 He replaces Dr. John Hutchinson, who announced in February his
intention to retire as president of Lincoln College.
Astroth has been president of Heartland Community College since
1991.
When announcing Astroth's appointment as Lincoln College
president, John Blackburn, chair of the board of trustees, said:
"The trustees were thrilled to find the perfect candidate for the
presidency so close to home. The role of president is critical to
the ongoing success of an institution. Dr. Astroth's leadership
experience and local relationships make him a perfect fit. We are
very confident in his ability to lead us into the future."
Astroth previously was president of Rend Lake College. Over a
34-year career in academia, he has worked in a variety of capacities
at five different Illinois community colleges. In addition, he has
served on numerous state and national boards related to higher
education and was named a visiting professor to Northeast Normal
University in Changchun, Jilin, China. He earned a Ph.D. in
educational administration at Illinois State University.
Astroth said: "I am deeply honored. I was already familiar with
Lincoln College and its reputation for both innovative programs and
commitment to the academic success of its students. It is a rare
opportunity to take the helm at a historic institution such as this.
I am delighted to be given the chance to build on that history.
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"My goal is to honor the rich traditions, while continuing to
grow the institution as it works to meet the needs of the students,
alumni, faculty and the surrounding communities."
The college board of trustees will begin a national search for
the 21st president during the 2010-11 academic year.
A private, liberal arts institution, Lincoln College was founded
in 1865 as Lincoln University. It is the only college or university
to be named for President Abraham Lincoln during his lifetime. The
college expanded to the Bloomington-Normal area in 1979.
[Text from file received from
Lincoln College]
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