Office of the President

The John A. Logan College Board of Trustees has unanimously approved a balanced budget for the fiscal year 2025-2026, marking the second consecutive year the college has achieved this fiscal milestone. The approval came during the Board’s June meeting, reinforcing the college’s commitment to fiscal responsibility and long-term sustainability.

The adopted budget outlines estimated revenues of $32.1 million and projected expenditures of just over $32 million, resulting in a modest surplus. College Chief Financial Officer Dr. Susan LaPanne presented the financial plan, which aligns with the institution’s strategic goals and reflects its commitment to maintaining a solid financial foundation while continuing to serve students and the surrounding community.

“We are pleased to announce the unanimous approval of our balanced budget for the upcoming fiscal year,” said John A. Logan College President, Dr. Kirk Overstreet. “This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to fiscal responsibility and sustainability, ensuring we continue to serve our students and community effectively.”

The approval of a balanced budget signifies the college’s commitment to responsible resource management and strategic planning. Leaders emphasized that financial stability will allow the college to maintain and enhance its role as a key educational institution in the region.

Board Chair Aaron Smith praised the approval, noting that this achievement was the result of transparency, discipline, and collaboration among Board members. “Passing a second consecutive balanced budget is a reflection of the discipline, transparency, and collaboration this Board has prioritized,” Smith said. “We are not just managing dollars; we are stewarding trust.”

Smith also stressed that the decision reaffirms the board’s ongoing commitment to responsible leadership and ensuring the institution’s stability for students, staff, and the broader community.

The approved budget also underscores the college’s continued focus on its mission: to enrich lives through learning and community engagement. College leaders expressed confidence that the balanced budget would enable them to build on the college’s successes, offering students a quality education while maintaining financial stability.

The John A. Logan College Board of Trustees has demonstrated a firm commitment to the institution’s fiscal well-being, with this balanced budget reinforcing its dedication to long-term sustainability and its mission of accessible, high-quality education for the region.

John A. Logan College President Dr. Kirk Overstreet has been elected to a key leadership position within the Illinois Community College Presidents Council.

Overstreet was named Secretary/Treasurer of the Council during a recent meeting held in Bloomington. His appointment marks the beginning of a four-year leadership track that will see him serve successively as Vice President, President, and Past President of the organization.

“This is a four-year commitment, starting with my position as Secretary/Treasurer and progressing through the leadership ranks,” Overstreet said. “This appointment will keep JALC and our southern Illinois colleagues front and center, allowing our voice to have a fair and equal share in deciding legislative priorities and Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) policy.”

The Presidents Council represents the leadership of Illinois’ 48 community colleges and works closely with the ICCB and the Illinois Community College Trustees Association on issues of policy and legislation. The Council meets regularly throughout the year to address matters critical to the state’s community college system.

Overstreet is the first JALC president to hold a leadership post in the Council since Dr. Robert L. Mees, who served in a similar capacity during his tenure at the college.

For more information, contact:
Steve O’Keefe
Executive Director of College Relations
John A. Logan College
(618) 985-2828, ext. 8494
steveokeefe@jalc.edu

John A. Logan College Assistant Professor Crystal Young was preparing for what she believed was a routine visit from the school’s Marketing Department when she was met instead with an emotional surprise: the announcement of a new nursing scholarship created in her honor.

The Crystal Young Nursing Scholarship, established by former student and Registered Nurse Hannah Hooks and her father, retired Illinois State Police Lt. Michael Hooks, was unveiled in a heartfelt classroom ceremony this week. The scholarship is believed to be the first of its kind at John A. Logan College to bear the name of a current faculty member.

“This speaks to the immediate impact that our outstanding faculty are having on students,” said Staci Shafer, Assistant Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the JALC Foundation, who made the announcement before a stunned Young and her students. “Not in my time with the Foundation, and to my knowledge not before, has a scholarship been established in the name of a current JALC instructor.”

Michael Hooks said the scholarship is a tribute to Young’s lasting influence on students, such as his daughter, Hannah, who is now a registered nurse at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Young served as both the school nurse and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) instructor during Hannah’s high school years.

“My daughter is now an RN because of Crystal Young,” Hooks said. “She and her classmates are thriving in their careers, and it’s because of the foundation Nurse Crystal laid for them. I wanted to recognize the incredible impact she’s had—and will continue to have—by establishing this scholarship.”

For Hannah Hooks, the decision to honor her former instructor was deeply personal. She said Young’s encouragement and empathy helped her discover a calling she hadn’t initially considered.

“In high school, I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” she said. “But Nurse Crystal encouraged me to take her CNA class at John A. Logan College. That’s when I fell in love with caring for patients.”

She recalled one particularly challenging day during clinicals when Young took time to speak with her one-on-one.

“She didn’t just teach us about nursing—she took the time to see us as people,” Hannah said. “That moment meant everything to me, and I’ve carried that compassion into my nursing career.”

Young, who has dedicated years to shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals, was visibly moved by the recognition. After thanking the Hooks for the incredible honor and posing for a few pictures, Young did just what she was meant to do and started right back in teaching the next generation of CNAs and Nurses. 

This scholarship will support future nursing students at John A. Logan College, ensuring that Young’s legacy of mentorship and compassion continues to have a lasting impact on the healthcare field for years to come. For more information about this and other scholarships available at John A. Logan College, visit www.jalcfoundation.org