Grant expands L&C’s offerings to East St. Louis

GODFREY – Due to a grant and directive from the Illinois Community College Board, Lewis and Clark Community College is now offering courses and programming on the East St. Louis Higher Education Center campus.

Students have already enrolled in computer networking and child development courses at the center. Students from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Charter High School are being enrolled in L&C’s Career Development course via the High School Partnership Program and Medical Assisting classes will begin March 18 at the site.

“Lewis and Clark is pleased to be working with East St. Louis businesses, organizations, churches and residents to offer services to the community,” said L&C Vice President of Enrollment Kent Scheffel.

East St. Louis residents also have the opportunity to enroll in L&C’s on-campus programs in Godfrey and at the N.O. Nelson campus in Edwardsville. The college will offer van transportation to and from the campuses beginning this spring.

East St. Louis was included in a recent labor market analysis conducted by Emsi, an economic modeling company, to help L&C identify career opportunities and skills gaps in the district and region.

Director Dobbie Herrion and Assistant Director LaVeasey Carter are coordinating L&C’s academic efforts from the East St. Louis Higher Education Center, and have hit the ground running over the past several months. Administrative Assistant Jacquee Schilling joined them in November.

Herrion has been working with community-based organizations and companies to develop career, technical and training programs that lead to employment for the residents of East St. Louis and surrounding areas.

“Currently, we are looking at employment trends and employment gaps in an effort to determine what programs best meet the needs of the area,” Herrion said. “We’ve begun forming partnerships with organizations such as Connections to Success and the Jackie Joyner Kersey Foundation, as well as offering courses in child development, IT, and in March, medical assisting.”

Herrion received his Doctorate of Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University and his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science Administration from Southeast Missouri State University. He has served as director of the National Science Foundation Grant at Harris-Stowe State University and as director of operations at Hickey College.

“I am excited to build programs and infrastructure that support the needs of the communities and students we serve,” Herrion said. “When it’s all said and done I’d like to be able to look at the area(s) I served and see improvement. To improve a person’s situation and open their minds to exploring what’s possible is what I’m all about and what brings me the most satisfaction.”

Carter is responsible for recommending enrollment services such as academic advising, registration, assessment testing, interpretation of financial regulations and recruitment activities to the East St. Louis Higher Education Center Leadership Board.

He also collaborates with and is under the direction of Director Dobbie Herrion to design academic support services, enrollment services and student recruitment efforts at the center.

“The college’s mission of empowering people seems to be a shared motto and goal amongst the L&C community,” Carter said. “Every day I am surrounded by students and co-workers who are lifelong learners, which is both motivating and inspiring.”

Carter received his Doctorate of Higher Education Leadership from Maryville University, Bachelor of Science from the University of West Georgia and Master of Art in Higher Education from Southeast Missouri State University. He has served as assistant director of Academic Services for Athletics at Eastern Illinois University and academic advisor at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

To learn more, contact L&C’s East St. Louis Higher Education Center offices at (618) 468-ESTL.

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