A bright future for Lincoln College, its students and Lincoln

[January 04, 2018] 

LINCOLN

On Thursday, November 30, Lincoln College held a public meeting to provide updates on the progress towards expanding their mission to better serve the community.

President David Gerlach said Lincoln College is "Embracing our past, and empowering our future" as he talked where the school has been, where it is, and where it is headed.

Embracing the past

Lincoln College was founded in 1865 by the Cumberland Presbyterian Churches as a Bachelor and Master degree granting college. It is the only college still in existence named for Abraham Lincoln while he was still living.

In 1929, Lincoln College became a two-year college offering associate degrees and began reshaping its mission.

The college was instrumental in the founding Millikin University, but the two schools broke off that relationship in 1953.

Dr. Gerlach said for many years, Lincoln College was a private college of choice for those who needed an opportunity for a start and that mission has not really changed. There are many different types of students including church kids, those who want a small environment, those from urban areas, and some who are local.

As the mission of the college grew, an extension campus in Bloomington Normal was established in 1979. In 2001, the school began offering Bachelor's degrees on that campus.

In 2015, when President Gerlach came to interview at Lincoln College, he presented what they had done at the college he worked with in New York. It was a two-year college that was converted to a baccalaureate college.

Gerlach said he found it odd that bachelor's degrees are offered at the Bloomington Normal Campus. He said the school should bring bachelor's degrees down to Lincoln because it was the most expensive two-year college, but the price as a four-year college would be very comparable at the public's level and the lowest priced private college. This suggestion helped him get hired.

Gerlach said when he got hired, Lincoln was trying to be "all things to all people" and he felt the opportunity to stay as a private two-year college should have changed years ago. The college struggled in the way it was operating as it hung on to a two-year mission that was long defunct.

Gerlach said when he became president the college had significant debt, but it is decreasing as the college has trimmed and cut back.

Empowering our future

Gerlach next showed several videos highlighting what the school offers.

Students on a current television commercial for the school say, "I found my future" at Lincoln College.

Lincoln College offers students personal attention they may not get at bigger schools. Advisors said they focus on a seamless process for students, point students toward resources they may need, and help students reach their potential.

At Creekside Environmental Center students in science courses do field work in hands-on outdoor laboratory exercises.

The Academic Success Center helps students become more independent learners by offering one-on-one tutoring by appointment and study groups. Tutoring Supervisor Tami Goodrich said they see about sixty to seventy percent of students in the center who may need a little extra help with their academic studies.

One video highlighted the variety of courses offered, the great teachers, and the resources offered for those with learning disabilities.

A student said scholarships provided for any newcomer was a huge help in paying for school. The school offers a wide variety of scholarships paid out of endowment funds. Donors are essential to the scholarships offered.

A dramatic shift

Gerlach then shared what has been happening during the last couple of years. As the school has expanded its mission, student life has also been enhanced.

Previously, the focus had been on traditional students at the Lincoln campus. In Normal, Oglesby, and Peoria, the focus had been the Accelerated Bridge to Education offering five to eight-week evening classes for adult learners.

The college now plans to sell the Normal campus and more emphasis is being placed on the Lincoln campus.

For traditional students, 10 majors and five minors have been added to the four-year baccalaureate degree program with several more fields of interest planned in the coming years.

Bachelor degrees offered in the Traditional Program:

Majors

Business Management (B.B.A.)
Community and Human Services (B.A.)
Conservation Biology (B.S.)
Criminal Justice (B.S.)
Exercise Science (B.S.)
Jazz Studies (B.A.)
Radio, Television, and New Media (B.A.)
Sport Management (B.S.)
Theatre (B.A.)
Vocal Performance (B.M.)

Minors

Business Management
Criminal Justice
Diversity Studies
English Studies
Sport Management
Vocal Arts

The Accelerated Bridge to Education offers eight bachelor's degrees:

Business Management (B.B.A.)
Criminal Justice Studies (B.S.)
Entrepreneurship (B.A.M.)
Health Services Administration (B.S.)
Liberal Arts (B.A.)
Organizational Leadership (B.A. or B.A.S.)
Sport Management (B.S.)
Supply Chain and Logistics (B.B.A.)

There are now more bachelor degree seeking students than associate degree seeking students.

The college also recently announced a move to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), which will bring four-year athletics.

The college received a $2.25 million Title III grant from the federal government to strengthen tutoring, academics, and support for students.

Renovations and expansions

The college added a new type of living quarters to its campus this year. Last year the college purchased and renovated what was privately owned apartment buildings located along the north edge and adjacent to college property along Ottawa Street. The Lynx Village was opened this fall as student housing offering single room suites with living rooms.

There is also a new student housing investment in the planning that will provide off-campus apartments for upper classmen. The college will be receiving the old building from St. Clara's Manor when St. Clara's makes its move to a new location nearer to ALMH.

A shuttle bus will operate to get students to campus and back. Already the college runs a shuttle bus around town for students to shop. Signage on the bus helps market the college as it takes students downtown to the stores and the movie theater.

In the community

Gerlach said Lincoln College is working on engaging the community. The school is hoping there will be more internships in businesses in the community.

Currently, students are doing community service. One group raked leaves for residents surrounding the campus on a Saturday and a group of athletes helped Guzzardo's deliver Thanksgiving meals to families. Others are volunteering at the Humane Society and nursing homes.

One community member said she has noticed a positive turnaround in how the community feels about Lincoln College.

Financial positives and academic growth

This year, the college has experienced an enrollment growth of 21 percent at the Lincoln campus and 27 percent for the ABE program.

The economic impact of the college in Logan County is $41 M. Gerlach said by 2021, it will be $51 M.

State Farm recently committed $100,000 for scholarships to support adults working on their baccalaureate degrees.

One former student who originally had a rough start at Lincoln College is now a CEO of a company in Chicago, and recently gave $2 M to the school. He has also promised a matching pledge of up to $100,000 dollars, and so far $47,000 have been raised.

A comprehensive campaign to raise money for Lincoln College began in 2014 with a fundraising goal of $6 M. That goal was increased to $8 M. Over $5 M has been raised, which is sixty two percent of the goal.

Lincoln College may offer more online programs and more ABE locations in the future. The school is offering programs connected to student interest and needs in the community.

Gerlach said master's degrees may be offered in a year or two, and doctorate degrees may possibly be offered within 10 years.

Gerlach said the need to transform into a baccalaureate campus and expand the mission is a must for the college to be able to thrive, but the future looks bright and the school will continue to grow. Gerlach said it is the renaissance of Lincoln University started many years ago by Abraham Lincoln's friends.

[Angela Reiners]