Lincoln College, a a four-year private, liberal arts school, was founded from a university charted issued on Feb. 6, 1865 from the Illinois General Assembly. (Photo courtesy of Lincoln College Facebook)

After 158 years as a higher education institution in central Illinois, Lincoln College has completed its last semester of classes.

The college, a four-year private, liberal arts school located in Lincoln, Illinois, notified the Illinois Department of Higher Education and Higher Learning Commission of its permanent closure, effective May 13.

The Board of Trustees voted to cease all academic programming at the end of the spring semester.

“Lincoln College has been serving students from across the globe for more than 157 years,” said David Gerlach, president of Lincoln College. “The loss of history, careers, and a community of students and alumni is immense.”

The local college experienced record-breaking student enrollment in fall 2019, with residence halls at maximum capacity.  But then the COVID-19 pandemic hit and dramatically impacted recruitment and fundraising efforts, sporting events, and all campus life activities.

“The economic burdens initiated by the pandemic required large investments in technology and campus safety measures, as well as a significant drop in enrollment with students choosing to postpone college or take a leave of absence, which impacted the institution’s financial position,” the college posted on its website.

In addition, Lincoln College was a victim of a cyberattack in December 2021 that impacted admissions activities and hindered access to all institutional data, “creating an unclear picture of fall 2022 enrollment projections,” the college administration stated.

All systems required for recruitment, retention, and fundraising efforts were inoperable, although, no personal identifying information was exposed.

The systems were fully restored in March 2022, but the projections displayed significant enrollment shortfalls, requiring a major donation or partnership to sustain Lincoln College beyond the current semester, according to the website.

The administration said it has worked to strengthen its financial position through fundraising campaigns, selling assets, consolidating employee positions, and exploring alternatives for the leased building in Normal.

These efforts, however, did not create long-term viability for Lincoln College in the face of the pandemic.

Lincoln College encourages individuals to review the FAQ documents on the Lincoln College website (www.lincolncollege.edu) for more information regarding the closure process. Academic support and transitional services will be available to students through the remainder of the semester

“Though we are experiencing undeniable grief and sadness, we find comfort in knowing Lincoln College has served generations of alumni who have undoubtedly impacted our world,” the college stated in a public release.

Lincoln College grew out of a charter issued on Feb. 6, 1865 for a new university, secured from the Illinois General Assembly.  Just six days later, on Abraham Lincoln’s last living birthday, ground was broken for University Hall, the first Lincoln College building.

The foundation was completed and the cornerstone laid by September 1865, and instruction for men and women began that November. The first commencement in 1868 honored three graduates.

In the many years that followed, Lincoln College did manage to survive many difficult and challenging times — the economic crisis of 1887, a major campus fire in 1912, the Spanish flu of 1918, the Great Depression, World War II, the 2008 global financial crisis, and more.