Press contact: Kyla Kruse
SPRINGFIELD — Lincoln Land Community College will conduct commencement exercises on Friday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bank of Springfield Center in Springfield.
Cassidy Kretschmer of Bartelso has been selected as this year’s commencement speaker. She is graduating with an associate in arts degree. Kretschmer is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the women’s basketball team, and she plans to continue her education at Brigham Young University in family studies.
Luke Adams of Athens and Kortney Fisher of Taylorville are serving as student marshals for the commencement ceremony. Adams served as Phi Theta Kappa treasurer and is a member of the LLCC Ag Club. He is earning an associate in arts degree and plans to transfer to Florida Gulf Coast University to continue his education.
Fisher is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and was named to the All-Illinois Academic Team. She is graduating with an associate in applied science degree with a concentration in neurodiagnostic technology and is employed by CortiCare. She plans to further her education in health care administration.
Brice R. Huddleston, retired Colonel, U.S. Air Force, is being recognized with the 2023 LLCC Honored Alumni Award. Huddleston earned an associate in applied science degree from LLCC and a bachelor’s degree from University of Illinois Springfield. He was selected for Air Force Navigator Training and worked as an F-4 weapon systems officer. In 1993 he was called to active duty as the F-16 action officer, coordinating training and operational guidance and deploying to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for F-16 combat missions. His flying career ended in 2003 with over 2,000 fighter jet flying hours. Huddleston then worked at the Pentagon, assisting in deployment of Air Force assets to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. He later oversaw the National Guard Joint Operations Center, coordinating support in response to hurricanes, fires and floods. After retiring from the Air Force in 2008, Huddleston worked as a consultant until 2021.