November 2025
We're thankful for all this good news. And pumpkin pie.
Highlights
Under 40 and Overachieving
Heartland has some bragging rights this month. (Honestly, when don’t we?) The Pantagraph announced their annual 20 Under 40 list, and we had not one, but two Heartland folks make the list. Board of Trustees member and HCC alum Joshua Crockett is already turning heads for his community involvement. Currently the director of constituent outreach for state Sen. Dave Koehler, Crockett started his tenure on the Heartland BOT at just 22, making him one of the youngest trustees ever elected to the Board. He also serves on the McLean County Democratic Party Executive Board and participates in local volunteer initiatives.
Crockett is joined on the list by Vice President of Finance and Administration Noah Lamb. Joining Heartland in January of 2024, Lamb oversees financial and administrative operations including budgeting, facilities, human resources, information technology, athletics, and risk management and public safety. He also serves as treasurer and secretary for the Heartland Community College Foundation Board, represents the College on the Central Illinois Regional Broadband Network Board and is a member of national and regional organizations for higher education business officers.
Coaching Kudos
Baseball season may be over, but we’ve got one more good story before we look ahead to next spring. Hawks hitting coach Adam McGinnis was named the 2025 NJCAA DII Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA). In addition to serving as an assistant baseball coach, McGinnis is also a student success coach, where he helps students achieve academic, personal, financial, and career success. McGinnis will receive his award at the ABCA National Convention in January. We hope it’s somewhere warm.
Coaching Kudos, Part Deux
McGinnis isn’t the only Heartland coach being noticed. Hawks head volleyball coach Mary Frahm was named Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) Coach of the Year. This comes in a season that saw the College’s first ever #1 NJCAA ranking in the program’s history and following a 3rd place finish at Nationals in 2024. An additional volleyball honor goes to setter Brooklyn Brennan who was named MWAC player of the year. Congratulations to Brooklyn and Coach Frahm!
Kudos, But Make Them Tech
The kudofest keeps rolling! Dean of Career and Technical Education Adam Campbell took home an honor himself last month. The Technology Education Association of Illinois (TEAI) named him the 2025 TEAI Administrator of the Year.
The TEAI award goes to an individual who makes significant contributions to the field of technology education. The award is an acknowledgement of an “outstanding administrator of technology education who has given years of service to his/her profession by contributing publications, presentations, innovations and renovations, and has demonstrated leadership at the local, state, and national levels.” Campbell was recognized at the ITEC conference held at ISU on October 24.
An Excellent Occasion
One of the most rewarding Heartland events to attend every year is the Celebration of Excellence. On this evening, scholarship students are honored for their achievements and scholarship donors are thanked for their contributions to our students’ success. Most importantly, though, the event brings the two groups together for the evening. This year’s student speaker, Sara Quiceno, talked about finding a home at Heartland and getting involved in the campus community.
One Distinguished Dude
Scholarship winners weren’t the only ones to be honored at Celebration of Excellence. The event also celebrated some of our excellent alumni. Jeremiah Fletcher was named the 2025 Distinguished Alumni. Fletcher is the Chief Technology Officer at COUNTRY Financial. He is active with the HCC Corporate Alumni Council at COUNTRY Financial/Illinois Farm Bureau. He also serves as a mentor in Heartland’s COUNTRY Scholars program.
Other alumni honorees for 2025 included Josh McWilliams (College Engagement), Adam McGuckin (Career Achievement), and Brian Peterson (Community Service). Congratulations to these alumni!
Hoofing It Around Heartland
There’s nothing like some crisp October air to make you want to get out for a little run. Well, at least for some people. Thankfully, the Heartland Harvest 5K provided just the opportunity. Runners and walkers laced up on October 26 to support Heartland Athletics.
The overall men’s winner was Jack Martinez with a time of 18:14 (5:53/mile) and the overall women’s winner was 12-year-old Lexi Nussbaum with a time of 23:10 (7:28 mile). Congrats to these swift-feeted folks and to everyone who came and put one foot in front of the other!
A Trail Runs Around It
If the last two years are any indication, Heartland loves a good ribbon cutting. This fall did not disappoint. We dusted off our trusty big scissors on October 24 for another ribbon-clad celebration, this time honoring the new (almost completed) COUNTRY Financial Trail. This new section of trail, which encircles Birky Pond, was made possible by a partnership with COUNTRY Financial, a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and support from private donors. We look forward to having this great new nature space on the Normal campus, if the geese don’t commandeer it first.
The World Is Our Classroom
🎶 Leaving on a jet plane, don’t know when I’ll be back again. 🎶 Now that we’ve set the mood, it’s time for International Education Week. November 17-21 marks the week that is set aside to celebrate the “benefits of international education and exchange” and programs that prepare American students for a global environment. Given that, it seems like a good time to remind folks that Heartland has an active study abroad program. We’ve had Heartland representatives recently travel to destinations including South Africa, France, the Netherlands, Japan, and Canada. BRB – just going to go pack a bag.
Get Alerted
As much as some of us might try to deny it, winter weather is coming, and with that comes the chance that Heartland might see some College closures. But gone are the days when you have to wake up early to watch the news scroll, hoping your school name comes up in the school cancellations list. Now you can be among the first to know when a closure hits Heartland by signing up for emergency text alerts. We’re not saying College closures are the best part of winter, but we’re not not saying that.
Still to come...
College Closed for Thanksgiving Break
- Wednesday, November 26-Sunday, November 30
Employee Holiday Party
- Friday, December 12
- Beginning at 2:00
- More info to come
Random Knowledge to Make You Just a Little Smarter
Scientists have found evidence of take-out restaurants in the remains of Pompeii. Well, if it's good enough for the Pompeians, it's good enough for the people coming to my house for Thanksgiving.
Let's Get Social
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