Lincoln Land Community College President Charlotte Warren will retire next year, the school announced.
Warren is the sixth president in the school's history. She has been in the role since 2006.
Warren told faculty and staff the news during the college’s annual convocation Friday morning.
“Serving our students and strengthening the communities we call home has been a privilege beyond measure. I am deeply proud of all that LLCC’s students, faculty, staff, alumni and community leaders have accomplished and continue to accomplish together. LLCC is an institution of learning and so much more. It’s a place where dreams take root and bright futures take shape,” she said.
Under her time at the helm of LLCC, the college created four new facilities and renovated nine others throughout the 15-county LLCC district. She has secured millions of dollars in gift and grant funding for the college, including an $18 million gift benefiting LLCC’s agriculture program and a partnership with Memorial Health to address the nursing shortage and construct a Nursing Education Center within Montgomery Hall.
"Building on strong transfer programs, Warren has broadened the college’s educational offerings and created more options for students of all ages," said a statement from the school. "She has developed the college’s workforce training, grown health care education programs and expanded opportunities to add new skills and grow professionally — making LLCC a truly comprehensive college. She has also enhanced community partnerships, meeting regularly with legislative, business and community leaders to determine how the college can best serve its district."
“Dr. Warren leaves a legacy that will shape our college for generations to come,” said Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, chair of the LLCC Board of Trustees. “She has been a tireless advocate for student success, innovation and excellence. Her visionary leadership has fueled transformative projects across the college and expanded meaningful connections with community partners. We are deeply grateful for her service and look forward to honoring the remarkable progress achieved during her time here.”
Warren is a board member of the American Association of Community Colleges and past president of the Illinois Council of Community College Presidents.
Locally, she serves on the board of HSHS St. John’s Hospital and the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance. She is past chair of the Mid-Illinois Medical District, past chair of United Way of Central Illinois and served on the board of the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. She holds the title of Colonel, Retired and Honorary Brigadier General for the Georgia National Guard, and served on the Reserve Forces Policy Board headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Prior to LLCC, Warren was president of the Community College Alliance and vice president of the Virtual Campus at Franklin University in Columbus, Ohio. Earlier, she was a provost at Georgia Perimeter College, taught at research universities and community colleges, chaired a department of nursing, served as president of the Georgia Nurses Association and was a psychotherapist in private practice.
