Lake Land College (LLC) has officially reached its 60th anniversary in 2026, so let us take a look at the rich history of this wonderful institution and its many milestones over the last six decades! 

According to Lake Land College’s website, it all began in January of 1966, when the Eastern Illinois Area Junior College Steering Committee presented a resolution to create a junior college in the local district. This idea was met with overwhelming support, and work on drafting a formal resolution began almost immediately. 

Then, on Sept. 24, 1966, residents in 13 school districts approved the creation of a junior college in the newly established Lake Land College district. Before work on the college could really get started, however, they first needed a Board of Trustees. Seven members were selected in November of 1966. The naming of the college’s first president, Virgil H. Judge, occurred less than a month and a half after the first official Board of Trustees meeting. 

Throughout the early half of 1967, great strides were made towards the creation of Lake Land College. The first administrators and staff were hired, “Lake Land College” was adopted as the institution’s formal name  and in early April, interviews were conducted and positions filled by 24 of Lake Land’s first full-time faculty members. 

Still, all of this preparation would have been for naught without students who were willing to take a chance on the up-and-coming Lake Land College. On May 1, 1967, the enrollment of a Cumberland High School student by the name of Richard Nichols marked the beginning of a new chapter for LLC. 

The first day of classes began on Sept. 6, 1967, when Lake Land College opened its doors to 629 students in that first fall. A collection of short-term buildings was utilized for classes. In the early years of Lake Land College, many of those who arrived at the institution were vocational students. 

The Navigator News also has a deep connection with the history of LLC. Though the origins of Lake Land’s student-run newspaper are debated, at some point within the college’s first few years, The Lighthouse became the paper’s official name. The newspaper would undergo two more name changes in the coming decades, going from The Lighthouse to The Navigator in 2001, and eventually switching to The Navigator News in 2009, which students can still see today. 

After finally opening its doors, Lake Land College did not slow down amid the closing of the  ‘60s. A location for a permanent campus was announced to the public, the LLC basketball team, the Lakers, played and won its first game and the first official Lake Land Commencement Ceremony was held for a graduating class of 79 students. 

The ‘70s oversaw an era of massive change for Lake Land College. One of the institution’s most coveted achievements came with receiving full accreditation status in March of 1973. A few months later, in September, John Turner became the Board of Trustees’ first student trustee after winning an election against eight other candidates.  

Though it is no longer women’s history month, The Navigator News believes wholeheartedly the accomplishments of women should be celebrated year-round. Therefore, in April of 1975, Mary Hill Dobbs was elected as the first female member of the Lake Land College Board of Trustees. 

An expansion of the campus also occurred during this time, as well as the establishment of Lake Land’s very first honors program. The new additions to campus included a theater, a student union and a cafeteria. 

The ‘1980s began with a bang for the institution. For starters, Dunker Duck made his first appearance as Lake Land’s unofficial mascot. And in 1984, Lake Land welcomed the first Special Olympics Family Festival (SOFF), a relationship that has certainly stood the test of time. 

The ‘90s were much of the same. A John Deere and Lake Land College partnership, which is now an integral part of Lake Land College, did not begin until 1993! Later that year, ground was broken for the LLC Kluthe Center, with its grand opening a few years later in 1995. 

Lake Land’s Student Ambassadors are indispensable due to their work sharing all that the college has to offer as official representatives of the institution, which officially began in 1994. 

Being a Laker in the 2000s and 2010s was defined by the changes brought about by an institution arriving in the 21st century. These included the renaming and dedication of multiple buildings on campus, as well as Dr. Robert K. Luther retiring after serving as Lake Land’s fourth president for 18 years along with the formal opening of the West Building a few years later. 

Lake Land’s current president, Dr. Josh Bullock, stepped into the role as the 7th president during this era in 2013. Six years later, in 2019, remodeling of the Luther Student Center concluded, becoming a cornerstone of student activity. 

Now in the 2020s, Lake Land has seen great strides. This was especially the case when the world effectively shut down during the COVID-19 Pandemic, and LLC continued to provide students with a well-rounded education amidst the many changes needed to send Lake Land fully into the digital landscape for that period of time. 

Most recently, LLC unveiled the Effingham Technology Center (ETC) in 2025. The new building replaced the decades-old Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology, a highly anticipated event for the college. For more information, please read “Opening Day: Say Hello to the Brand-New Lake Land College Effingham Technology Center!” by Kailyn Tracy. 

Throughout the course of 60 influential years, Lake Land College has certainly made its mark and will continue to do so for many years to come!