Heartland Community College celebrates 25th anniversary

Posted on March 30, 2016

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – Heartland Community College is marking its 25th anniversary.

The school celebrated the occasion with a special ceremony Wednesday morning. Executive Director of Governmental Relations Janet Hill-Lakin told WJBC’s Terry James Heartland filled a local community college gap when it was formed.

“The only options for residents in this area, or Pontiac or Lincoln, was (going) down to Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, over to Peoria to ICC, or over to Parkland College in Champaign,” she said.

Hill-Lakin added the school began with roughly 800 students in 1991, but has since grown to over 5,000.

“We had a huge jump in 2000 when we had the permanent campus open up,” said Hill-Lakin. “Way back then, first of all, we had our first Board of Trustees elected. There was a field of 20 who ran for that office; people were very excited about it.”

Hill-Lakin believed the next 25 years will be “incredible” for Heartland.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

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