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GPSI Spotlight: Amanda Thomas,
Illinois Department of Human Services
By Adriel Ippolito
 “The
Graduate Public Service Internship has helped advance my career
goals and given me the opportunity to be more financially
independent while getting my graduate degree. The skills I’ve
learned are definitely transferable,” states Amanda Thomas, GPSI
intern. “I really enjoy the people I work with at DHS. They care
about their jobs and believe that the services provided are
important. It’s a good environment.”
Thomas has an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Spanish and
will graduate from UIS this May with a MBA. For the past year and
a half, she has been a Graduate Public Service Intern with the
Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Rehabilitation
Services. Thomas has this advice for GPSI applicants: “Investigate
your career field. Do some research on graduate school and
internships. For example, strong leadership ability is important
in my major. I’m pretty independent and like to experience new
things and be challenged.”
As a second year GPSI intern, Thomas was elected president of the
GPSI Student Association. “The GPSI Student Association helps
students entering the GPSI program have peer support,” says
Thomas. “It provides a structure for GPSI interns to talk about
housing, their internship, job hunting and it’s also a way to
build a professional network. It’s more powerful if a group is
focused on resources, rather than just one individual.”
Before accepting the position at DHS, Thomas interviewed with
three State of Illinois agencies, but found that DHS
Rehabilitation Services was the best fit. On an average day,
Thomas works on fiscal projects for the Community Reintegration
Program and the Home Services Program.
Thomas enthusiastically describes her role at DHS. “They’re good
programs! The Community Reintegration program helps disabled
individuals with the transition to independent living, while the
Home Services Program provides independent living support
services. The Fiscal Department of Rehabilitation Services makes
funds available for these programs. My piece of it is to help with
budgeting and tracking the services.”
Thomas is in the final months of graduate studies in the MBA
program at UIS and is looking forward to life after graduation.
“I’m going to graduate in May and I have a couple of
possibilities, but I haven’t made a decision yet. Right now I’m
pretty busy. I’m excited about what’s next! Besides going to grad
school, I enjoy spending time with my boyfriend, and my family is
real important to me. I’m active in the YMCA Marketing Committee
and I hope to become involved in Rotary after graduation.”
If you’re thinking about graduate school, or if you’d like to know
more about graduate level internship opportunities, visit the
Graduate Public Service Internship website at http://gpsi.uis.edu
or call 217/206-6158. The GPSI staff can answer your questions
about the resources, opportunities and programs available to you
here at University of Illinois at Springfield. The GPSI office is
located in PAC 514 and the staff is available to meet with you
Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5 p.m. and other times by
appointment. We hope you’ll drop by soon and find out more about
the Graduate Public Service Internship program at UIS.
Police Blotter
Compiled by
Tom Cronin
Jan. 26,
2004
3:30 p.m.
– When
officers went with a tow company to
tow an unlicensed vehicle from Sunflower Court, the vehicle owner
attempted to interfere with the tow driver. Officers intervened,
the vehicle was towed and an informational report was taken.
Report # 04-0026.
Jan. 28, 2004
1:20 a.m.
– After
receiving a call reporting a heavy
odor of marijuana in LRH, officers were dispatched. Once on the
scene officers located the room where the smell was coming from.
Inside the room an amount of cannabis was located floating around
in the toilet. A subject was charged and released. Report #
04-0027.
Jan. 29, 2004
9 a.m. –
An informational report was taken regarding a coat left on a
school bus that was traveling on University Drive. Report #
04-0028.
5:48 p.m. –
An employee of the Cox House requested that a report of possible
child abuse be taken. The report was taken and the matter was
turned over to DCFS. Report # 04-0029.
8:47 p.m. –
An accident report was taken regarding a fender bender at Lot E
resulting in property damage. Report # 04-0030.
Jan. 30, 2004
3:57 p.m. –
After making a traffic stop on Frontage Road, it was determined
that the driver of the vehicle had an outstanding arrest warrant.
After the warrant was verified, the subject was arrested and
transported to the Sangamon County Jail. Report # 04-0031.
Feb. 1, 2004
3:11 a.m. –
After receiving a call from Sunflower Court about a missing
juvenile, an officer was dispatched. A report was taken for the
missing juvenile. Report # 04-0033.
9:34 a.m. –
After receiving a call of someone laying on a car horn in
Sunflower Court, an officer was dispatched. The officer made
contact with the driver of the vehicle and informed the driver of
the complaint.
Feb. 2, 2004
8:15 a.m. –
After receiving a call about an individual who had slipped and
fallen down some stairs in Sunflower Court due to the ice on the
stairs, an officer and Emergency Medical Personnel were
dispatched. The subject was transported to Memorial Medical Center
for further treatment. Report # 04-0035.
Feb. 5, 2004
1:22 a.m. –
While on patrol a police officer made a traffic stop at Larkspur
Court. When the vehicle stopped, the driver exited the vehicle and
fled on foot. The officer gave chase from the parking lot at
Larkspur to the vicinity of Bluebell Court. The subject was
located, and when the officer attempted to make an arrest, the
subject attempted to burn the officer with a cigarette. The
subject was arrested and remanded to the custody of the Sangamon
County Jail, and the vehicle was towed. Report # 04-0036.
Feb. 7, 2004
5:13 p.m. –
After receiving a call reporting a disturbance in the PAC between
cafeteria members and patrons, an officer was dispatched. Once on
the scene the officer assisted the subjects in resolving the
disagreement.
Feb. 8, 2004
8:30 p.m. –
After receiving a call of something burning from an employee in
Brookens Library, officers were dispatched. It was determined
after an investigation that someone had set a book on fire in the
stairwell. Report # 04-0038.
Feb. 11, 2004
11:20 a.m.
– A complainant in the
PAC reported that a laptop computer was stolen. A theft report was
taken. The laptop was later recovered. Report # 04-0042.
1:33 p.m. –
Picketing information was given to some subjects in the PAC who
were planning on picketing the university the following day.
Report # 04-0043.
3:15 p.m. –
A complainant in the PAC reported that a laptop computer was
stolen. A theft report was taken. Report # 04-0044.
Feb. 16, 2004
12:34 a.m.
– After receiving a call
reporting a dog locked inside a vehicle in Larkspur Court, an
officer was dispatched. It was determined that the dog had no food
or water. The officer attempted to locate to the owner of the
vehicle, but was unsuccessful. Animal Control was notified but the
vehicle left before any action was taken.
7:09 a.m. –
After receiving a call of an open door from an employee at the
Spencer House, an officer was dispatched. It was determined by the
officer that nothing appeared to be missing.
10:45 a.m.
– After receiving a call
from a resident of Sunflower Court that his car had been hit, an
officer was dispatched. An accident report was taken. Report #
04-0048.
Feb. 17, 2004
5:46 a.m. –
After receiving a call of a disturbance in Bluebell Court, an
officer was dispatched. Once on the scene it was determined that
two neighbors had a disagreement and that the resident assistant
on duty would handle it as a noise complaint.
9:17 a.m. –
After receiving a call reporting a hit-and-run accident at the
Credit Union, an officer was dispatched. Once on the scene it was
determined that a vehicle had struck a power line that went across
the road at the entrance of the Credit Union. The power line was
hanging down at the entrance to the Credit Union’s driveway.
Officers blocked the entrance while service personnel repaired the
wire. Report # 04-0049.
Feb. 21, 2004
5:23 p.m. –
An abandoned vehicle was towed from Sunflower Court. Report #
04-0050. |
