Building Success Together: New Program Elevates the College Experience for Students in STEM

Often, it’s harder for people who don’t already have someone in the family who is an engineer...This program really helps me make connections I wouldn’t have otherwise.

Careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) have expanded rapidly in recent years, and the industry is expected to outpace nearly all other fields in job growth over the next decade. For Mathematics Instructors Sarah Harley and Bambi Jones, this outlook presented the perfect opportunity to revamp Lake Land’s STEM offerings with a brand-new program: the Recruitment and Advancement of the Next Generation of Engineers (RANGE).

With grant support from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB), the RANGE program currently provides 15 freshmen STEM students with wraparound services, including scholarships and internship opportunities. Perhaps the most popular of the included services is a cohort class structure, which ensures the 15 students are unified with identical schedules. The result, according to freshman Levi Bryant, is a positive and supportive learning environment that helps all students reach their full potential.

“My favorite part has to be us having all the same classes,” Levi said. “When you get to jump in with your friends every day, things just click right away as you get to work and have fun together.”

As students grow together in the cohort structure, they also receive guidance in support of personal goals. All RANGE students receive transfer advisement to create individualized plans for success after graduating from Lake Land. Currently, students are guaranteed admission into the competitive University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University Carbondale engineering schools upon successful completion of the RANGE program, and additional university partnerships are coming soon. Cooper Kessel, a first-year student from Effingham, plans to take advantage of this resource to earn an electrical engineering degree from the University of Illinois.

“It’s great to grow together as a class,” Cooper said. “But they also have your back to help you grow individually.”

All RANGE students also attend weekly group meetings, where they discuss transfer information, learn about local internships and even listen to presentations from Lake Land alumni and industry professionals. For student Leah Christman, these connections provide valuable insight into the world of engineering.

“Often, it’s harder for people who don’t already have someone in the family who is an engineer,” Leah explained.

“So this program really helps me make connections I wouldn’t have otherwise.”

Next year, the RANGE program will expand its support to 30 total students with the addition of 15 new freshmen. As the STEM field continues to expand, Sarah Harley and Bambi Jones hope that the RANGE graduates of today will become the engineers of the future.

“STEM is the fastest-growing career field in our area,” Sarah said. “We want to support both our students and our communities by preparing the next generation to succeed in these fields.”