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Long to step down from Heartland
Board of Trustees seat
[June 18, 2025]
NORMAL, IL, Jun. 17, 2025 – One
of Heartland Community College’s Trustees has announced she will be
leaving the Board.
Board of Trustees member Cecelia Long has announced her resignation
from the District 540 Board, effective June 18, 2025.
Long, whose term expires in April of 2029, is stepping down from the
Heartland Board to pursue professional and personal opportunities
outside of the district. Long was elected to the Board in 2021 to
finish a 2-year term vacated by the passing of Gregg Chadwick. She
was re-elected to a full six-year term in 2023.
“Cecelia has been a wonderful trustee serving District 540,” said
Becky Ropp, Board Chair. “Her experience and perspective have been
valuable to all of us as we navigated new opportunities to serve the
needs of students. We will miss her, but certainly wish her well.”
“I’m so proud of the work I have been able to do with Heartland and
the Board to expand accessibility for students,” said Long. “We have
been able to grow programs for certifications that increase people’s
ability to get a higher wage job, which can allow a pathway to break
through a cycle of generational poverty. It is also gratifying that
we have been able to work with the administration on investments to
benefit the College staff.”
Before joining the Board, Long served as an employee at Heartland
from 2017 to 2021. As a program developer, she helped pilot and
launch the College’s success coaching program, and during the
pandemic in 2020, she worked with administration to set up a crisis
intake process and student emergency fund to help students
struggling with barriers created by COVID-19.
The Board has 60 days from May 18, 2025, to make an appointment to
fill the seat until the next consolidated election scheduled for
April of 2027.
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Cecelia Long, courtesy Heartland Community College
Individuals interested in applying
to fill the vacancy on the District 540 Board of Trustees may do so
at the Heartland Community College executive office, located in the
Community Commons Building, Suite 2000 at 1500 W. Raab Road, Normal.
Applications must be submitted by 12:00 p.m. on July 14, 2025.
To be eligible, candidates must be at least 18 years old, a citizen
of the United States, and reside within the State of Illinois and
District 540 for at least one year as of the election.
[Steve Fast
Assistant to the President, Public Information and Communication
Heartland Community College]
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