The home page of Lincoln College in Illinois says the impact of COVID-19 followed by a crippling December 2021 cyberattack have combined to force the institution to close its doors after 157 years. 

The permanent closure is set to take effect on May 13 — unless Lincoln College receives what the statement calls "... a transformational donation or partnership to sustain Lincoln College beyond the current semester." 

Although the school says no personal identifying information was stolen, the cyberattack, which lasted for more than three months, shut down the school's student recruitment, retention, and fundraising operations. NBC News reported that Lincoln was hit with a ransomware attack. 

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