Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Illinois, has been named the beneficiary of an $18 million trust created by local farm couple Charlie and Irene Kreher.

The gift, in the form of the annual income generated by the Kreher Farm Perpetual Charitable Trust, will enable the school to transform its agriculture program to meet the needs of a growing and diverse student population. According to LLCC agronomy professor and ag program coordinator Bill Harmon, the funds from the trust will not replace current support by the college but will instead be used to grow the agriculture program, increase the number of students served, boost local job opportunities for qualified LLCC grads, and improve agricultural literacy in the community and beyond. The trust also directs an LLCC agriculture program on the Kreher Farm.

"We are ever grateful for the generosity of community friends who believe that LLCC and our students are worthy of their investment," said LLCC president Charlotte Warren. "Agriculture is deep-rooted at LLCC. We were founded by a group of farmers, among others, and agriculture was one of the original programs we offered. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize a gift that will continue that storied history for the agriculture program and that will impact the lives of so many people."