UIS Alumni Share Literary Talents with the Community

Two UIS graduates, A.D. Carson and Michael Gammon, will present a series of creative-writing workshops for members of the community ages 16 and older. Quiddity international literary journal and public-radio program is sponsoring the workshops.

A.D. Carson is a writer and educator who received his B.A. in Education and Creative Writing from Millikin University and an M.A. in English from the University of Illinois Springfield. He is a recipient of the Grace Patton Conant Award for Literary Creation, and his work has appeared in Collage and The Alchemist Review.

Michael Gammon is a writer, editor, and teacher. He has published poetry in Collaborations: The Journal of Integral Yoga, and fiction in The Alchemist Review. In addition, he authored two award-winning essays. Currently he is writing a series of screenplays that integrate his studies in English, psychology, and philosophy.

The first workshop takes place on December 5, 2009, from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. in Dawson Hall Room 103 on the Benedictine University Springfield campus. Carson will present and lead "Blended Media: Making Lyrics Work on the Page and Making Poetry Work Out Loud." The workshop will be held in two parts. Part I will take place December 5. Part II will take place January 9, 2010, from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. The workshops are free. Space is limited. Interested participants should call (217) 525-1420, ext. 291, to reserve their seat.

In February and March, Gammon, will lead a two-part workshop centering on creative philosophy and titled “Relevant and Impassioned: Using Critical Theory to Tell Stories.”

Springfield and the Sangamon Valley enjoy a lush literary tradition. Quiddity seeks to build and expand upon that tradition, not only seeking work from a wide and diverse pool of individuals around the globe, but also by serving the community in which Quiddity is housed.

Quiddity is sponsored by Benedictine University in Springfield. Quiddity’s founding editor, novelist Joanna Beth Tweedy, is a graduate of both UIUC ’95 and UIS ’04. Quiddity’s prose editor, David, Logan, is also a graduate of UIS ’04.

Speakers Series: Battle in Seattle

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Battle in Seattle film viewing followed by a discussion moderated by Richard Gilman-Opalsky.

WHEN: Monday, September 21, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS

ADDITIONAL INFO: Battle in Seattle is a 2007 film based on the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference of 1999 protest activity. Thousands of activists arrive in Seattle to protest the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999. The movie takes an in-depth look at characters during those five days in as demonstrators protested the meeting of the WTO in Seattle's streets. Protests began with a goal of stopping the WTO talks, and escalated to a State of Emergency that pitted protesters against the police and National Guard. http://www.battleinseattlemovie.com/

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

Speakers Series: State of the Recovery

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents a State of the Recovery panel discussion on the status of the Central Illinois economy.

WHEN: Friday, September 18, 2009 at 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Lobby at UIS

(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

ADDITIONAL INFO: WUIS General Manager Bill Wheelhouse will facilitate the panel discussion featuring Jeremy Hobson, Marketplace Wall Street reporter; Tim Landis, State Journal- Register business editor; and Ronald McNeil, Dean of the UIS College of
Business & Management.

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

Constitution Day Panel: Lincoln and the Constitution

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Constitution Day Panel: Lincoln and the Constitution featuring Dr. Thomas F. Schwartz, John A. Lupton and Dr. Daniel W. Stowell.

WHEN: Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 12:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS

(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

ADDITIONAL INFO: Dr. Thomas F. Schwartz will present Lincoln, Politics and the Constitution. Dr. Schwartz is the Illinois State Historian and Director of Research at the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. He recently participated in the Global Lincoln Conference at Oxford University that explored how other nations view Abraham Lincoln. http://www.alplm.org/

John A. Lupton will present Lincoln's War Powers. Mr. Lupton is the Associate Director and Associate Editor of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln. He has spoken widely on Abraham Lincoln and on the law. He received his M.A. at UIS. http://www.papersofabrahamlincoln.org/

Dr. Daniel W. Stowell will present Seceding from the Secessionists: The Constitutional Problem of West Virginia. Dr. Stowell is the director and editor of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Georgia, and his doctorate in American History from the University of Florida.

The event is co-sponsored by the UIS Center for State Policy & Leadership.

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

Speakers Series: Transforming "China" in American Eyes

WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Transforming “China” in American Eyes featuring Dr. Zhou Liu of Northeastern University of China.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS
(The event will be available via live webcast and video on demand at http://www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html)

ADDITIONAL INFO: Dr. Liu will discuss the transformative images of China and Chinese in the United States, addressing Chinese American immigration history and the mainstream’s cultural shift from Anglo-Saxon’s WASP dominance to multicultural era. Dr. Liu is currently a visiting scholar at the Department of English at the University of Washington.

For more information and a list of other speakers series events visit http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries or contact Kimberly Craig at 217/206-6245 or craig.kimberly@uis.edu.

UIS hosts third and final Central Illinois educational series for the spring

“Central Illinois: Patchwork of People,” a three-session educational series examining the people and cultures that have influenced life in central Illinois, will conclude on Tuesday, May 19, at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The session will focus on “How They Made a Living.” Speakers will be Taylor Pensoneau, retired president of the Illinois Coal Association and Illinois author who will speak on “Dreams, Hardship and Danger—The Lives of Central Illinois Coal Miners,” and Dr. Debra Reid, associate professor of History at Eastern Illinois University who will speak on “Harvesting the Soil: Central Illinois Agricultural Practices.”

Sponsors of the event are the UIS Alumni SAGE (Service, Activity, Group and Enrichment) Society and the Illinois State Historical Society. UIS alumnus William Furry, executive director of the Illinois State Historical Society, is the moderator of the series. The program is made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council.

A delicious hot buffet luncheon is available at 11:30 a.m. The presentations are from 12 to 1:30 p.m. There is a charge for lunch, but the presentations are free and open to the public. The luncheon and presentations will be held on the University of Illinois at Springfield campus in the Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Rooms C/D, located on the lower level. Paid reservations are required for the luncheon by Tuesday, May 12. The cost is $20 per person for lunch and the presentations. Pre-registration is also requested from those not purchasing the lunch who wish to attend the presentations. To register or for more information, visit www.uiaa.org/uis or contact the Office of UIS Alumni Relations at 217/206-7395 or alumni @uis.edu.

Central Illinois: Patchwork of People resumes with second program

“Central Illinois: Patchwork of People”, a thought-provoking, three-session educational series examining the people and cultures that have influenced life in central Illinois, continues on Tuesday, April 21 at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

The program will be held in the Public Affairs Center rooms C/D and will focus on “How They Lived at Home.” Speakers will be Dr. Stacy Pratt McDermott, Assistant Editor of Papers of Abraham Lincoln, who will speak on “Domestic Law, Matrimony and Divorce in Sangamon County: 1837-1861,” and Dr. Stacey Robertson, Director of Women’s Studies at Bradley University in Peoria, who will speak on “Myths and Realities in the Lives of Frontier Women.”

UIS alumnus William Furry, Executive Director of the Illinois State Historical Society, is the moderator of the series. Sponsors of the event are the UIS Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society. This program is made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council.

A hot buffet luncheon is available at 11:30 a.m., and the presentations are from 12 to 1:30 p.m. The presentations are free and open to the public, but there is a cost of $20 for those with lunch reservations.

Paid reservations are required for the luncheon by Tuesday, April 14. Pre-registration is also requested from those attending the presentations but not eating lunch.

To register or for more information, visit www.uiaa.org/uis or contact the Office of UIS Alumni Relations at 217/206-7395 or alumni @uis.edu.

The Central Illinois Patchwork of People series will hold its final program on Tuesday, May 19, and the topic will be “How They Made a Living.” Speakers will be Taylor Pensoneau, Retired President of the Illinois Coal Association and Illinois author, and Dr. Debra Reid, Associate Professor of History at Eastern Illinois University.

UIS presents educational series about 'Caring for Aging Family Members'

The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Counseling Center and Gerontology Concentration in the Department of Human Services are presenting an educational series called “Caring for Aging Family Members.” Each session in the series is free and open to the public, and reservations are not required.

The purpose of the series is to provide information and support to individuals who are anticipating providing care or are currently caring for aging family members.

The first session will be held on Tuesday, February 24 from 6 to 7:15 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center (PAC), room G, on the UIS campus. Vince Flammini, director of Field Education in the UIS Social Work program, will speak on “Self-care isn’t Selfish! Caring for Others without Killing Ourselves.”

The second session of the series will be held on Tuesday, March 31 from 6 to 7:15 p.m. in the PAC, room H. Dr. John Miller, emeritus professor in psychology, will discuss “Positive Psychology of Aging.” The third session will be held on Tuesday, April 28 from 6 to 7:15 p.m. in the PAC, room H. Dr. Carolyn Peck, UIS associate professor of human services, will speak on “Death, Grief and Loss.”

Extensive caregiver resource information will be provided at each session. For more information, contact Dr. Carolyn Peck at 217/206-7577 or cpeck2@uis.edu.

UIS hosts three presentations for "Central Illinois: Patchwork of People" educational series

“Central Illinois: Patchwork of People,” a thought-provoking three-session educational series examining the people and cultures that have influenced life in Central Illinois, will begin in March at the University of Illinois at Springfield. Sponsors are the UIS Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society.

The series will begin on Tuesday, March 17, with “How Their Diversity Enriched Us.” Moderator of the series is UIS Alumnus William Furry, executive director of the Illinois State Historical Society. Featured speakers will be Kathryn Harris, director of library services at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, who will address “In Search of Freedom: African Americans in 19th Century Sangamon County.” Also speaking will be Rabbi Barry Marks of Temple Israel, Springfield, who will discuss “The Jewish Experience in Springfield.”

A hot buffet luncheon will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the Public Affairs Center conference rooms C/D with the presentations from noon to 1:30 p.m. Lunch is $20 per person and must be paid for at least one week before the session, or $45 per person for all three lunches if reservations are paid for by Feb. 17. The presentations are free and open to the public, although those wishing to attend only the presentations are asked to pre-register.

To register or for more information, visit www.uiaa.org/uis, or contact the Office of UIS Alumni Relations at 217/206-7395 or alumni@uis.edu.

The second program in the series on Tuesday, April 21, will focus on “How They Lived at Home.” Speakers will be Dr. Stacy Pratt McDermott, assistant editor of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln, who will talk about “Domestic Law, Matrimony and Divorce in Sangamon County: 1837-1861.” Also speaking will be Dr. Stacey Robertson, director of Women’s Studies at Bradley University, Peoria, whose topic is “Myths and Realities in the Lives of Frontier Women.”

The final program, on Tuesday, May 19, will be on “How They Made a Living.” Speakers will be Taylor Pensoneau, retired president of the Illinois Coal Association and an Illinois author. His remarks are titled “Dreams, Hardship and Danger – The Lives of Central Illinois Coal Miners.” In addition, Dr. Debra Reid, associate professor of History at Eastern Illinois University, will discuss “Harvesting the Soil: Central Illinois Agricultural Practices.”

The series is made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Humanities Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Illinois General Assembly.

Black Springfield Speakers Series

Part I: Education

7 to 9 p.m., Wednesday, November 5, Brookens Auditorium

Speakers include

• Santita Nunn, director, School-aged Programs, Springfield Urban League
• Farries Morrison, first black educator and administrator in Springfield
• Dr. Walter Milton Jr., superintendent, Springfield School District #186
• Sharon Beler, director, LLCC Springfield East Campus
  

Reception immediately follows presentations

Presented by UIS African-American Studies Department

Co-sponsors: Diversity Center, Speakers' Award and Diversity Task Force Funding Committee

For more information, contact Kemau Kemayo at 6-8248

UIS to host first annual Graduate and Professional School Fair

The Career Development Center at the University of Illinois at Springfield will host the first annual Graduate and Professional School Fair on Thursday, November 6, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public.

The Graduate and Professional School Fair will connect UIS students, alumni, and community members with representatives of higher educational institutions from many disciplines. Participating recruiters include the University of Illinois at Springfield, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, SIU School of Medicine, Western Illinois University, Eastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University School of Law, Bradley University, and Illinois State University's Mennonite College of Nursing.

"Participants will have the opportunity to learn about the different graduate programs that are available, discuss program requirements, and network with recruiters to gain valuable insight and contacts," said Tammy Craig, director of the UIS Career Development Center.

In the afternoon, three breakout sessions will be held in PAC in conference room C/D. They include: Deciding to go to Grad School (12:30 to 1 p.m.); The Grad School Application Process (1:30 to 2 p.m.), and a Panel Discussion/Q&A Session (2 to 3:30 p.m.)

Advance registration is not required; however, registration tables will be available at the event to provide participants with event materials, nametags, and other information. Individuals requesting disability-related accommodations should contact the UIS Career Development Center prior to the event.

For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 217/206-6508.

Campus Adobe Day

Representatives from the U of I Software WebStore and Adobe will be on hand to present free workshops that explore Adobe Creative Suite 4’s new features and functionality.

9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., Monday, November 3, PAC C/D

Three sessions:

• 9:30-11:30 a.m. See how Creative Suite Design Premium enables a cross-media workflow
• Noon-1 p.m. Learn how to move your projects into the digital age quickly and effectively
• 1:30-3:30 p.m. Empower learning with PDF and Adobe Acrobat 9
  

Seating is limited; register for one or all of the sessions and get additional information

UIS to host Campus Preview Day

The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a Campus Preview Day for prospective students and their families from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 8. The program will include an academic fair, campus tours, lunch, and greetings from Chancellor Richard Ringeisen and Provost Harry Berman.

For reservations or additional information, call the UIS Office of Admissions at (217) 206-4847 (toll-free 1-888-977-4847), or send an e-mail to admissions@uis.edu. For those unable to attend the regular session, individual visits can be arranged by contacting the Admissions Office.

The next Preview Day is scheduled for Saturday, January 24.

UIS Emiquon Field Station to host discussion of "Electronic Teaching"

A lecture and discussion on "Electronic Teaching, Online and Offline" will be presented at the University of Illinois at Springfield's Emiquon Field Station beginning at 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 21. The program is free and open to the public.

The discussion will be led by Dr. Keith W. Miller, UIS professor of Computer Science. Dr. Miller is also associate director of the field station.

The Emiquon Field Station is at The Nature Conservancy's Emiquon Preserve, between Havana and Lewistown. Entrance to the field station is on Prairie Road, located off Illinois Rts. 97/78, approximately one-and-a-half miles north of the Dickson Mounds turnoff. A sign will be posted.

UIS is a recognized leader in online education, and Dr. Miller, one of UIS' "early adopters" of electronic learning, has used computers in his teaching for over 30 years. In this presentation, he will give a brief description of his experiences in online learning and will suggest ideas for designing opportunities in Internet learning.

Following the lecture, a discussion session will allow members of the audience to share their own experiences and questions about how to use the Internet to enhance teaching and learning, for both face-to-face and online classes.

For more information, contact Keith Miller at miller.keith@uis.edu or call 217/206-7327.

See a map to Emiquon.

UIS Pre-Law Center offers preparation for LSAT

The Pre-Law Center at the University of Illinois at Springfield will offer an LSAT Primer Program -- designed for UIS students and others planning to take the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) -- from Friday, September 19, through Sunday, September 21, in room 3B of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus.

Sessions for the three-day program will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Presented primarily for UIS students but open to others on a space-available basis, the program will be particularly helpful to those planning to apply to law school within the next two years.

Cost is $190. Advance registration is due by Wednesday, September 17.

"The primary purpose of this course is to provide affordable LSAT preparation to students who will eventually apply to law school," said Pre-Law Center Director Dennis Rendleman. "In addition, it gives students the confidence to know they can succeed on the LSAT."

Rendleman noted that the course includes two LSAT exams administered under simulated conditions; instructional sessions in each section of the exam; test-taking strategies and hints for better performance; and personal strategies and writing tips.

The program is presented with support from UIS' Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies.

To register or for more information, send an e-mail to prelawcenter@uis.edu, or telephone 217/206-4529.

Free Kaplan graduate/professional school practice exams

• GRE, MCAT, GMAT, LSAT
• 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, September 13, in PAC E-F-G
• Realistic setting
• Get results the following week

Preregistration required by September 11

Presented by the Office of UIS Alumni Relations

Funding for international research

An informal question-and-answer session with Cindy Smith, chief of the International Center at the National Institute of Justice

10:30 a.m. to noon, Friday, June 27, PAC 5A

Open to all faculty, staff, and students

Ask questions about the latest trends in proposal writing and international research funding.