Illinois Eastern Community Colleges are celebrating major milestones in healthcare education. The 2025 nursing cohort achieved a 98 percent pass rate on the national licensure exam, well above the U.S. average of 87 percent. Frontier Community College recorded 94 percent, while Lincoln Trail, Olney Central, and Wabash Valley each achieved a perfect 100 percent. Olney Central’s Radiography program also posted a 100 percent registry pass rate and reports full employment for graduates.
Building on that success, IECC has partnered with Vincennes University to launch a new pathway for surgical technology careers. Students will complete their first year of coursework at IECC—either online or in person—before transferring to Vincennes to finish the degree. The collaboration responds to a regional shortage of surgical technologists and ensures students can train locally while preparing for vital roles in hospitals, surgical centers, and specialty clinics.
