After nearly a year since former Vice President for Student Services Valerie Lynch left Lake Land College due to becoming the Senior Managing Director at the Illinois Board of Higher Education, Lake Land College has finally found a new Vice President for Student Services. At the August 18, 2025, board meeting, the Lake Land College Board of Trustees officially approved Heather Nohren as the new Vice President for Student Services.
Nohren has been at Lake Land College since 2002. She originally started as the Learning Skills Specialist in the Tutoring Center, providing assistance to students with disabilities. In what started as a temporary job, she quickly learned that she loved working with college students, so she decided to go back to school to get her Master’s Degree in Higher Education.
Nohren said her favorite thing about the college is the students. “… most recently served as the Chair of Counseling Services and Student Conduct. And I have truly loved as part of that position, working on policies that positively impact our students. And that’s what drew me to the VPSS position because I want to continue to make a positive impact on students through policy and procedure. So, I am truly looking forward to that in this role. Students are my favorite thing here at the college. So that’s why I’ve been, I’ve really wanted to go meet all the student groups and get to know them on a personal level because you don’t get to see that all the time on the Administration side. And I know that, so I really want to remain active with the student community. I want to listen to feedback and I want to support policies that have a positive impact on all of you,” said Nohren
Since starting her new role, Nohren has helped the college roll out a new strategic plan. As of the interview, Nohren has met with The Navigator, and has requested to meet with Student Ambassadors, Student Activity Board, and the Student Government.
As Vice President, Nohren will oversee areas such as Counseling, Tutoring, Student Life, Trio and Athletics. Her goals for this year include learning, being present for the student body and to understand what the student body needs in regard to starting college and persisting. Even though the enrollment numbers are up, Nohren expressed how important it is to keep the numbers up and she wants to look at the different reasons why students that apply don’t always enroll, like transportation, not knowing who to talk to, etc. And even why don’t students who fill out the application don’t always come to Lake Land.
With more than 20 years of experience at the college, Nohren’s appointment reflects both her deep commitment to Lake Land and her proven track record of supporting student success. As she deeply cares about not only the students, but the future of the college, her vision and leadership will play a vital role in shaping the student experience and advancing the college’s mission in the years ahead.
