout my career at LLCC as we strived to improve the lives of the many students we served. As I embark on a new chapter of my life, I wish all of you and the college great success.

Thanks for all the wonderful memories!

Diane Clark

Hope you had a wonderful holiday break!