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Students face many challenges as they begin their college careers. Olney Central College hopes to ease the transition with its new Peer Coach Program. Created by Title III Advising Specialist Ashley Bigard, the initiative connects incoming freshmen with a current student through OCC鈥檚 text platform, SignalVine. Sometimes students have a question, but they may be reluctant to contact their professor or even an advisor, Bigard explained. With a peer coach, the situation is less intimidating because they are asking a fellow student.

Olney Central College鈥檚 Welding Technology Building underwent renovations this summer that not only improved its aesthetics, but created more usable space for the program. 鈥淭his project has been a long time coming,鈥� said Instructor Curtis Marshall. 鈥淢averick (Fisher) came out over the summer and put a lot of time and effort into this. It has made for a cleaner shop and the logistics are much better.鈥� The building鈥檚 extensive overhaul included power washing and sealing the original cement floors, painting the walls and reorganizing workspaces.

Olney Central College will celebrate Constitution Day on Friday, Sept. 17. A Constitution Day exhibit will be on display in the Anderson Library Gallery and free booklets of the Constitution will be available to students. The video 鈥淐reating the Constitution鈥� will be played on monitors in the Library Gallery and the hallways of the campus. Constitution Day commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787.

The Olney Central College Theater will hold auditions for 鈥淐urious George and the Golden Meatball鈥� at 7 p.m. on Sept. 27-28 in the Dr. John D. Stull Performing Arts Center. Call backs, if necessary, will be at 7 p.m. on Sept. 30. Roles are available for high school freshmen through adults. Dialogue cuts, better known as sides, are available at www.iecc.edu/occtheater for the prepared readings. Adult and high school actors should also be prepared to sing 60 seconds from any song with sheet music for the accompanist.

Olney Central College Softball is raising funds to construct a press box for their field. 鈥淚n the nearly 40 years of softball being played at OCC, there has never been a press box,鈥� said Coach Nick Short. 鈥淲e are looking to change that and are hoping the community can help. This is something I feel is needed and hopefully we can get it completed this fall.鈥�

Olney Central College鈥檚 Knight Kafe is expanding its menu this fall to include homemade pizza. The medium-sized pizzas contain eight slices each and come with a choice of one to three toppings for $10. Choose from traditional favorites like pepperoni and mushrooms or try new combinations like chicken and spinach. Specialty pizzas are $12 and include Hawaiian, Philly Cheese Steak, Taco, Chicken Bacon Ranch, Meat Lovers, BBQ and Italian Beef.

Olney Central College鈥檚 Operations and Maintenance Department has been busy undertaking several campus-wide improvement projects this summer, including two that will increase energy efficiency in Wattleworth Hall. O&M Team Leader Clay Atkins said OCC received 1,000 free LED lights through an Ameren Illinois sponsored program. Existing fluorescent tube lights in all hallways have been replaced with the new bulbs.

Local artist Mari Yamato invites both college students and area residents to attend her fall ceramics course. 鈥淚 am very excited about working with the students,鈥� Yamato said. 鈥淔or the past year, we haven鈥檛 had ceramics due to COVID. I taught TRIO students this summer and enjoyed it, but it was a very condensed month-long course. I鈥檓 looking forward to this fall when I鈥檒l have four months to teach and work with the students. In a full semester, we can relax and you can see the gradual growth in the students.鈥�

Local quilter Laurie Rist will share her expertise with students during Olney Central College鈥檚 10-week evening quilting course. The non-credit class is open to varying skill levels and will meet at the West Richland Center in Noble from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesdays, starting Sept. 14. Beginners will complete a designated quilting project from start to finish while learning how to read patterns as well as cut and prep material. More advanced students can work on a project of their choice with Rist鈥檚 guidance.

OLNEY, Ill. 鈥� Outstanding students at Olney Central College have received academic honors for the Spring 2021 Semester. Students named to the Chancellor鈥檚 List have attained a grade point average of 3.90 or higher, on a 4.0 scale. Those on the President鈥檚 List have achieved a grade point average between 3.75 and 3.89, while those students named to the Dean鈥檚 List have earned a grade point average between 3.50 and 3.74. Chancellor鈥檚 List: Albion: Camden Cowger and Omalee McDonald Allendale: Ashley Carie