Previously known as Sangamon State University, the University of Illinois at Springfield acquired a reputation for providing personalized, top quality education for a public university price tag. The newest campus of the University of Illinois family emphasizes public affairs instruction, research, and service.

Located in the capital city of Illinois, University of Illinois at Springfield is closely allied with state government through a working relationship with legislative and administrative offices. Politics at all levels and in all forms can be studied in Springfield!

The campus is located on the southeast side of Springfield, Illinois, near Interstate 55. It is approximately 200 miles southwest of Chicago and 100 miles northeast of St. Louis. Springfield, rich in Midwestern charm and historic tradition, offers a variety of activities…students enjoy theaters, 30 public parks, eight public golf courses, and water sports on Lake Springfield.

Mr. Lincoln’s hometown, population about 105,000, also boasts a wildlife sanctuary, zoo, memorial gardens, botanical gardens, and the world’s largest carillon. Shopping enthusiasts come from all over the area to central Illinois’ largest enclosed shopping facility, White Oaks Mall, and to the specialty shops in Springfield’s downtown historic district.

Regular bus service is provided from the UIS campus to the mall, downtown area, and to other points around the city.

Cultural/Diversity Student Organizations

  • Involvement in campus organizations is an important part of your complete educational experience at UIS.
  • Student organizations offer social, service, and professional opportunities for their members within the university and community. Membership can broaden acquaintances, develop leadership ability, build decision-making and problem-solving skills, and complement classroom instruction.

Visit the UISConnect page by following this link

Student Advisory Council

Structure Guidelines

The purpose (mission) of the Student Advisory Council is to assist the Diversity Center with their mission

To foster a supportive environment for students to live, learn and grow as active members of the academic community and as individuals. We are dedicated to developing understanding of differences through educational, cultural, and social programming activities and to assist in the recruitment, transition and retention of ethnic minority and underrepresented students at UIS. The Diversity Center promotes intercultural dialogue and other initiatives to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity, eliminates divisions, intolerance, and stereotyping.

The Student Advisory Council provides programming assistance; increase awareness of and appreciation for our multicultural heritage; to encourage social responsibility and good citizenship related to issues of diversity; to provide student initiatives and guidance to the Diversity Center, instructional strategies, students services and personnel practices which facilitate student and staff sensitivity and openness to diverse ideas, peoples, and cultures.
The responsibilities of the Student Diversity Advisory Council shall include reviewing, assessing, making recommendations and providing support for:

  • student activities
  • the diversity plan
  • issues related to providing support services to non-traditional students
  • Create cultural awareness events throughout the academic year.

The council will include:

  • Student Representative from the UIS Community
  • Members from Cultural Diversity Student Organizations
  • The membership of the council shall be responsible for:
  • Regular attendance at meetings;
  • Each member is responsible for creating a program event through the semester;
  • Participation and coordination of council sponsored events.

The Diversity Center shall provide clerical and technical support, as needed, including scheduling meetings, logistics, preparing agendas, minute taking and transcription for all meetings. The Diversity Center will assign a liaison, clarifying issues and expectations between the groups and representing the Council at Institutional Effectiveness Committee meetings.

The Council shall meet as often as needed but no less than monthly throughout the academic year. Sub-committees shall meet as often as necessary to accomplish the objectives of the sub-committees.

New and Incoming Students

  • Visit the Orientation website for important information about orientation.
  • Supports the continuous process of integrating new students into the academic, cultural, and social context of the University of Illinois Springfield.Building community. Creating possibilities.
  • In choosing the University of Illinois Springfield, you not only chose a college, you also chose a community – a place where you’ll make friends and meet mentors, find support and support others, pursue dreams and discover new ones.
  • You know just how important such a community can be. After all, your friends and family, teachers and advisors have probably helped you along the way. And you’ll discover that same sort of support here.
  • We offer a range of academic and cultural programs that will help you become part of a vital, caring community that will change you and that you, in turn, will change. And here’s the most important thing. When you create that sort of network and support, you also create something else – more possibilities for yourself.

Who we serve. How we help

  • Whether you’re the first in your family to attend college, have a multicultural background or are an ally, you’ll find we have a wide array of services that will enrich your college experience. We’ll connect you with student advocates who’ll get to know you and help you get to know yourself so you can pursue the path that’s right for you; we’ll put you in touch with peers and mentors whose experiences can offer useful guidance and support; and we’ll connect you with organizations that will enhance your community involvement and leadership skills.
  • Advocacy. You’ll find plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. But so many options can also leave you with a lot of questions. Which required courses should you take first? Who can you turn to if you’re struggling with a particular subject? How will you ever decide on a major or turn all of those classes into a rewarding career?
  • Our student advocates can help you figure all that out. They’re here for you week in and week out, so you have time to get to know each other. That makes it easier, for example, to share your fears about taking a tough subject, or talk about your hopes for the future, or even decide what that future might look like and how to overcome any obstacles that might stand in your way.
  • What’s more, there may be times when you feel you’ve been treated unfairly or inappropriately either in class or outside of it. We’re here to talk with you about it and help you understand not only what happened but also what you can do about it. We can lay out the various options for you and put you in touch with individuals and programs that can assist you. And giving you options, gives you something else that’s even more important – a sense of your own power.
  • Outreach. Our goal is to help you reach your goals. So we continually update you on programs that can increase your academic skills and enrich your intellectual experience. As liaison to a large number of student organizations, we can introduce you to both student groups and students who share your interests. We also sponsor a variety of activities from the opening Multicultural Student Welcome to a series of cultural events which attract leaders from the broader community as well the campus. The chance to meet and talk with them can open the door to even more possibilities.
  • Naturally, we also reach out to parents. Maybe you want to know more about the kind of experience the university will offer your child or have questions about financial aid. Or perhaps you want to talk about ways you can help your son or daughter succeed in this new environment. Whatever your questions or concerns, we’re happy to talk with you on the phone or in person.

Creating more possibilities for graduate students.

Graduate study presents its own unique set of challenges. The workload is heavier and expectations are higher. It’s often helpful to talk with someone outside of your department. Our student advocates are here to help you succeed in this new and demanding academic environment. Sometimes, of course, all you need is a productive place to work. So we offer a conference room, meeting and study space and computer and multimedia resources. We also support your professional development, for example, through announcements about jobs, fellowships, conferences, and opportunities for research funding. In short, we want to help you succeed in graduate school and beyond.

Take advantage of our services.

Just stop by any time between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Of course, you can also call 217/206-6333 and schedule an appointment. That way you can make sure you won’t have to wait but can see someone immediately.

Commencement

  • If you are planning to participate in the Commencement program (grad walk) this semester, please take a look at the attached document distributed at our Commencement Information Session this morning. You will also want to visit the Commencement website.
  • If your family members are unable to attend but have access to the internet, they can watch the live webcast.

For All International Students:

If you plan to invite family members from outside the U.S. who will need tourist visas, we will be happy to

The University of Illinois Springfield has a Commencement Ceremony (grad walk), which is held every year in May. This ceremony is for all students that have graduated in the previous summer or fall semester, or will potentially graduate in the current spring semester. You are allowed to participate in the program only once and only during the year that you are eligible to do so. You will also want to visit the UIS Graduation website.  Please make sure that you arrive to the ceremony early.

If you plan to invite family members from outside the US who need invitation letters, you can write such a letter to them and include the date of the graduation ceremony, the degree and major that you are receiving, and list the person’s name, citizenship, date of birth, and relationship to you.

If they need additional confirmation from the university, letters will be auto-generated from the Office of Records and Registration’s list of eligible graduating students and emailed to each student’s official UIS email account in early March. This means that you must have submitted your online graduation application to the Office of Records and Registration per their timeline.

If a letter is not emailed to you, that means that you are not on the Office of Records and Registration’s list of eligible graduating students. All questions related to these letters should be directed to the Office of Records and Registration (registrar@uis.edu or 217/206-7730).

If your family members are unable to attend but have access to the internet, they can watch the live webcast the day of the ceremony.

Community

The Diversity Center is dedicated to bridge the gap between the UIS campus and the Springfield and the surrounding communities.

  • Mentors are always being recruited from UIS alums, area representatives from city and state agencies along with area organizations to assist students through their college career.
  • The campus students also mentor and tutor students are various elementary and middle schools in the surrounding area.