A gentle reminder for all faculty members as commencement approaches: if for any reason you anticipate being unable to attend commencement, please make sure to take a moment and email Dr. Warren for approval. Your cooperation ensures the smooth functioning of commencement and the line of march. Thank you!
Please submit community organization affiliations by April 12
The LLCC External Stakeholders Team is developing an internal document that lists relationships that faculty and staff have with organizations within our district. This list will provide us with a network of employees who support these organizations and could help in establishing and strengthening partnerships within our community. Examples of affiliations include the following:
- United Way of Central Illinois, Board Member
- The Boys & Girls Club of Central Illinois, Volunteer
- Springfield High School Booster Club Member
- Jacksonville Rotary Club Member
If you have any affiliations, please fill out the External Affiliations Survey by Friday, April 12.
Thank you for your assistance!
External Stakeholders Team
CCSSE Update
LLCC is participating in the online Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) during the spring 2024 semester. CCSSE is a national survey focused on teaching, learning and retention in community colleges. To learn more about CCSSE, visit www.ccsse.org.
The survey invitation has been distributed to students via an email, with a supporting Canvas announcement to increase awareness and accessibility. The survey is still open. If you interact with students, please encourage them to complete the CCSSE.
Contact us at AskIRE@llcc.edu with questions.
LLCC Softball Super Fans game, April 9
Cheer on the Loggers at the April 9 softball game at 2 p.m. versus Illinois Central College! There will be softball trivia, prizes and free popcorn.
Join Juneteenth Committee Planning
A group is forming to plan this year’s Juneteenth celebration which will be held on LLCC’s main campus on Wednesday, June 19. If you are interested in joining the committee, please email Kim Wilson by Monday, April 8. The first meeting will be scheduled within the next couple of weeks.
In the News
WCIA Meteorologist Jacob Dickey interviews Laurel Bretz, assistant vice president of continuing, corporate and professional education as he highlights LLCC’s community education program on WCIA’s morning show Wednesday. Watch the news clip on WCIA.
Jeff Gardner, program director, diesel technologies, and LLCC students, Colton Decker and Erik Keeton were interviewed by Roland Machinery for an internal video Roland is producing on LLCC’s Diesel Technologies program.
LLCC Solar Eclipse Watch Party happening Monday
A total solar eclipse will be visible from southern Illinois on Monday, April 8. While the eclipse will still be visible from the Springfield area, it will not quite be total. LLCC is providing an opportunity for those not making the journey to southern Illinois to still experience the total solar eclipse through the college’s Facebook page and activities on the LLCC-Springfield campus during the Solar Eclipse Watch Party from 12:30-3:30 p.m.
Samantha Reif, LLCC professor of geology, will be in southern Illinois and going live on Facebook every half hour starting at 12:30 p.m. to show what the sun and surrounding environment look like, provide information on the astronomical event and answer questions from viewers.
“Illinois is set for a rare, twice-in-a-lifetime event — back-to-back total solar eclipses crossing on the exact same spot. Carbondale played host in 2017 and will do so once again on April 8 of this year,” says Reif. “We’ll be using technology to enable students, faculty, staff and community to still have an opportunity to experience what a total eclipse is like.”
Those who follow LLCC’s Facebook page will receive notifications when live video feeds are taking place. The video will be available on the LLCC Facebook page afterward as well.
Reif’s live-streamed videos will be shown on a screen in A. Lincoln Commons on campus. The LLCC Library will be handing out solar eclipse glasses during the event while supplies last. Other activities include exhibits from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Illinois State Museum; music from DJ Yinka; and space-themed snacks. The Logger Activities Board will help event participants to also make pinhole viewers to safely view the eclipse event.
“It’s important to keep safety in mind when viewing the eclipse,” explains Reif. “Eclipse glasses can be used, or welding glass #12 or 13 can be used to directly see the eclipse. Sunglasses provide no protection.”
Reif says indirect viewing is safe and easy. “A pinhole viewer can be made by poking a hole through a piece of cardboard, stiff paper or even a paper plate. Turn your back to the sun, hold your viewer in front of you so the sun shines on it and project the shadow onto the sidewalk. The hole will project a perfect, clear image of the sun and the moon passing in front of it.”
LLCC’s Facebook page can be found at facebook.com/LincolnLandCommunityCollege. Reif also has more information about solar eclipses available on youtube.com/@llccedu.
Who Will Receive the 2024 Distinguished Service Award?
Nominations Begin Today!
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes more than the “employee of the year.” This award is given to LLCC employees who demonstrate exemplary leadership and service to the college community, promote a student-focused environment and exhibit a strong commitment to the college’s core values. Service is a matter of the job. Leadership can be provided in subtle ways. This award recognizes those who provide service and leadership beyond the minimum. Nominations should clearly describe what qualities exhibited by the nominee through his/her performance, attitude, behavior and action puts them in the elite class of “Distinguished Service Award Recipient.”
Recipients of the Distinguished Service Award will be selected from the nomination pool. If no one is nominated in a particular category, no award will be given. The Committee does not widen the pool beyond those nominations received, so your nomination is important! The selection committee is comprised of past recipients of the award and other members of the college community. All employment classifications are represented.
To make a nomination, please submit the nomination form along with an essay about the nominee. The essay can be as long or short as you want it to be so long as concrete examples are provided of the areas identified in the nomination form. The information provided in the essay will be the basis of the evaluation for the selection committee.
The deadline for nominations to be submitted is Friday, April 19, 2024. For more information, please feel free to contact Kaelyn Bormida at 786-2214 or kaelyn.bormida@llcc.edu.
Library Open House set for April 10
LLCC employees! Save the date for the LLCC Library Open House, Wednesday, April 10 from 1-3 p.m. Come chat with the library team and learn about some of the ways we’re here for LLCC students, and you! Enjoy cookies, drinks and register for a prize drawing. Departmental open houses are a collaborative learning opportunity for all LLCC employees.
Plan to attend the STUDENT RECOGNITION CEREMONY 2024
Each year the college takes an evening to recognize the valuable contributions of our students during the LLCC Student Recognition Ceremony. Academic and leadership awards will be given, in addition to special awards. Please save the date to celebrate together! The 2024 ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 8 at 6 p.m. If you have any questions, please email studentlife@llcc.edu.