New capitol bureau staff for WUIS and Illinois Issues

By Ashley Rook - General Assignment Reporter

Illinois Issues and WUIS 91.9FM – WIPA 89.3FM have both recently welcomed new additions to their staff, hiring a new Statehouse Bureau reporter and WUIS Statehouse Bureau chief.
Bethany Carson, a health reporter for The Herald & Review in Decatur, was recently named Statehouse Bureau Chief for Illinois Issues, a magazine published by the Center for State Policy and Leadership at UIS that focuses on state government and politics.  Carson will be replacing former Bureau Chief Pat Guinane, who accepted a position with the Times of Northwest Indiana in the Indiana Statehouse.
Carson graduated with a B.A. in journalism from UIUC and earned her master’s degree in the Public Affairs Reporting program at UIS, where she worked as a graduate intern in Illinois Issues’ Statehouse Bureau in 2004 and produced several cover stories for the publication.  She also previously served as managing editor of The Chronicle of Hoopeston from 2002-2003.
Amanda Vinicky, most recently a news producer with the National Public Radio affiliate in Iowa City, Iowa, has accepted the position of Statehouse Bureau reporter with WUIS, a listener-supported public radio broadcast affiliated with UIS.  Vinicky previously worked as a graduate intern and covered the spring 2005 legislative session while working towards her master’s degree in Public Affairs Reporting at UIS.
After receiving her degree from UIS, Vinicky worked as a news producer with National Public Radio.  She previously worked as a staff writer for The Doings in Hinsdale and the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights and served internships with WFLD-TV in Chicago, CLTV in Oakbrook and with members of Parliament in London.  Vinicky received her B.A. in journalism from UIUC in 2003 and as an undergrad, wrote for The Daily Illini, was a news anchor for the student radio station WPGU-FM and received several journalism and photography awards.

Career center has new online system

By Ashley Rook - General Assignment Reporter

UIS-SUCCESS, a new online career system, was recently launched by the Career Development Center.  The new system, which gives students, alumni, faculty, staff and potential employers access to career-related options, replaces and expands on the services previously available on the old job posting site used by the center.
The new online system offers several benefits for its users.  According to Tammy Craig, interim director of the Career Development Center, “The primary benefit of the system is up-to-date information available 24/7.  Unlike other larger job posting systems, these postings were specifically provided to our office by employers and/or faculty and staff referrals, with which the department has professional relationships.”
On the new system, students and alumni can register online and search and view employer profiles and job postings.  They can also register for an event or on-campus interview, upload an unlimited number of documents to create an e-portfolio and identify a mentor, job shadow contact or informational interview contact for guidance and networking.  The system also includes a job agent feature that automatically notifies users when positions meeting their selected criteria become available.
Employers can use the system to register company contact and profile information online, add job postings, and keep track of applicants.  They can also access the resume database online, pre-select candidates or create interview schedules where students can sign up for slots and register as a mentor or career resource contact for students and alumni.  Mentors can serve as a career resource for CDC campus events and can view job postings, company profiles and the events calendar.
The Career Development Center, in SAB 50, offers services such as career counseling, vocational assessments, guidance in choosing a major and career path and advice on building resumes, writing cover letters and job applications and developing job search strategies and interviewing skills.
 Students can participate in staff-run workshops, browse through a resource and employer literature library, access online systems such as Career Search and Discover Career Guidance System and obtain information and registration materials for the LSAT, GMAT, GRE and TOEFL.  For more information, contact the center at 206-6508 or visit www.uis.edu/careerservices.

Beads with a new meaning

By Janee Mitchell - Feature Writer

A bead project intended to encourage learning about diversity is coming to UIS from another college thanks to Counseling Center GA Courtney Bailey, according to Judy Shipp, director of the counseling center.
Shipp said Beads Educating About Diversity is intended to, “Create awareness and educate the campus community about issues impacting our students, staff and faculty, like HIV/AIDS prevention, suicide prevention, eating disorders, disabilities, etc.”
The project is spearheaded by the counseling center, which is soliciting the help of other campus departments to serve as pick-up locations for the campus community to receive the pins in support. The counseling center will create the pins to be distributed at the designated campus locations.
Shipp said the pins will have colored beads representing campus, state, and national prevention efforts. Each pin will be accompanied by an information card providing prevention information about a specific issue.
Shipp said she does not know if the UIC or UIUC has implemented such a program as of yet, however, the UIS campus has already began to welcome the Bead Project Initiative with the first pins distributed on Feb. 7 by “the counseling center GAs, Courtney Bailey and Lywanda Bright, (who are) creating the pins by stringing beads in colors that represent specific issues,” during the Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS campus event.
According to Shipp, a flyer has been designed to advertise the project, e-mails will be sent promoting the project and baskets of beaded pins will be delivered periodically to campus departments that have agreed to participate in the project.
Beaded pins can be found in Brookens Library, Multicultural Student Affairs, Career Services, Health Services, International Student Affairs, Admissions, Disability Services, Housing offices, Women’s Center, Financial Assistance and the counseling center.
Shipp hopes that students and employees will stop by these locations, obtain the pins and information cards and wear the pins on their backpacks, shoes, and other clothing. In a statement, Shipp also said, “We are hoping that students and employees will begin collecting the pins, as new prevention efforts are initiated.”
Shipp said that the cost of the beads and pins would only be two $200. The Bead Project would provide the opportunity for “collaboration with other departments to help increase the awareness of the campus community regarding issues impacting our students, staff and faculty.”

New Capitol bureau staff for WUIS and Illinois Issues

Career center has new online system

Beads with a new meaning