Heartland honors eight with President's Medallion

Heartland Community College has recognized eight individuals for their integral role in expanding the College, serving its students, and paving educational pathways for the larger community. 

The President’s Medallion award recognizes individuals who exemplify the College's mission to enrich the community. 

The following individuals were honored at the Elevate Heartland 2025 event on May 30 with a President’s Medallion: 

Jon Astroth

Jon Astroth led Heartland Community College as president for the school’s first 20 years. He came to Heartland from Rend Lake College, where he wore the hats of English instructor, student services officer, chief academic officer, and finally, president. Astroth’s vision for Heartland took it from a scattered set of class spaces around town supporting 800 students to a sprawling main campus in Normal and sites in both Lincoln and Pontiac, which, taken together, serve more than 5000 credit students every semester. Before retiring in 2010, Astroth was able to shepherd in campus expansion that included an increased student life offering, the addition of an athletics program, and bringing the National Guard facilities to campus.  

Alan Bedell and Deanna Frautschi

Deanna Frautschi and Alan Bedell are no strangers to community involvement. The couple has been recognized by the McLean County Historical Society as History Makers due to their philanthropic leadership. Deanna served on over a dozen non-profit boards, including her tenure as Chair of the United Way of McLean County. She is also deeply involved in the Multicultural Leadership Institute, Illinois Prairie Community Foundation, Parklands Foundation, and Miller Park Zoological Society, the latter of which she served as a past president. 

Alan mirrors Deanna’s volunteer efforts by being involved with the Cornbelt Chapter of AMBUCS, the organization in which he was instrumental in founding 10 chapters in Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa. He is also an active Midwest Food Bank volunteer. Together the pair has chaired numerous fundraisers including Zoo Doo, Red Cross Evening of Starts, and Carle Cancer Center events. They also sponsor scholarships for AMBUCS physical therapists, Illinois State University, Heartland Community College, and the Multicultural Leadership Institute.  

Ruifang Cao

Ruifang Cao was an early member of the Heartland Community College faculty, teaching among the first classes in computer science at the College. Ruifang started the Chinese school on weekends to teach language and culture programs about China. She also helped create an exchange program of students and professors from Chinese universities to Heartland, laying the groundwork for Heartland's international program. This eventually led to expanded experiences for local students to study abroad and brought international students to Heartland, expanding the diversity of our classrooms while bringing enrollment opportunities to new areas. 

Dolan Dalpoas

Dolan Dalpoas has dedicated his professional life to keeping his community healthy. As President and CEO of Lincoln Memorial Hospital, he has been recognized for his leadership. He has been named one of the top 50 critical access hospital CEOs in the United States and in 2000, received the Southern Illinois Regent’s Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives as the Early Career Healthcare Executive of the Year. Dolan had a crucial role in Lincoln building a free outdoor fitness center to combat obesity, an initiative that became a national best practice for hospitals. Dolan serves on the HCC Lincoln Advisory Council, and under his leadership, the hospital partners with Heartland by serving as a clinical site for our CNA program as well as donating several pieces of healthcare equipment. He has also served in various community organizations in Lincoln, including Lincoln College, Lincoln Rotary, the Lincoln Area YMCA, and Lincoln Economic Advancement & Development. 

Colleen Kannaday

Colleen Kannaday‘s extensive contributions to the community are evident in the organizations to which she lends her leadership. As the President of Carle BroMenn Medical Center and Carle Eureka Hospital, she has won the Grassroots Champion Award from the American Hospital Association, an honor that is awarded to only one person per state. She is also a recipient of the Malcomb Baldrige National Quality Award, the American College of Health Care Award, and was honored as a YWCA Woman of Distinction. Colleen serves as a Trustee on the Illinois Wesleyan University Board of Trustees and the Illinois State University Foundation Board. 

Mike Matejka

Mike Matejka is a dedicated community member, lending his time and talents to many causes. He serves as the Downstate Vice President of the Illinois Labor History Society, Co-Chair of Not in Our Town Bloomington-Normal, and as a board member of the McLean County Children’s Christmas Party. Matejka also works with the Historic Pullman Foundation Board, McLean County Historical Society, the Stevenson Lecture Committee, and the local Autism Friendly Community Committee. He is a sought-after speaker and has written countless journal and magazine articles as a scholar of the labor movement. In 2024, Matejka won the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation Philanthropist of the Year award with his wife, Kari Sandhaas, and in 2021 was named the Normal Citizen of the Year. 

Drake Zimmerman

Drake Zimmerman is a philanthropic leader and a shining example for our community. He is passionate about causes near to his heart and “leads out loud” by acting both locally and globally. One such cause is working through Rotary on malaria prevention. He was the founding Vice Chair of the Rotarians Eliminating Malaria Rotarians Action Group and received the AMP Global Top Award of Alliance for Malaria Prevention for lifetime contributions to malaria control. Drake also co-founded the Community Foundation of McLean County (now known as the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation). With his wife, Jan, he helped Friends of Kickapoo Creek, an organization that works to protect the local watershed. Drake is the author of Enduring the Darkness, a compilation of the inspiring letters of South Korean human rights prisoner Kim Seong Man.

“We are proud to recognize these individuals who helped elevate Heartland to what it is today,” said HCC President Keith Cornille. “Each recipient of these inaugural awards exemplifies the College’s mission to enrich our community. Through their service, support, and actions, this group has made a significant impact on our community and – directly or indirectly – the lives of all our students since the College’s foundation.”

The inaugural recipients of the HCC President’s Medallion Award were honored in 2021.