Chris Call, who is battling stage IV glioblastoma cancer, was awarded his LLCC diploma by President Charlotte Warren in a surprise ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 18. Beth Hoffmann, professor of communication, was able to confirm that Chris had earned enough credits to graduate, and organized the awarding of his diploma. The ceremony was also attended by Chris’s mother June, sister Shelly and nephew Colby, along with Drs. Chris McDonald, professor of political science and Beth Wiediger, professor of psychology, and Vice President of Academic Services Dr. Eileen Tepatti. Special thanks also to Susan Mendenhall, records coordinator, for her assistance in confirming his eligibility for graduation.

According to Beth, “Chris often reminisces about his time at LLCC and the connections he made with his professors. He mentioned to me that he regrets never completing a degree at LLCC or UIC, so I just asked to have his transcripts reviewed to see if maybe he had completed a degree. With the help of Dr. Eileen Tepatti and Susan Mendenhall, they confirmed he had enough credits to be awarded an associate in general education degree in liberal arts. I cried tears of joy because I knew how much it would mean to Chris and his family.”

Chris started LLCC in the spring of 2003. He took Speech 101 and 201 with Professor Beth Hoffmann, was involved in Model UN in the spring of 2005 and went on a trip to European battlefields with Drs. Chris McDonald and Mark Roehrs, which he greatly enjoyed and still talks about today. He successfully completed the Honors Program in the spring 2006. He attended the University of Illinois Chicago and completed several semesters of coursework. After his brain cancer diagnosis, he came back to Springfield and has enjoyed taking classes at LLCC for personal enrichment, including one with Dr. Beth Wiediger.