Lori Ohnesorge’s last day on campus was Friday, Oct. 24. Ohnesorge’s farewell party was held at the TRiO conference room in the Luther Student Center. She has dedicated over 20 years on campus to serving and supporting students to reach their academic and personal success.
She stated “I have worked at Lake Land since January 2005. I started out with the Dislocated Worker’s Program. My office was at the Kluthe Center in Effingham. Since then, I started with TRiO in November 2006.”
She mentioned “In November 2006, Valerie Davis-Lynch and I started on the same day as advisors for Talent Search when Lake Land first received the grant which funds TRiO Destination College.”
She clarified, “In the first year of the TRiO Destination College program, Valerie and I had to travel to 25 different middle and high schools throughout Lake Land College (LLC) district and recruit 600 students to be in the program. That was a big feat, traveling and being on the road trying to recruit and serve students at the same time.”
She explained, “I became the coordinator of the program for a while since Lake Land needed someone who specialized in leading talent search. In the third or fourth year in the program, I became the director.”
Ohnesorge cited, “In August 2023, I became the Director of the entire TRiO program. This year, we (TRiO program) wrote two additional grants. So now, we have three grants: TRiO Destination College, TRiO Student Support Services and TRiO Student Support Services STEM.”
Regarding the TRiO Student Support Services STEM program, she elucidated, “The students in the program will receive the same services and opportunities that TRiO provides in addition to offering support and learning for students who major in the sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.”
Faisal Tariq will take over her position as Interim Director of the entire TRiO program while Ohnesorge will take a week off work before transitioning into a remote position for the Illinois Board of Education (IBE).
Let us give Ohnesorge support for her future endeavors in the IBE as well as supporting Tariq while he looks to add on to what she started in the TRiO program.
