OLNEY, Ill. — Outstanding students at Olney Central College have received academic honors for the Fall 2021 Semester. Students named to the Chancellor’s List have attained a grade point average of 3.90 or higher, on a 4.0 scale. Those on the President’s List have achieved a grade point average between 3.75 and 3.89, while those students named to the Dean’s List have earned a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.74. Chancellor’s List: Albion: Camden Cowger, Summer Holmes and Gabriel Weber Bridgeport: Hannah Drummond Charleston: Fred Christopher

Lincoln Trail College student-athletes combined for a GPA above 3.0 for the 16th consecutive semester. In the Fall 2021 Semester, the Athletic Department had a combined GPA of 3.25. Additionally, 28 student-athletes had 4.0 GPA’s. “I’m really proud of our student-athletes,” said Athletic Director and Baseball Coach Kevin Bowers. “We want them to succeed here, and our coaches make it a priority for them to perform not only in their sports, but also in the classroom.”

Interlude Trio will hold the first public performance in Lackey Music Hall on February 11. Lackey Music Hall is the newest addition to Lincoln Trail College. The program will feature chamber music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Niccolò Paganini, Joseph Küffner, and Johann Kaspar Mertz. Interlude Trio members are Sophie Kershaw-Patilla (flute), Tanya Reed (viola), and Michael Patilla (guitar).

Auditions for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Trail College’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella will be January 17 and 18 at 6:30 at the Zwermann Arts Center Theater. Callbacks, if necessary, are scheduled for January 19 at 6:30. The first read-through for the musical is January 20 at 6:30 and rehearsals begin January 24.

Lincoln Trail College’s new Technology Center will open in 2025. The State of Illinois awarded the contract to the architectural firm Graham & Hyde, Inc. for the building. 

Olney Central College is currently accepting applications for Fall 2022 entry into the Illinois Eastern Community Colleges/OCC Nursing Program. Those who plan to rank for the nursing program for Fall 2022 must attend one of three informational meetings scheduled for Jan. 24, Jan. 27, and Feb. 2. The meetings will be held at 1:30 p.m. in Wattleworth Hall Room 217.

Frontier Community, Lincoln Trail, Olney Central, and Wabash Valley colleges awarded nearly $180,000 to area high school students in the first round of Illinois Eastern Community Colleges’ Priority Deadline Success Scholarships. IECC Director of Financial Aid Andrea Puckett said the tuition awards demonstrate IECC’s commitment to seeing area students successfully achieve their higher education goals. The scholarships are renewable for up to four semesters — Fall 2022, Spring 2023, Fall 2023, and Spring 2024, not including summer courses.

Olney Central College is excited to add a second Peer Coach. Dorothy Ochate joins Philip Henderson in assisting and reaching out to fellow students. Initiated earlier this year, the Peer Coach Program connects incoming freshmen with current students through OCC text messaging. Peer Coaches can convey information and answer questions from fellow students.

The website Best Accredited Colleges has named Olney Central College’s Associate Accounting Degree among the top in the nation. Best Accredited Colleges provides its guide and school rankings to assist students in making the best college decision. Selections are based on U.S. Department of Education data including accessibility, affordability, quality of education and return on investment. OCC’s Accounting Program was ranked No. 16 on the list.

If you are interested in exploring one or multiple artistic media, local artist Mari Yamato invites you to join the Open Studio Art Class she will be teaching this spring at Olney Central College. “The class provides the studio space for students to explore a specific area they are interested in,” Yamato said. “This is a great class for students who want to work in a specific media that is not offered as another class or if they want to work in mixed media.”