INA, IL – Rend Lake College is proud to present its President’s and Vice President’s Lists for the Spring 2021 semester.

The lists include 173 individuals named to the President’s List. Those students earned a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) during the semester with 12 credit hours or more. Another 207 students were named to the Vice Presidents’ List, and these students earned a 3.50 – 3.99 GPA during the semester as a full-time student status.

“We’re excited to see such a big number of hardworking students named to the President’s and Vice Presidents’ lists, and those students should be proud of the work they put in to reach this honor,” said RLC President Terry Wilkerson. “I speak for our faculty and staff when I commend them for their success and encourage them to continue working hard to reach their educational goals.”

RLC students receiving academic honors for Spring 2021, listed by communities, are:

President’s List

BELLE RIVE – Wendy Beaty, Hayden Pilson, Elizabeth Pittman

BENTON – Emily Clark, Mady Darr, Reid Donaldson, Olivia Drew, Jayla Eubanks, Autumn Filkins, Josie Fryar, Megan Hallemann, Madelin Hayes, Trevor Key, Madison Kreiner, Evie Krieger, Samantha Licka, Kaitlyn Matzker, Madeleine Miller, Megann Nelson, Trinity Price, Demi Ren, Christina Rodriguez, Owen Sanders, Daniel Stowers, Sesley Tedeschi, Peyton Tieffel, Kortney Wilcox

BLUFORD – Abigail Hulbert, Gavin Johnson, Samantha Schrum

BONNIE – Evan Bicanich, Reagan Newell

BUCKNER – Michaela Eubanks

CARBONDALE – Octavia Marshall

CARTERVILLE – Liliana Caamal, Jacob Jablonski, Jozlin Ziegler

CHRISTOPHER – Kyle Docherty, Kimberly Docherty, Daniella Hewitt, Dakota Noel

CISNE – Jayden Bailey

COULTERVILLE – Sarah Birchler, Tyler Yehling

DAHLGREN – Taylor Jonas, Katelyn Morris

DIX – Alex Bronson

DU QUOIN – William Neal, Emily Stanhouse

ELDORADO – Delaney Oglesby

EWING – Ragan Carter, Gage Harmon, Emeline Kerley, Ma’kayla Marshall

FAIRFIELD – Maverick Conrad

GOREVILLE – Whitney Bryan

HARRISBURG – Whitley Woolard

HINESVILLE, GA – Brittany Patterson

INA – Frank Barrett, Mitchell Gilman, Christopher Gory, Kyle Hetherington, Juhle Prange, Brandon Tucker

JOHNSTON CITY – Jaci Page

MACEDONIA – Kennedy Kimmel, Adrianna Maxwell

MAITLAND, Ontario, Canada – Evan Wilcox

MARION – Delani Graves-Napier, Ryan Grayson

MCLEANSBORO – Aimee Birkner, Emily Cox, Kolby Darnell, Matthew Gage, Trevor Gray, Clayton Keener, Camryn Parker, Michaela Rexing, Roger Scroggins, Brad Smith, Alyssa Vanzant, Courtney Wellen

MOUNT VERNON – Sunni Belmont, Joshua Bourland, Lukas Cooper, Jackson Creel, Briar Curd, Alivia Dillman, Rhett Ellis, Dominick Finney, Haleigh Harpole, Shane Hiatt, Reece Johnson, Coby Marquez, Madisyn Mcculley, Ashton Mcpherson, Briana Meyer, Brianna Morgan, Kyleigh Odle, Denise Oneal, Mikayla Robbers, Paige Saupe, Gracie Stover, Braden Young, Gary Johnson, Aaron Mccoy, Maryna Strickland

MULKEYTOWN – Luke Burkitt, Hannah Flatt, Bryce Leeper, Kaitlyn Mays, Trinitti Noto, Ofelia Perez, Amber Webb

NEW ATHENS – Cassidy Dickerson

NORRIS CITY – Tori Karnes, Bailey Richerson, Brooke Sell, Baylee Sutton

OPDYKE – Weston Brockhouse

PINCKNEYVILLE – Alexandra Eisenhauer, Megan Engelhardt, Amber Hagene, Sarah Issler, Dalton Kitchen, Kenzie Rushing

PITTSBURG – Justin Clark

RICHVIEW – Cydni Wrobel

SCHELLER – Dillon Banach, Samantha Mccowen

SESSER – Madison Hollis, Carlie Page

SPARTA – Lyndsey Stevens

STEELEVILLE – Charles Austin, Jesse Fedderke

TAMAROA – Taylor Bizaillion, Debra Compton, Paige Epplin, Kassity Lee, Megan Restoff, Jami Roznowski, Kayla Valentine

TEXICO – Emma Pemberton

THOMPSONVILLE – Olivia Barclay, Alexis Mcfarland, Kolton Mcfarland, Reed Raubach, Mallory Rone

VALIER – William Heard

WALNUT HILL – Erica Schmidt

WALTONVILLE – Raeghan Fitzjerrells, Destiny Holtz, Jaice Mccowen, Braelyn Walker
WATSEKA – Justin Bunting

WAYNE CITY – Madelyn Caudle, Caitlyn Dickey, Jeremy Meritt

WEST FRANKFORT – Madelyn Britton, Grace Engler, Nathaniel Jones, Abigail Mitchell, Kelly Murphy

WHITTINGTON – Dara Macdonald, Alexandra Sadler, Crystal Strauch, Rylee White

WOODLAWN – Sarah Chesnek, Payton Groennert, Katelynn Knox, Timothy Plemons, Haleigh Rynski, Roger Wright

Vice Presidents’ List

ASHLEY – Race Rynski

BELLE RIVE – Jayden Harrison, Tyler Henry, Jayme Piercy, Madison Scrivner, Hallie Sledge

BENTON – Kelcie Bayless, Kady Bone, Jade Bozovich, Bailee Cairel, Tyler Chamness, Robert Collins, Megan Diuguid, Kaelynn Dunford, Cailyn Fowlkes, Molly Goostree, Chloe Hill, Bailey Hopson, Isabella Jerrells, Emily Kovarik, Brendan Luster, Braxton Lutz, Mariela Martinez, Lucas Prior, Savannah Pulliam, Lauryn Roach, Heather Short, Mitchell Supancic, Morgan Swigonski, Allison Toms, Carson Webb, Jaxon Williams, Lindsay Willis

BLUFORD – Adelina Caronongan, Miranda Cross, Rylee Greenwalt, Cord Hails, Tylar Hanson, Samantha Hill, Richard Lumpkins, Brandon Shelton

BONNIE – Leslie Dent, Pierce Payne, Brooke Wilderman

CAMBRIDGE – Caden Bowers

CARLYLE – Karly Kampwerth

CARMI – Curtlyn Hayes

CARTERVILLE – Macie Blythe, Johnjie Samar

CHESTER – Edward Kerkhover

CHRISTOPHER – Tyler Hasenfang, Noah Hervey, Whitney Young

COMMERCE, Ga. – John Simmons III

COULTERVILLE – Paige Hand, Steven Hirte

DAHLGREN – Ezekiel Scott

DIX – Jaid Burkett, Alyssa Duncan

DU QUOIN – Yvonne Mcdonnough, Avery Waller

EWING – Faith Allendorf, Adam Carter, Logen Erthall, Angel Helm, Rachel Jennings

GOREVILLE – Esmeralda Hawkins

HARRISBURG – Keely Reed, Morgan Saar

HOYLETON – Abby Wesselmann

INA – Danielle Bieber, Korey Bunselmeyer, Arlon Butts, Nicholas Compton, Ashley Jarrett, Makenzie Martin, Brooke Stepter, Nicholas Wimber

JOHNSONVILLE – Chasidy Greenwalt

MACEDONIA – Logan Sink, Leigh Thomas, Amanda Weber

MARION – Jarrett Fitch, Cooper Smith

MCLEANSBORO – Samuel Benbrook, Breanna Bowers, Tyler Branch, Kolby Darnell, Kaitlynn Elizondo, Derrick Epperson, Kaylee Ingram, Erica Mccormick, Leah Ragan, Evan Shelton, Jevin Shreve, Garrett Webb

MILL SHOALS – Alexis Wheeler

MOUNT VERNON – Austin Ballard, Gabriel Blumeyer, Chapel Davis, Cervion Davis, Kaylee Dycus, Amber Eaton, Brandon Hall, Lolani Hall, Elleyese Halper, Seth Hamerski, Annibelle Harrison, Drake Hess, Summer Hobson, Cheyenne Ilbery, Brian Jeffries, Kaleb Jones, Kylee Keele, Halle Klockenga, Jillian Launay, Hayden Locke, Jessica Lockeby, Carson Long, Jaleese Mcwilliams, Samantha Moore, Krissa Morris, Latesha Nesbitt, Jessica Oliver, Denise Oneal, Kadi Petersen, Devin Pigg, Saige Price, Kristyn Reiman, Jay Reiss, Pacey Reynolds, Wyatt Schrader, Austin Ullery, Terron Williams, Cyndel Mckiness, Taurean Miller

MULKEYTOWN – Emily Bullock, Grant Gordon, Ember Milby

MURPHYSBORO – Rachel Finders

NEWTON – Ailyssa Lewis

NORRIS CITY – Shelby Vance-Orrick

OPDYKE – Erica Marlow, Emma Moser, Bailey Schuette, Jerri Shepard, Thaddeus Zedalis

PINCKNEYVILLE – Railyn Bardle, Cassandra Brown, Kelly Buschschulte, Jacelyn Catron, Jacob Crews, Morgan Epplin, Hattie Fisher, Abby Heine, Dakota Hinkle, Reid Keene, Hannah Kocian, Tristyn Morgenstern, Jessica Ramsey, David Wagner, Hayley Winter

SALEM – Blake Deitz, Wyatt Garren

SCHELLER – Hannah Miller, Caleb Miller, Martina Skorch

SESSER – Reid Basso, Destiny Boswell, Kassedy Cloe, Madyson Edwards, Mazie Eubanks, Haden Harmon, Jamie Thompson, Carrie Williams

SPARTA – Jose Zavala

TAMAROA – Madelyn Bearden, Grace Collins, David Iffert, Sara Waggoner

THOMPSONVILLE – Holly Cunningham, Leah Davis, Corbin Fitch, Tyler Jones, Alethia Kimble, Baily Lampley, Teresa Nolen, Kenlee Smith

VALIER – Clayton Woodland

WALNUT HILL – Matthew Walton

WAYNE CITY – Lillian Borah, Zachary Maxey, Kaylee Seymour

WEST FRANKFORT – Stella Furlow, Marylynn Manning, Jordan Scoville

WHITTINGTON – Toni Frayser, Annie Gates, Nicolas Roberts

WOODLAWN – Shaylin Arnold, Hayden England, Hunter England, Blake Mckay, Macy Williams

ZEIGLER – Blake Karas, Jacob Perry, Jacob Wawczak

The Rend Lake College Board of Trustees will seek bids for a Communications Tower.

During its monthly meeting on Tuesday, June 8, the board learned that the current communications signal is not adequate enough to reach the entire campus, which could pose a security threat. The purchase and installation of this new system will improve internal communications for the Security and Physical Plant Departments.

Range Hood System purchased for RL Café
The board ratified the award for the purchase and installation of the Range Hood System for the RL Café. The winning bid was Heartland Mechanical Contractors in Murphysboro for $64,978.

Odum named Coordinator of Industry & Apprenticeships
Permission was granted to ratify the transfer of Academic Advisor Tonya Odum to Coordinator of Industry Training & Apprenticeships, effective June 1. In light of the recent transfer of Angelina Mabrey, who served as the Apprenticeship Coordinator, the transfer is in the best interest of the college, according to administrative rationale.

Fitts promoted to Director of Apprenticeships & CTE Support
Permission was granted to expand the duties and revise the job description of Joy Fitts from CTE Support Specialist to Director of Apprenticeships & CTE Support, effective June 1. To better fit the needs of the college, this position is being created to build upon current duties and to efficiently use college resources, according to administrative rationale.

Confer promoted to Director of RLCF Children’s Center
Permission was granted to transfer Chrissy Confer from Lead Childcare Provider to Director of RLC Foundation Children’s Center, effective June 16. In light of the recent resignation of Brooke May, the transfer is in the best interest of the college, according to administrative rationale.

Braden promoted to Assistant Director of Student Records
Permission was granted to expand the duties and revise the job description of Summer Braden from Student Records Specialist to Assistant Director of Student Records, effective July 1. To better fit the needs of the college, this position is being created to build upon current duties and to efficiently use college resources, according to administrative rationale.

Phillips moves to Director of Auxiliary Services
Permission was granted to expand the duties and revise the job description of Corey Phillips from Director of Rend Lake College MarketPlace to Director of Auxiliary Services, effective July 1. To better fit the needs of the college, this position is being created to build upon current duties and to efficiently use college resources, according to administrative rationale.

New Curriculum coming
The college will add five new online courses — Restaurant Management, Principles of Cost Control, Principles of Effective Speaking, Accelerated Learning Program and Stress Management.

Fund transfers
The board approved the transfer of $2,481,000 from the Education Fund to the Working Cash fund. The transfer makes whole an earlier transfer that the college had made previously and was to have been repaid within the fiscal year.

The board also agreed to transfer up to $3.4 million from the Working Cash Fund to the Education Fund. The transaction is necessary due to the timing of receipts expected from the State of Illinois for various grant payments that may be delayed. The amount will be transferred back to the Working Cash Fund upon receipt of the expected state monies.

In other business, the board
· Approved a second reading revising policies in regards to background checks for potential and current employees.
· Approved an engagement letter for Kemper CPA Group, LLP, to provide audit and tax return preparation for the 2021 fiscal year, effective July 1.
· Approved the Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement for the Mary and George Slankard Learning Resource Center, effective June 8.
· Approved revisions to increase hourly pay for some part-time positions, effective July 1.
· Created stipend positions for a College Bowl Coach and a Debate & Speech Team Coach and increased other stipends, effective July 1.
· Accepted the resignation of Brooke May, director of the RLC Foundation Children’s Center, effective May 20.
· Accepted the resignation of Jamie Cambron, lead childcare provider at the RLCF Children’s Center, effective June 30.
· Approved the Resource Allocation Management Plan for fiscal year 2023. The RAMP will soon be available online at rlc.edu/achieves.
· Approved the salaries for fiscal year 2022.

Mark Your Calendars
Mental Health 101 with Lindsey Adams, Tuesday, June 15, virtual, TBD.
RLC Sponsored Family Night, Wednesday, June 30, Aquatic Zoo, Mt. Vernon, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Paramedic Program Accreditation Site Visit, Thursday through Friday, July 8-9, virtual.
Warrior Days Workshop, Wednesday, July 28, Rend Lake College campus, 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Warrior Days Workshop, Wednesday, August 4, Rend Lake College campus, 9:30 a.m. to noon.
RLC Sponsored Back-to-School Night for High School Students, Wednesday, August 4, Aquatic Zoo, Mt. Vernon, TBD.
Warrior Days Workshop, Saturday, August 14, Rend Lake College campus, 9:30 a.m. to noon.
Annual RLC Foundation Golf Outing, Thursday, September 9, Rend Lake Golf Course, noon shotgun start.
Fun Fest, Wednesday, September 15, Rend Lake College Ina campus, noon to 3 p.m.
Auto Show, Rend Lake College Ina campus.
RLCF Annual Scholarship Dinner, Thursday, October 21, Benton Civic Center, 6 to 8 p.m.

SESSER, Ill. — Rend Lake College Culinary Arts alumna Hannah Hill has set up her own shop, the Milk & Honey Bakehouse in Sesser, where she runs a one-woman dessert operation that is satisfying sweet-tooth cravings throughout southern Illinois.

Hill graduated with an Occupational Certificate of Baking and Pastry Arts in 2017. She said her time at the college was her first in a professional kitchen. The small class size with Chefs Robert Wilson and Jeff Fairbanks was the perfect recipe for success. It was an opportunity to fulfill a lifelong dream.

“I’ve loved baking and cooking my whole life,” Hill said. “It’s what I have enjoyed. I got to just drink in all the information that I could. It was one of the most fun years of my life.”
Hill knew she wanted to own her own business, and she knew she wanted to give back to the southern Illinois community that helped shape who she is today. The opportunity to open her own bake shop came six months ago, after the kitchen job she had was put on hold because of COVID. A couple of weeks later, Hill was able to find an available kitchen to rent and start up her dream business.

The Milk & Honey Bakehouse has an array of made-from-scratch treats, but pie is the specialty. Customers can pre-order their desserts 24 hours in advance through her website [LINK “her website”] so that she is able to serve as many as possible.

Hill said her signature pie is the Honey Pie, a salted pretzel crust custard creation that includes a dollop of the sweet stuff that she tries to put in every one of her recipes.
The Sesser community has been very welcoming, and the buzz about her business has been spreading.

“I couldn’t have asked for more,” she said.

Hill said pie is the kind of dessert that brings up joy and also conjures up their own memories.

“I’ve always liked pie,” Hill said. “People around here love pie, and everyone around here has eaten pie at some point. And everyone thinks about their grandma’s pie. They know what they expect a pie to be, and I try to make that standard but everyone’s a little bit different.”

On the weekends, Hill has busied herself, setting up shop at various events and growing her clientele. Her booths have been set up at the Route 51 Farmhouse Market in DuQuoin, the Locust Street Historical Fair in Centralia, and the Magpie Market Days in Marion. Her future plans are to increase her business-to-business sales, and summer events like these help her make those connections.

“Events are my favorite part about doing this,” she said. “I get to meet other business owners, broaden my outreach and meet new customers. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone, for sure, but they are always fun.”

Hill, who grew up in DuQuoin, said southern Illinois has a unique food culture and she feels honored to be a part of it.

“I think the food culture here is vastly underrated,” she said. “That is something they taught us in culinary school, how much of a diversity in food there is around here, but it is also high quality. So I think you could find some really great stuff here and I wanted to be a part of that food culture.”

Hill said hard work is important in the restaurant business, and those who are willing to put in the time will be rewarded.

“That’s where you have to start,” she said. “If you are willing to put in the work, be dedicated and be reliable. If you are good under pressure, you are not going to have any problem. You are going to be valuable.”

Check out all of Hill’s sweet specialties online at milk-honey-bakehouse.myshopify.com.