[3] It maintained an extension site in Normal, Illinois that provided adults with Accelerated Bridge to Education bachelor's degree programs.

[7] In 1929, Lincoln became a two-year junior college, no longer offering four-year degrees as it had done since its inception.

The move helped the college through the financial problems of the Great Depression and World War II.

The Lincoln College campus experienced substantial growth following World War II.

Since 2010, Lincoln has been recognized as a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) by the U.S. Department of Education.

Shortly after Gerlach's appointment, the Lincoln College Board of Trustees approved a plan to return Lincoln College to its roots as a full bachelor's degree-granting institution while retaining its associate degree programs.

Students originated from 25 U.S. states and several countries, including Australia, China, England, France, Japan, Norway, and Sweden.

[17] The ABE program offered non-traditional students the opportunity to complete their bachelor's degree in an accelerated format one night a week with supplemental online work.

This was the location where a student of Lincoln College, Judd McCullum, found Illinois' largest mammoth fossil.

Before joining the NAIA, the Lynxes were a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), and its primary home conference was the Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC), stemming from its many years as a junior college.

Lincoln competed in 19 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports included baseball, basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming & diving, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling, while women's sports included basketball, bowling, cross country, golf, softball, swimming & diving, track & field, volleyball, and wrestling.

[23] The Lincoln College swimming & diving teams had attracted some athletes in recent years who have represented their home countries in the Olympics.