AGRICULTURE GRANTS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS

Pictured Above (left to right): Executive Director for College Advancement Christi Donsbach; Lake Land College President Josh Bullock; Senior Corporate Giving Specialist for Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America Karen Schieler; Division Chair Agriculture/Agriculture Instructor Ryan Orrick; Agriculture Business Instructor Ryan Wildman; and Horticulture Instructor Dyke Barkley.

GETTING STUDENTS AND YOUTH INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE CAREERS AND HELPING TO DEVELOP THAT WORKFORCE IS WHAT WE STRIVE TO DO, AND LAKE LAND PROVIDES VALUABLE, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN MANY OF THOSE AREAS.”

-KAREN SCHIELER, SENIOR CORPORATE GIVING SPECIALIST FOR COMPEER FINANCIAL FUND FOR RURAL AMERICA

The Lake Land College Foundation and Agriculture Division received a $75,000 grant from Compeer Financial in August, making Lake Land College one of six community colleges in Illinois to receive the grant dollars, and one of 14 community colleges overall.

“We are very excited for this opportunity and thankful for the support from Compeer Financial,” said Division Chair Agriculture/Agriculture Instructor Ryan Orrick. “We are really looking forward to seeing how this will impact our students, division and the college.”

Compeer Financial’s donor advised fund, the Agriculture and Rural Initiative, has granted $825,000 to community and technical colleges across the cooperative’s 144-county territory. The colleges were selected as partners based on their agricultural education offerings, agriculture workforce development and geographic impact.

“The opportunities Lake Land College offers to ag students are priceless,” Karen Schieler, senior corporate giving specialist for Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America, said. “Getting students and youth interested in agriculture careers and helping to develop that workforce is what we strive to do, and Lake Land provides valuable, hands-on experience in many of those areas.”

“Getting students and youth interested in agriculture careers and helping to develop that workforce is what we strive to do, and Lake Land provides valuable, hands-on experience in many of those areas.”

The Agriculture and Rural Initiative was created by the Compeer Financial Board of Directors in 2019 to make signature investments in programs and projects that directly address the needs of farmers and others who work in agriculture.

“Community and Technical colleges provide one-of-a-kind educational opportunities, which are focused on the needs and careers in those communities,” said Greg Nelson, Compeer Financial director. “These grants are part of Compeer’s commitment to champion rural students, by supporting our clients and communities, creating sustainable and longterm success in the industry.”

Based in the Upper Midwest, Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative serving and supporting agriculture and rural communities. The $25.4 billion organization provides loans, leases, risk management and other financial services throughout 144 counties in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Lake Land College extends gratitude to Compeer Financial for providing this grant and will continue to explore the opportunities it provides to help students succeed.

FARM CREDIT ILLINOIS

Pictured: Orrick; Aimee Shasteen, marketplace learning & development manager at Farm Credit Illinois; and Rod Stoll, vice president, marketplace engagement at Farm Credit Illinois.

Executive Director for College Advancement Christi Donsbach and Division Chair Agriculture/ Agriculture Instructor Ryan Orrick met with representatives from Farm Credit Illinois in May to thank the organization for its continued partnership in supporting the college and the agriculture division in a variety of ways including student activities, annual scholarships and the Lake Land College Agriculture Division Endowment.

RURAL KING

Pictured: Dr. Josh Bullock, Lake Land College president; Brock Ashley, Rural King vice president of business development; and Blake Pierce, Rural King director of real estate and Lake Land College Foundation Board member.

Representatives from Rural King visited Lake Land College in July to be recognized for the company’s generous gift-in-kind donations to the special events room in the new Foundation & Alumni Center. The donation included new tables, chairs and carts valued at $7,403.26. LAKE LAND COLLEGE s 217-234-5253 9