INA, Ill. (March 11, 2025) — Lori Ragland has been named Rend Lake College's eighth President. It was a unanimous vote from the Board of Trustees Tuesday evening. The 25-year loyalist and current Executive Vice President will succeed Terry Wilkerson upon his retirement at the end of June. Ragland, a Sesser resident, will make history as the first woman to serve as the college's chief leader. Her vision for RLC is a future of innovation, student-focus, and continued dedication to the communities it serves.
"As we build on the strong foundation laid by my predecessor, my focus will be on ensuring a smooth transition while embracing innovation to enhance Rend Lake College’s relevance in this ever-changing landscape,” Ragland said. “We will seek opportunities to better serve our students and bolster our recruitment strategies to reach those we have yet to serve. Every individual seeking education and career advancement should be given the chance.”
A former freelance court reporter, Ragland joined RLC in 2000 as the administrative assistant to the Foundation. After earning a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership from Greenville College, she became the Foundation’s assistant director. Her path then led her to the assistant directorship of the college’s Community Education Department before becoming its director four years later.
Ragland is a homegrown RLC leader as well, graduating from the college’s leadership development program in 2014. She was the recipient of the 2003 RLC Outstanding Staff Award, and graduated from the Chair Academy, an organization devoted to higher education leadership development, in 2015.
In 2010, Ragland became Dean of Community and Corporate Education and earned her Master of Arts in Education Degree from McKendree University in 2013. Two years later, in 2015, she became Vice President of Career Technical Instruction at RLC before taking over leadership of all instruction in 2017 and student affairs in 2019. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree in educational leadership.
Ragland served as the president of Illinois Council of Continuing Education & Training (ICCET) in 2010 and was granted the Illinois Council of Continuing Education & Training Exemplary Leadership Award in 2016. In 2024, she became the president of the Illinois Council of Community College Administrators and currently holds membership in the Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE), serving on its Post-Secondary Advisory Team, as well as the Illinois Chief Academic Officers and the Illinois Chief Student Services Officers.
Ragland is committed to ensuring RLC students have the resources, support and guidance they need to excel academically. She plans to continue working closely with the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty and staff to achieve this goal.
“I want our employees to feel engaged and proud of the vital role they play in shaping lives and strengthening our community," said Ragland. "With a commitment to excellence and to seeking sustainable funding strategies, we will propel RLC forward while staying true to our mission of student success and community impact."
Education & Training
- Master of Arts in Education, McKendree University
- Bachelor of Science, Greenville College
- Chair Academy: The Academy for Leadership and Development graduate
- Emerging Leadership Institute at RLC graduate
Awards, Committees & Service
- Illinois Council of Community College Administrators President
- Association of Career and Technical Education Post-Secondary Advisory Team
- Illinois Chief Academic Officers member
- Illinois Chief Student Services Officers member
- Illinois Program Review Advisory Council
- Illinois Council of Continuing Education & Training Officer
- Illinois Training Resource and Information Network Member
- Illinois Council of Continuing Education & Training Exemplary Leadership Award
- RLC Academic Council
