Improving Lives, Protecting People
When Louis Criscione chose Lincoln Land Communitiy College, he already knew he wanted to be a civil engineer.
“Lincoln Land taught be to be a good student and challenged me with rigorous classes. I spent hours in the library doing homework and worked as a math tutor. I felt fully prepared for my university classes,” he says.
Engineers are the problem solvers of the world. LLCC Engineering Professor Jim Pierce says engineers are naturally curious, they were typically the children, who in their youth, enjoyed taking things apart to learn how they worked.
“Everything in our lives has been touched by an engineer, from the clothes we wear to the food we eat, the cars we drive, the roads and buildings we use,” said Pierce.
Engineering is a blend of mathematics and physics. It offers an environment where those skills can be applied in practical, meaningful, problem-solving ways.
LLCC serves as an entryway to this impressive field and helps students achieve success. “It’s fine to be a student who finds mathematics difficult or challenging. You don’t have to be the student who scores the highest on the math test. As long as you have the drive and heart to work hard — you will succeed,” says LLCC Engineering Professor Jim Pierce.
Some LLCC engineering courses can be taken online and were among the first in the state available online. The classes have seen great growth since their debut nearly 20 years ago. The roster is made up of LLCC students as well as students attending four-year universities who are taking LLCC online courses in tandem with their university courses. Pierce has even had students log in from the Middle East to take his classes. His Dynamics and Mechanics of Materials classes are among the most popular.
“So many of a student’s freshman and sophomore classes can be taken here,” explains Pierce. “They can be sitting in their dorm room in Bloomington or Champaign and taking the classes here for less cost than the university.”
LLCC classes also come with the personalized attention for which the college is known. “My class discussion boards are vibrant and active, and that creates the community we want,” says Pierce. “Any time a student emails me a question, I make it a high priority to get back to them.”
There is a high demand for engineers across various industries. The continuous advancements in technology and growing reliance on innovation mean that engineers are always needed. Engineering careers can also offer job security and high earning potential.
At LLCC, students can choose from an associate of science or associate of engineering science degree. Pierce says the degree is determined by the student’s chosen discipline of engineering and which university they plan to transfer to. After beginning at LLCC, students can transfer to universities to specialize in one of dozens of fields like electrical, mechanical, computer, aerospace, civil, biomedical and more.
Engineering is a pathway to make a lasting, positive impact on society. Many engineering disciplines focus on solving critical problems like developing sustainable energy sources, public health issues and resource management. As a result, engineers take pride in knowing their work has the potential to make a meaningful difference in society and for future generations.
Criscione takes that message to heart. After graduating from LLCC in 2022 and earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, he now monitors the safety, design and viability of bridges in the state of Arkansas, protecting people’s lives and keeping traffic flowing.
“Engineering has a reputation for being a very hard degree to achieve and it is,” says Pierce. “That’s a good thing. We want people in medicine and engineering to be the best of the best.”