Ceremony of Investiture: September 25, 2009
Investing Three Distinguished Professors
On Friday, September 25, UIS hold a very special Ceremony of Investiture, honoring three newly named distinguished professors
Dr. Matthew Holden, Jr. (left)
Margaret L. Wepner Distinguished Professor in Political Science- Dr. Karen Swan (middle)
James J. Stukel Distinguished Professor in Educational Leadership - Dr. Keith Miller (right)
Louise Hartman Schewe and Karl Schewe Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences
At an investiture, people receive (or an "invested" with) symbols of a new position or status. At the investiture on September 25, the professors each received a medallion bearing the name of their professorship on the front and their own name on the back.
UIS is profoundly grateful to the generous donors who have made these professorships possible through their gifts and support:
Margaret L. Wepner: A member of the Committee for Higher Education in Central Illinois, Wilbur Wepner helped found Sangamon State University (now UIS) in 1969. His wife, Margaret (right), supported her husband's efforts. He died in 1994. Before her own death in 2005, Mrs. Wepner cast the couple's final vote of confidence in UIS' future by leaving an "unrestricted" estate gift of $1.2 million to the university, part of which was used to create the distinguished professorship named in her honor.
The James J. Stukel Distinguished Professorship was created by the University of Illinois Foundation to honor James Stukel (right), the 15th president of the University of Illinois system (1995-2005). The professorship includes support for research and grant work and was created for a candidate who possesses expertise in and scholarly accomplishments relating to online teaching and learning issues.
Louise Hartman Schewe (right with her husband Karl) was a teacher and active civic leader whose interests included the Springfield Art Association and the Illinois Symphony Guild. Karl Schewe was a member of the Chicago Board of Trade and A.G. Edwards and Sons, Springfield. Upon her death in 2006, Louise Schewe left a generous bequest to the University of Illinois Springfield to support intially a professorship and eventually a chair in Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Why Professorships are so Important
The university and our students benefit enormously from professorships. They allow us to bring top-level academics to UIS who--
- have extensive expertise
- deepen and broaden our curriculum, and
- serve as beacons to other professors who want to come and work with them, especially bright young beginning professors to be mentored by them.
The professors also enhance the intellectual wealth of the Springfield community through their research, dedication, and expertise.
