Rev. Msgr. Robert C. Wolff
Richfield, OH
Founding Trustee
I was head of the Board of Trustees for Lakeland Community College. I visited community colleges in other states, and went to Michigan University where I hired the first president for Lakeland. I also contacted Ohio State for Lakeland CC to get accredited, etc.
John Platz
Mentor, OH
Founding Faculty Member
Opening day at LCC was in September of 1967. It was a beautiful fall day with a clear blue sky. As I approached 8 N. State St. in Painesville (The Trust Building), I saw Dr. Rodehorst and Art Holden (Board Chair) greeting students and faculty. The weather and warm greeting was indication of the many great things LCC would do and become for Lake County.
John Vitale
Painesville, OH
Founding Faculty Member
The Lakeland Library started with one small box in a vacant room.
Thomas Lower
Mentor, OH
Founding Faculty Member
My first year teaching for Lakeland Community College qualifies as the first of many fond memories. Lakeland opened its doors on the second floor of the Cleveland Trust Building in Painesville, Ohio with just a handful of classrooms. The college rented rooms at various locations in the surrounding area and assigned these "classrooms" to the teaching staff. I taught one class from the pulpit at the Methodist Church. Another assignment was in the basement of Johnsons Funeral Home. The Lakeland Theatre productions were performed at Mentor High School and Lake Erie College. This memorable year made it easy for me to volunteer to teach in Madison and Willowick, the LCC satellite campuses. After retirement, I taught classes at Indian River, Broward and Palm Beach State Colleges. I'm now back at Lakeland teaching, with fond memories of years gone by – that all go back to my first year at the Cleveland Trust Building and other various locations.
Timothy W. Wright, Sr., Ed. D
Founding Faculty Member
It was a privilege to be a faculty member that first year. I will always treasure the kind and friendly reception and encouragement from Jessie Stocking, Leonard Slominski, Willis Kern and Wayne Rodehorst. They also placed a high priority on faculty freedom to innovate.
As Director of Educational Marketing, I was part of a highly creative administrative team, distinguished by so many accomplishments including unprecedented enrollment increases, new construction, rising community awareness and many others.
Those early years set the foundation for Lakeland, which clearly has become the most significant and impactful institution in Lake County history.
Walter Thornstrom
Kirtland, OH
Founding Faculty Member
I remember the coming together of investors from all walks of life and work history. The one room office in Painesville led to many interesting discussions.
Mary Jane Shuster
Punta Gorda, FL
Founding Faculty Member
I remember the first desks purchased for faculty were made in the Ohio prisons.
Dave Poorman
Painesville, OH
Founding Faculty Member
The development of student government at Lakeland Community College and the student elected representatives' commitment to follow through, follow their bi laws and provide our student body with many outside classroom learning experiences over the years.
The student athletes and coaches have with many athletic contests and championships for the college, and provided LCC students the opportunity to play at the college level, where some have received athletic scholarships at four year universities. One example of my many thrills of being in the LCC athletic department was when our winter program won back to back national championships.
Nancy Arnesen
Alexandria, VA
Founding Faculty Member
After I received my Masters in English from Kent State in 1968, I applied and was accepted for a position teaching English. We taught classes in bank buildings and other temporary locations while the campus was under construction.
Those were wonderful years, which ended for me after I was hired to work for Governor John Gilligan. When he was defeated, I took a job in Washington, D.C. at the State Department. After working at several organizations, I was hired by NPR (National Public Radio) to raise funds. I retired from NPR in 1996.
My years at Lakeland were very rewarding and happy for me. In fact, Joan Baurlein, who also worked at Lakeland, is still one of my best friends. We live not far from each other in Old Town Alexandria.
Carolyn Anderson
Willoughby, OH
It was 1969, the year I graduated and the year I started at a fairly new Lakeland Community College. Though small, second and third floors of Trust Building in Painesville along with some classes scattered in the Mill Street Building in Painesville and Brentwood Plaza in Mentor, it holds the dearest of memories.
It was here I made friendships that would endure through the years. In consultation with these friends, we have come up with some great memories:
- Counselors included Rebecca Turbock, Mr. Schick and Marie Moreno
- Mr. Davenport ran the bookstore
- Mr. Coates taught Geography
- Mr. Luphold taught history and wrote a book called "The Latchkey is Out"
- Russ McClurg taught Civics
- Mr. Platz taught Political Science
- Don Delaney coached the basketball team and, of course, later went on to coach the Cavs
- Mario Marcopoli was the soccer coach
Most of us had jobs, but had plenty of fun with Lakeland activities:
- Pinnacle would be played in the Trust Building Lounge.
- Our group established a sorority, Delta Chi Zeta, complete with policy and by-laws. I believe Rebecca Turbock was the moderator. We sponsored a Sadie Hawkins dance at Painesville Twp. Park. Tess Carney helped us organize it.
- The guys started a fraternity, Delta Chi Epsilon. I believe Mr. Coates was the moderator for that.
- Spring Fling was held at Painesville Twp. Park also. "Hot pants"were the rage.
Off-campus activities gave us the opportunity to further our education:
- Every Thursday night was "Lakeland" night at The Stables Bar in Painesville. Fond, and not so fond, memories of 3.2 beer.
- Nemeth's Bar and restaurant provided a close gathering for lunch. Best greasy cheeseburgers around. A fair amount of classes were missed gathering here. No one seemed to mind.
And, yes, we did learn at this small community college and went on to become nurses, accountants, social services specialists, business owners, bank managers, teachers and even a Ph.D.
I am now back at Lakeland working in the test center. I still meet yearly with the "Lakeland chicks." Within our small group of friends, we have two couples who ended up marrying and are still married today.
It was a tumultuous time with the Vietnam War. We all remember the night of the draft and those in our group that drew the low numbers. In spite of it all, they were some of the best years of my life.