October 2022 Newsletter
Message from Dr. Overstreet
Colleagues,
It has been a very busy and successful fall semester! It is hard to believe that we are already six weeks into fall 2022. As I mentioned at our convocation days, our teams did an excellent job of working with students and getting them registered and on campus. On the tenth day, we reported a headcount of 3,272 students, full and part-time. Including dual credit, we were 10.8% over fall 2021. Great work on everyone’s part! As we look to the future, our SEM Taskforce will be charged with finding new tactics to help us continue our upward track. This will be an exciting time for us here at JALC!
Our five-year strategic plan has been launched, Cabinet members have developed their strategies and tactics, we are well on our way to collecting, and everyone has been busy developing their department and tactics. These will help guide us through the rest of the 2022-2023 academic year. As soon as we have all the department’s tactics, we will post them on our Planning documents page of the website. I want to thank everyone for working so hard to develop your plans. This will be an essential step in our reporting to the ICCB and HLC, as well as helping guide us to success.
There has been a plethora of events here on campus and off. Recently, the student ambassadors and student senate, along with their sponsors April Martinez and Adrienne Barkley Giffin, my volunteered wife, and I helped to pick up trash on Route 13. The event is part of the Clean SOIL program developed by Board of Trustee member Glenn Poshard. It was great to see our students completing service for our community! So proud of their efforts! We have hosted several significant events since the bringing of school. Governor Pritzker and Lt. Governor Stratton visited, and we conducted a round table discussion on students’ barriers. Students from JALC, Shawnee, Kaskaskia, and SIU were represented and did a great job conveying their concerns. It was great to collaborate with our regional partners and help the Governor see the many issues our students face daily. Director Fox helped to bring Connect360 to campus for a very informative panel on interacting with police and featured an interactive session led by our Criminal Justice professor Brennan Stover. The session featured leaders from our surrounding communities and our own Chief of Campus Police, Allan Willmore, and our student body well attended it.
As many of you know, we have been awarded an exceptional grant from the Department of Commerce, Economic Development Administration. The grant will allow the College to renovate and expand our HVAC and Automotive programs and build a whole new structure to house our Welding and Manufacturing programs. This will significantly add to the College’s educational and career training portfolio. My heartiest congratulations to everyone who worked on bringing this grant to the College!
We have a lot of events coming this fall: Professional Development Day, Employee Appreciation Day, and our Wellness Expo are just some! Look for dates and invites to these and other events. I hope everyone is enjoying this fantastic fall weather, thanks for all you do for students and our community.
Regards,
Kirk Overstreet, PhD. 
President, John A. Logan College
STAFF SPOTLIGHT
Manager of Human Resources Megan Mosley Receives Human Resource Certification
Megan Mosley, Manager of Human Resources has received certification as a SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP), from the Society of Human Resource Managers. Earners of the SHRM Certified Professional credential have demonstrated their mastery of HR proficiency standards as defined by The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Earners of the credential are recognized for their ability to effectively perform HR duties and responsibilities in an operational capacity.
“I am so proud of Megan for achieving this certification. It is a big commitment with number of online videos and sample exams required before you can take the exam,” said Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Johnna Herren. “Dr. Clay Brewer was really the one that encouraged Megan to do this, and I know how much it meant to her when she sent him a picture of her registration form when she began studying.”
According to Herren, the certification exam is extremely difficult and requires an ongoing commitment.
“Megan studied for at least 6 months, and that’s not easy to do with 2 small boys at home,” said Herren. “SHRM credential holders are required to recertify every 3 years by earning professional development credit or by retaking the exam. Megan continues to advance her HR knowledge with webinars available through SHRM. The exam itself was timed and contains a lot of situational judgment questions.”
Megan Moseley has been employed at JALC since 2014. She graduated from both Southeastern Illinois College and the University of Southern Indiana.
English Instructor Publishes New Book
Long-time Instructor of English, Ken “Fog” Gilbert, has published a new book of Poetry titled 3 a.m. under his pen name, jacob erin-cilberto. Gilbert has written and published poetry since 1970, and his work has appeared in hundreds of magazines and journals. He has published 18 volumes of his work.
According to the former VP of the Illinois State Poetry Society, Jim Lambert, this is Gilbert’s best work.
“This collection is his best. He reaches into our hearts and tugs at so many things, and it is a symphony of poetry,” said Lambert.
3 a.m. and other works by jacob erin-ciblerto are available at the JALC Bookstore.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- October 10 and 11 Registration Drive
- October 12 Second half 8-week classes begin
- October 16 Men’s Basketball Jamboree at SIU Rec Center
- October 17 Spring Registration Begins, Home Volleyball vs. Wabash
- October 22 Logan Fitness Pumpkin Plunge
- October 30 Fall Band and Orchestra Concert
RECENT NEWS
Early Childhood Education Program to be Offered Online to Accommodate Working Students, Scholarships Available
According to Toliver, the scholarship will pay all of your school expenses. The scholarship is ongoing while funding lasts; students can apply at any time.
Department of Marketing, Public Relations, and Communications Receives Top Prize at Regional Competition
The John A. Logan College Office of Marketing, Public Relations, and Communications won first and second place in the Television Ad Series Category. The Future is in Your Hands JALC CTE won the Gold Medallion, and Why Would You Go Anywhere Else JALC Alumni Testimonials won the Silver Medallion.
New Food Locker at JALC Helps Students Facing Food Insecurity
o help students facing food insecurities, John A. Logan College has converted a former office, Room C 200C in the Student Services Wing, into a new Food Locker. The Food Locker is a free service to students that provides nutritious on-the-go snacks for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with no questions asked.
JALC Student Trustee Jeremiah Brown Changed His Life and Now Wants to Help Others
Robert Frost’s famous poem, The Road Not Taken, describes the choice between two paths. The traveler in the poem chooses the least traveled path and says it made all the difference. The story could describe the life of John A. Logan College Student Trustee Jeremiah Brown, who had to either stay on the path his life was on or choose a new direction.
JALC FACTS
SPECIAL SECTION: RECENT PHOTOS
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COMING SOON!
New Faces New Places
Logan Connection will be adding a new section that will highlight new employees and current employees that have moved into a new position. If you are a new employee or in position at the College please contact the Marketing, Public Relations, and Communications Department at steveokeefe@jalc.edu to arrange a photo.
June 2022 Newsletter
Message from Dr. Overstreet
Three things to know
Summer has begun, and I hope that everyone is enjoying the four-day work week when possible. We have quite a lot going on throughout the summer, even with the reduced work schedules, and I hope everyone will be able to take some well-deserved time off and rest.
- On June 9th and 10th, I will be in Chicago for the Illinois Community College President’s Council Annual Meeting and the Illinois Community College Trustees Association Awards banquet. The banquet will be honoring several John A. Logan community members and students. Including our outstanding HVAC student Ashlyn Jackson, the winner of ICCTA’s 2022 Gandhi/King Peace Scholarship, and Alexis Parchman, who is pursuing an Associate in Arts degree, recipient of the 2022 Paul Simon Student Essay Scholarship. Our Faculty and Adjunct Faculty of the year recipients, Joe Dethrow (full-time faculty Mathematics) and Gretchen Hilliard-Cudworth (adjunct-faculty, Art), will be recognized for their outstanding work. Finally, ICCTA will recognize Trustee Jake Rendleman with a special Trustee Award for 25 Years of exceptional board service.
- I want to invite everyone to join us for our Juneteenth Celebration in the Waterfall Courtyard on Saturday, June 18. The event will include live entertainment, music, arts, food, vendors and games, a dance competition, storytelling, poetry, and other family fun activities. The celebration is from noon to 3 pm; I hope to see you there! Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans; its origin began in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger proclaimed General Order No. 3, which declared freedom for enslaved people in Texas. (https://www.juneteenth.com/history)
- Many of you know that we have been making organizational changes here at Logan, and I have heard that there have been some rumors and questions regarding the changes. In July, I will set aside several dates for open sessions with professional staff (all are welcome) to meet with myself and cabinet members to discuss these changes and why they are taking place. We will focus on several topics, including the new professional staff levels, organizational changes, and our revised administrative procedures. I encourage everyone to come to the meetings; they will be brown bag sessions, so bring your lunch and questions. Again, I hope you enjoy your summer, and all that southern Illinois affords us.
Regards,
Kirk Overstreet, PhD.
President, John A. Logan College
UPCOMING EVENTS
- June 12 – Last day to Withdraw at 100% for Summer
- June 18 – Juneteenth Celebration in the Waterfall Courtyard
- June 20 – Juneteenth Holiday Observed College Closed
- June 22 – Blood Drive
- June 28 – Board of Trustees Meeting
RECENT NEWS
Joe Dethrow and Gretchen Cudworth Named Outstanding Faculty
Associate Professor of Mathematics Joseph Dethrow has been selected as the 2022 Outstanding Faculty member, and Gretchen Cudworth, a Humanities Instructor, has been named the 2022 Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member.
Tyler Smithpeters Has Been Named the College’s Head Men’s Basketball Coach
John A. Logan College is excited to announce that Tyler Smithpeters has been named the College’s seventh Head Men’s Basketball Coach. Smithpeters has spent the past four years as an assistant at the College under Coach Kyle Smithpeters. During his time as an assistant, the program has gone 102-19 with three consecutive Region 24 titles and produced two of the last three National Players of the Year.
JALC Holds Fifty-Fourth Honors Night
John A. Logan College recently held the Fifty-Fourth Honors Night, honoring top students from various programs.
JALC Celebration of Hunting and Fishing Days to Temporarily Relocate to the Du Quoin State Fair Grounds
John A. Logan College and the Illinois Department of Agriculture, along with title sponsor Black Diamond RV, announce that the College’s popular celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days will temporarily relocate to the Du Quoin State Fair Grounds. The annual event is scheduled for September 24th and 25th, 2022.
JALC FACTS
SPECIAL SECTION: RECENT PHOTOS
April 2022 Newsletter
Message from Dr. Overstreet
I hope that you will find this informative and interesting. By replacing my emails with a monthly published newsletter, I hope to keep everyone informed of what is happening at Logan concisely and purposefully. Thanks to Dr. Steve O’Keefe and Phillip Lane for developing and launching this project. It has been a very productive year, and many things are happening around campus. Thanks again for your efforts. I hope you have a great summer and enjoy the Fridays!
Three things to know
- As I mentioned at our Faculty & Staff Engagement Day, we have begun to develop our Strategic Long-Range Plan (SLRP). This plan will contain our four guiding pillars and will be a five-year road map to assist us in developing yearly goals and action plans that we can measure and report quarterly. The SLRP steering committee of internal and external constituents met late in March, and our SLRP task force met on April 18. Assistant Vice-President of Institutional Effectiveness and Research has sent out surveys to the entire College community to elicit feedback on the proposed pillars, our mission statement, vision, and core values. The SLRP task force is charged with analyzing all of the data collected and refining these guiding statements and the pillars. Our overall plan is to have these ready for public comment at the June board meeting with an aim at the adoption of the SLRP and newly minted statements officially adopted at the July Board meeting. Goals will be developed and presented at our Fall Convocation Days (previously known as in-service). Thanks to our Task Force, Steering Committee, the IE&R office, and all of you for working on this vital endeavor.
- About a year before I arrived here at Logan, the College went through a Facilities Master Plan (FMP) process; several projects were developed as a result of the FMP process, including the new Pedestrian Pathway, the C-Wing Extension, and the C-Wing Elevator and mezzanine projects. Since then, many incidents have happened, including the fire and COVID, but we are still on track to complete these projects in the next couple of years. The first project that looks to be moving closer to starting will be the Pedestrian Pathway, linking the Logan Fitness Center with the main campus; if all goes well, we should be breaking ground in early September. The C-wing elevator and mezzanine would follow soon after, and we hope to start the C-wing Extension in September 2023. FMPs, like a strategic long-range plan, are meant to be reviewed and adjusted, and we will begin that process in the upcoming academic year. We will review what has been completed and what needs to be addressed and adapt the plans accordingly. We will be looking to invite members of the College community to be a part of the review process next year; this won’t be a full-fledged FMP but will be a deep look at our progress to make sure we are still on the right path. If you are interested in serving next year, let Jeremy Sargent know we will build a task force sometime in October for the review.
- In July of this year, a group of staff will accompany me to Nashville, TN, for a summer institute developed by the Alliance for Innovation and Transformation (AFIT). The theme of the summer institute is “Talent & the Future of Work: Leading With Happiness and Humanity.” Our goal in attending will be to bring back concepts and learning activities that will assist all of us in creating actionable solutions that fit our community’s needs. Those who attend will be a mix of leaders from across the College. In addition to attending the summer institute, those individuals will also participate in the College’s Leadership Academy this year. They will assist in leading the Academy on its continuous learning plan for the year, helping others teach what they learned at the institute.
Regards,
Kirk Overstreet, PhD.
President, John A. Logan College
UPCOMING EVENTS
- JALC Choral Ensemble Presents a Tour of Broadway on April 29 at 7 PM Conference Center with a Pre-Concert Reception at 5:30 PM
- Finish Strong Tuition Drawing Completed Entry Forms Accepted May 3-13
- Final Exam Study Session May 9 from 2 PM to 5 PM in the Cafeteria
- Honors Night May 9 at 6 PM
- LPN Nurse Pinning Ceremony May 11 at 3 PM at the Pavilion of the City of Marion
- Final Exams Begin on May 11
- ADN Pinning Ceremony May 10 at 6 PM at the Pavilion of the City of Marion
- Commencement May 11 at 7 PM at the Pavilion of the City of Marion
- Memorial Day May 30 College Closed
RECENT NEWS
Sean East Becomes the Second JALC Men’s Basketball Player to be Named Player of the Year
Sean East has been named the 2021-22 NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. The sophomore averaged 20.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists this season.
JALC to Offer Courses in New Media
The rise of new media has increased communication between people worldwide by using digital technologies like the Internet and social media. It has allowed people to express themselves through blogs, websites, videos, pictures, and other user-generated media.
JALC Cyber Security Program Has Become One of the Top Programs in the Country in Only a Few Short Years
This time of year, the term Cinderella Team gets overused. There is always a team that should not be able to compete with the blue blood teams that somehow find a way to compete and win. In Colligate Cyber Defense competitions, John A. Logan College has been that team year in and year out.
JALC FACTS
SPECIAL SECTION: STUDENT RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
New Student Orientation Returns to Campus
In March of 2020, Student Services staff were gearing up for the annual New Student Orientation visits from the College’s in-district high schools. Everything was in place to welcome the next wave of JALC students to the campus. There was excitement and anticipation about the planned activities, and then the world shut down. While 2021 brought some return to normalcy, it did not bring the new students to campus. Instead, the staff took the show on the road.
“Last year, we made the best out of a bad situation,” said Assistant Provost for Student Affairs Christy Stewart. “We visited our high schools and held the orientations, but it wasn’t the same as bringing them on our campus.”
As COVID restrictions lifted, staff began planning to bring the high school seniors back on campus. Early on, the decision was made that if they got the students back on campus, they would make the New Student Orientation better than ever.
According to the Coordinator of Student Recruitment, April Martinez, organizers wanted the sessions to feel more collegiate.
“We wanted the students to have more autonomy and for their day to feel more like a normal college day,” said Martinez. “So this year, we let the students decide what sessions they would attend after they registered for classes. We also added more fun games and activities that went over very well.”
Each morning Student Services staff welcomed the new students in the O’Neil Auditorium. The welcome doubled as a pep session highlighted by a drawing for a $500 tuition waiver and awarding of two Student Ambassador Scholarships to each school.
“Normally, the Student Ambassador Scholarships are awarded at each school’s scholarship nights, but we thought it would be more exciting to announce it to the students during orientation,” said Martinez. “Each spring, we select two students from each of our in-district high schools to serve as Ambassadors. These students go through a selection process, and the scholarship is for two years and is valued at $7,200 for the two years.”
Martinez added that the tuition waiver drawing had one criterion: the student had to be in attendance.
“We put the names of everyone in attendance in a hat and drew out a name to receive the waiver. We gave out 17 totaling $8,500.”The College will offer additional orientations during the summer months for students who did not attend the current sessions with their high school. Those dates will be announced at a later date. Individuals interested should contact their high school counselor. Registration for Summer and Fall is currently underway. For more information, contact the advisement office at registration@jalc.edu.