"Central Illinois: Patchwork of Creative Minds" Lunch-time Presentation
“Central Illinois: Patchwork of Creative Minds”, a thought provoking lunch time educational series examining creative expression that has flourished in the heartland of Illinois, will focus on “Creative Images: Canvas and Glass” on Wednesday, November 18 at the University of Illinois Springfield. A hot lunch buffet is available at 11:30 a.m. and program will be from 12 noon until 1:30 p.m.
Local architect Dick Morse, Principal, Mellote Morse Leonatti Parker Ltd., will make a presentation on the history and evolution of stained glass in Central Illinois. A variety of styles will be shown and contrasted. “Painters from the Heart of Lincolnland" is the topic to be addressed by Robert Sill, Curator and Assistant Director of Art for the Illinois State Museum, Springfield. Selected paintings from regional artists will be displayed and discussed.
There is a charge for lunch, but the presentations are free and both lunch and presentation are open to the public. The luncheon and presentations will be held in the University of Illinois Springfield Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Rooms C/D (level below the Sangamon Auditorium lobby). The cost for lunch is $20 and paid reservations are required for the luncheon by November 11, 2009. Pre-registration is also requested from those not purchasing the lunch who wish to attend the presentations.
For more information and to register, visit www.uiaa.org/uis, or contact the Office of UIS Alumni Relations at 217/206-7395 or alumni@uis.edu. This series is a partnership between the University of Illinois Alumni Association, the Chancellor’s Office and the Illinois State Historical Society.
Speakers Series presents Beyond Binaries: Identity and the Sexuality Spectrum
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Beyond Binaries: Identity and the Sexuality Spectrum. The presentation features Robyn Ochs, long-time activist, and the editor of the Bisexual Resource Guide and the new anthology Getting Bi: Voices of Bisexuals Around the World (2nd edition).
WHEN: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Room H
DETAILS: Like snowflakes, no two people are exactly alike. In this interactive program we explore our sexual orientation identities. How do we assign labels to our complicated and unique experiences? What relationship exists between experience and self-identity, and between our self-identity and the way others see us? Is identity fixed for everyone, or do some individuals experience change over time? What generational changes are we experiencing around labeling?
Robyn Ochs has taught courses on GLBT history & politics in the United States, the politics of sexual orientation, and the experiences of those of us who transgress the binary categories of gay/straight, masculine/feminine, black/white and/or male/female. Her writings have been published in numerous bisexual, women's studies, multicultural, and GLBT anthologies. She lives in Massachusetts, and on May 17th, 2004--on the first day it was legal to do so--Robyn Ochs married Peg Preble.
The University of Illinois Springfield is raising awareness about sustainability and the environment by hosting its Second Annual Sustainability Week from November 9 through November 14, 2009.
UIS is working to be a role model in promoting campus environmental sustainability. UIS recognizes that we are part of a global community with limited resources and that our choices can positively affect the community and campus life.
Sustainability Week will feature a wide range of events including a bike ride, Native American dance performance, recycled art contest, scholarly lecture, poetry reading, and more. One of the unique features of this year's Sustainability Week is a brownbag presentation on Tuesday at noon by a current UIS student, Mandy Altman, who was able to put her passion for sustainability issues into practice this summer through her work with an international grassroots development organization.
“It is our hope that the events of the Second Annual UIS Sustainability Week will be well supported by members of the campus community and will prompt consideration of the link between human practices and ecological effects,” said Mae Marie Noll, undergraduate academic advisor and co-presenter of Sustainability Week.
Activities held throughout the week focused on sustainability include:
Monday, November 9 · A bike ride will begin at 1:30 p.m. in front of Lincoln Residence Hall on the UIS campus and will be led by UIS Bike Enthusiasts. · Battery Recycling Drive begins – dead batteries will be collected in designated containers in the Public Affairs Center (PAC) Food Emporium and the lobby of University Hall until 12:00 p.m. on Friday, November 13.
Tuesday, November 10 · City of Springfield Recycling and Landfill tour 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. sponsored by the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center. Transportation provided. E-mail volunteer@uis.edu by 11/9/09 to participate. · UIS student Mandy Altman shares her experiences from her summer working with the Foundation for Sustainable Development – Brown Bag – 12:00 p.m. PAC rooms C/D. · Students Allied for a Greener Earth (SAGE) will be holding a recycled art contest, and judging will take place in the PAC Food Emporium from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. · Battery Recycling Drive continues in PAC cafeteria and UHB lobby · Kevin Locke’s Native Dance Ensemble Sangamon Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 11 · Green Educational Technology Solutions at UIS with Kara McElwrath PAC F 12:00 p.m. · SAGE Recycled Art Contest Judging in PAC Food Emporium 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. · Battery Recycling Drive continues in PAC cafeteria and UHB lobby
Thursday, November 12 · SAGE Recycled Art Contest Judging PAC Food Emporium 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. · “Examining Sustainability and Sustainable Development” ECCE Speakers Series with Dr. Stefano Longo, Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies PAC F at 6:00 p.m. · Battery Recycling Drive continues in PAC cafeteria and UHB lobby · Carolos Robson, Slam Poet, presented by the UIS Student Activities Committee (SAC) Brookens Auditorium 9:30 p.m.
Friday, November 13 · Battery Recycling Drive continues in PAC cafeteria and UHB lobby
Saturday, November 14 · Glass Collection sponsored by the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center in partnership with the City of Springfield. For more information contact the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at 206-7716 or volunteer@uis.edu.
For more information about any of the Sustainability Week events contact Mae Marie Noll, undergraduate academic advisor at 217/206-7473 or mnoll1@uis.edu.
UIS Visual Arts Gallery presents sculptural installations by Khara Koffel
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery will host a reception with Jacksonville, Illinois sculptor Khara Koffel.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with a presentation by Koffel beginning at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: UIS Visual Arts Gallery (HSB 201)
DETAILS: The artwork is inspired by personal stories, relationships, and memories that relate not only to the life of the artist, but to the viewer as well. Khara Koffel is a faculty member in the Art Department at MacMurray College, and has exhibited her work at galleries across the country. The at some point exhibit will be on display in the gallery from Thursday, November 5 through Wednesday, November 25, 2009.
There will be food and refreshments provided at the November 18, 2009 reception. The artist’s talk, reception, and exhibit are free and open to the public.
The Visual Arts Gallery is located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building on the UIS campus. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
WHAT: Second annual UIS Graduate and Professional School Fair sponsored by the UIS Career Development Center and the Office of UIS Alumni Relations
WHEN: Thursday, November 5, 2009 from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Public Affairs Center Concourse (PAC) on UIS campus
DETAILS: This event will bring 30+ graduate and professional schools from Illinois and the Midwest to the UIS campus. The purpose of the event is to connect UIS students & alumni and community members with representatives of higher educational institutions from many disciplines and to gain information on graduate school options, degree programs, and the graduate application process. The event will allow attendees to meet many representatives and gain valuable information in a short amount of time for better overall preparedness in future graduate and professional degree programs. In order to make this event beneficial for graduate School recruiters, the event will be open to the community.
Schools registered: · Adler School of Professional Psychology · Benedictine University · Bradley University · Eastern Illinois University · Lincoln Christian University · National University of Health Sciences · Quincy University · Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville · St. Louis University - Office of Graduate Programs · University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine · University of Illinois at Chicago - Jane Addams College of Social Work · UIS Department of Biology · UIS Department of Communication · UIS Department of Computer Science · UIS Department of English · UIS Department of Environmental Studies · UIS Department of Human Development Counseling · UIS Department of Human Services · UIS Department of Liberal & Integrative Studies · UIS M.B.A. Program · UIS Department of Management Information Systems · UIS Department of Political Science · UIS Department of Public Administration - DPA Program · UIS Department of Public Health · UIS Office of Graduate Intern Programs · UIS - Whitney M. Young Graduate Fellowship Program · Urbana Theological Seminary · Western Illinois University
For more information contact Gale Kilbury in the UIS Career Development Center at 217/206-6508 or gkilb01s@uis.edu.
Speakers Series presents Drawing Attention: Comics as a Means of Approaching U.S. Cultural Diversity
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Drawing Attention: Comics as a Means of Approaching U.S. Cultural Diversity. The presentation features Dr. Derek Royal, Associate Professor of English in the Department of Literature and Languages at Texas A&M University – Commerce.
WHEN: Thursday, November 5, 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)
DETAILS: Dr. Royal proposes that graphic narratives—e.g., comic books, comic strips, and graphic novels—highlight many of the issues surrounding race and ethnicity, a significant determinant of America’s contemporary cultural landscape. He will also explain how comics can be an indispensible medium when negotiating ethno-racial differences. http://faculty.tamu-commerce.edu/droyal/
When a Heart Turns Rock Solid: The Lives of Three Puerto Rican Brothers On and Off the Streets
WHAT: The Sociology/Anthropology Department and the UIS Speakers Award Committee invite you to join us for a Public talk by sociologist Timothy Black entitled “When a Heart Turns Rock Solid: The Lives of Three Puerto Rican Brothers On and Off the Streets”.
WHEN: Monday, November 2, 2009 from 2:00 to 3:15 p.m.
WHERE: UIS Founders Residence Hall 153
DETAILS: Timothy Black is an associate professor of Sociology and director of the Center for Social Research at the University of Hartford, Connecticut. He will present results of 18 years of interviews and participant observation of street life in Springfield, Massachusetts. His sociological analysis focuses on the lives of three Puerto Rican brothers. In the book, the brothers speak articulately for themselves. Black combines their own accounts of their lives with his observations of drug trade and drug treatment, education, the legal and correctional systems along with in-depth interviews with many participants in the brothers’ lives, including family, friends, partners in crime, teachers, and case workers. Professor Black applies sociological insights to evaluating and developing public policy, and his research focuses on communities often invisible or feared in American society.
The event is free and open to the public.
For more information contact Lynn Fisher at 217/206-7938 or lfish1@uis.edu.
UI Alumni Association to host UIS Alumni Awards Dinner
The University of Illinois Springfield Alumni Awards Dinner will be held on Friday, November 6, beginning at 6:00 p.m., at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum in downtown Springfield. The University of Illinois Alumni Association hosts this annual event, which recognizes and celebrates the achievement, distinguished service, humanitarianism and loyalty of UIS alumni.
The theme for this year’s dinner is “Celebrating Alumni Who Continue Abraham Lincoln’s Legacy”, and the program will include special remarks by world-renowned Lincoln scholar Dr. Michael Burlingame, who holds the Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS.
The Honorable Gordon S. Heddell M.A.’75 of Washington, DC, Inspector General for the United States Department of Defense, will receive the University of Illinois Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work.
Helen Jane Dunn M.A.’72 of Springfield, currently residing in Mesa, Arizona, retired educator, will receive the University of Illinois Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University.
Robert Moore ’80 M.P.A.’85 of Springfield, retired U.S. Marshal, Police Chief and community leader, will receive the University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Award for significant contributions of leadership or service to improve the lives of others and the welfare of humanity.
For consistently demonstrating exceptional loyalty, commitment, dedication and service to the University and Alumni Association, Nancy L. Chapin M.A.’73 of Chatham and Roberta E. Volkmann M.A.’73 of Springfield will be awarded the University of Illinois Loyalty Award for Exceptional Alumni Service. Cost to attend is $65/person and reservations are required by Nov. 2 to attend the dinner.
For more information contact the Office of UIS Alumni Relations/UI Alumni Association at 217-206-7395 or alumni@uis.edu.
UIS Innocence Project sponsors workshop on Touch DNA Technology
New method could prove helpful in Sangamon County Murder Case
The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, housed at the University of Illinois Springfield, will be looking at Touch DNA as a vehicle to test pieces of evidence in the Sangamon County murder of Melissa Koontz. The tests could prove to be the break the Project has been looking forward to in order to overturn the conviction of Thomas McMillen.
On Wednesday, October 28 a workshop on Post-conviction DNA Testing: Introducing Touch DNA to Illinois Courtrooms will be held at the University of Illinois at Springfield. The program features the defense team of Timothy Masters. His case was the first exoneration in the US involving Touch DNA. CBS 48 Hours Mystery featured his case in the program Drawn to Murder.
The program will begin with Linda Holloway-Wheeler and Timothy Masters. In June of 1991, Linda was assigned as the lead detective for the Ft. Collins police department’s cold-case homicide investigation of the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick. The prime suspect was Timothy Masters. Masters was convicted in 1999 and was sentenced to life in prison. The prosecution pointed to the drawings as the key evidence of guilt.
Featured presenters will be forensic scientists Richard and Selma Eikelenboom who developed the method of Touch DNA testing in Europe. Their sample recovery methods for isolating epithelial skin cells of a perpetrator from the clothing of crime victims was used on the clothing of Peggy Hettrick. The work of the Eikelenbooms led to the recovery of three DNA profiles which matched an individual who was on a short list of suspects in the original investigation. Faced with this evidence in January of 2008, prosecutors agreed to vacate the conviction of Masters. The attorneys and the forensic investigator who convinced the judge in the Masters case to have the testing done will also be present.
Touch DNA is so new that this will be the first workshop focused on Touch DNA in Illinois. Members of the legal profession will be able to received 5.5 continuing legal education credits for attendance at the workshop.
Attending the workshop will be lawyers and student interns who are working on the McMillen case along with students from a UIS class on Conviction of the Innocent.
For more information on the workshop, contact Larry Golden at 217/553-7171 or Bill Clutter at 217/899-4353.
UIS Toastmasters Club welcomes 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Toastmasters Club welcomes Award-Winning public speaker Ed Hearn
WHEN: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Restaurant
DETAILS: Edward E. Hearn was born into a large family in Springfield. His father, Major Hearn, was a functionally illiterate factory worker who played a key role in making certain that all of his children pursued hard work and education as a way of escaping poverty and hopelessness.
In January of 2006 Ed decided to compete in the Toastmaster’s International World Championship of Public Speaking, an annual contest that is billed as the “World Series of Public Speaking”. The event involves approximately 26,000 contestants from 30 different countries. Ed roused the audience as well as a panel of 20 International Judges with his gift for speaking, and walked away with the First Place Trophy!
Edward E. Hearn is living proof that failure is not final, and that we can all overcome life’s adversities, if we are willing to try. His story is motivational, inspirational, and humorous, all at the same time! His passion, love for life, and ability to touch the hearts and souls of an audience is also the primary reason Ed was crowned the 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking.
For more information contact Rachel Hasenyager at 217/206-6508 or rhase01s@uis.edu.
Join UIS students, faculty, and staff to share an evening of cultural exhibits, artistic performances, food tasting, and more.
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield presents the 32nd Annual International Student Festival with the theme “Dancing Under the Stars”.
WHEN: Sunday, October 25, 2009 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) on UIS campus
DETAILS: For over 30 years the University of Illinois Springfield family has celebrated its rich international and cultural diversity with the annual International Festival. This year’s Festival centers on the theme “Dancing Under the Stars” in recognition of the International Year of Astronomy. Friends from the greater Springfield community will be joining UIS students, faculty, and staff to share an evening of cultural exhibits, artistic performances, food tasting, and more, all with the international flavor that you have come to expect over the years.
Again this year, in order to make the Festival accessible to all, we are not charging any admission, and we are mixing the food, the exhibits, and many of the performances all in the same rooms. In “theme park” fashion, each room will represent a different part of the world with continual performances taking place throughout the evening. You will want to make your way to all parts of our “planet” to experience how the various countries and cultures represented express in dance and in other ways their recognition of their place under the stars. What a great way to learn about and from each other!
For more information contact the Office of International Student Services at 217/206-6678 or e-mail iss@uis.edu.
Speakers Series: Can the Israeli-Palestinian conflict be solved?
WHAT: The UIS Jewish Student Union presents Can the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Be Solved? The discussion features foreign journalist Yaakov Katz, military correspondent for the Jerusalem Post.
WHEN: Monday, October 26, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Brookens Auditorium is 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)
DETAILS: Katz has covered military operations in Israel over the past decade including Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip earlier this year. His talk will focus on the motive behind the launching of the operation, its results, and the larger question of whether peace between Israel and the Palestinians is still attainable.
For more information about this event contact Bret Tate, Co-Chair of the Jewish Student Union, at 612/532-8556 or btate2@uis.edu .
UIS Downstate Innocence Project hosts seminar on new methods in post-conviction DNA testing
The University of Illinois Springfield’s Downstate Innocence Project will host a 5.5 hour forensic seminar on cutting edge methods of post-conviction sample recovery and DNA testing on Wednesday, October 28, 2009. Participants will hear from the lawyers and forensic scientists who were involved in the case of Timothy Masters, a Colorado man freed from prison by the technology of Touch DNA testing.
Touch DNA was pioneered over a decade ago by forensic scientists Richard and Selma Eikelenboom. The pairs’ sample recovery methods for isolating skin epithelial cells of a perpetrator from a crime victim’s clothing in the Masters case, a twenty year old murder, led to the recovery of three full DNA profiles. All three profiles matched an individual who was on a short list of suspects in the original investigation. Faced with this evidence in January of 2008, prosecutors agreed to vacate the conviction of Masters. His case was recently featured on CBS 48 Hours Mystery.
The Touch DNA testing results in the Masters case has drawn the interest of law enforcement and prosecutors, as well. They recognize Touch DNA’s potential for solving cold cases. Since the Masters case, Colorado law enforcement authorities decided to use Touch DNA in the unsolved case of Jon Benet Ramsey. Her parents, ten years ago, had been wrongly suspected of the murder by Boulder police. Re-testing of the victim’s clothing revealed full DNA profiles in the areas of the clothing where the crime perpetrator grabbed hold of the clothing of Jon Benet Ramsey. These test results may someday lead to the identification of her killer.
Illinois has been on the forefront of the movement to investigate post-conviction claims of actual innocence utilizing DNA. In 1997, Illinois became one of the first states in the country to adopt legislation giving convicted individuals access to DNA testing.
In 2007, the Illinois General Assembly amended the statute to allow for re-testing of biological evidence even if DNA testing had been available at the time of trial. This change in the law recognizes recent improvements in DNA testing methods that can now recover DNA profiles that previous testing failed to find. (See 725 ILCS 5/116-3 (a)(2).
Tuition for the seminar is $195. Attorneys can earn 5.5 hours Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credits. The Illinois Supreme Court recently required mandatory legal training in order to maintain ones law license in good standing.
Featured Speakers:
Timothy Masters: On Feb. 11, 1987, the body of Peggy Hettrick was discovered by a bicyclist in a field south of Fort Collins, Colorado. She had been stabbed to death, and her genitalia had been surgically mutilated. Timothy Masters, 15-years old at the time, lived near the scene and had walked by the body on his way to school but failed to notify authorities. He was later interrogated and his school locker was searched. Police found graphically violent sketches that Masters penned in a spiral notebook. However, police were not able to link him to the murder. Eleven years later, in 1998, Masters was arrested for the murder. A year later, he was convicted of the murder and was sentenced to life in prison. The prosecution pointed to the drawings as the key evidence of guilt. He served over 10 years in prison before he was finally set free in Jan. of 2008. His case was the first touch DNA exoneration in the US. Last fall, his story Drawn to Murder was featured on CBS 48 Mystery.
Linda Wheeler-Holloway: Linda currently works as an investigator for the Office of District Attorney in Fort Morgan Colorado. In June of 1991, Linda was assigned as the lead detective for the Ft. Collins police department’s homicide investigation of the 1987 murder of Peggy Hettrick. A cold case investigation, the prime suspect four years later was Timothy Masters, who was by now a young man was serving in the U.S. Navy. A year later, in 1992, Ft. Collins police issued an arrest warrant for Masters. After interviewing Masters, Holloway had doubts that he was involved. She decided not to arrest him. After she retired from the police department, another detective took over the case and continued to pursue Masters as the prime suspect. The case continued to haunt Holloway after Masters was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1999. While traveling in Holland on vacation in 2005, Linda Wheeler-Holloway discovered the pioneering work of forensic scientists Selma and Richard Eikelenboom and their ability to recover skin epithelial cells of a perpetrator from the clothing of a crime victim. When she returned to Colorado, Linda contacted Timothy Masters’ attorneys and told them about using touch DNA testing. The results of this testing exonerated an innocent man.
Selma Eikelenboom: Selma is a forensic medical expert. In 1999, she became the Forensic Medical Examiner for Amsterdam’s Municipal Medical and Health Authority. She later worked in the crime scene investigation unit for the Netherlands Forensic Institute Department of Biology. She worked closely with European law enforcement authorities and the judicial system. In 2003, she formed her own company, Independent Forensic Services, a private laboratory in the Netherlands that specializes in recovery of trace evidence and Touch DNA testing that she operates with her husband Richard.
Richard Eikelenboom: Richard is a forensic scientist specializing in trace evidence recovery and bloodstain pattern analysis. He also worked for the Netherlands Forensic Institute Department of Biology. In 2005, he joined Selma as a partner at Independent Forensic Services. Richard and Selma’s work on the Timothy Master’s case pioneered the use of Touch DNA sample recovery methods in the U.S. The Master’s case was the first exoneration case in the U.S. to utilize touch DNA.
Barie Goetz: Barie is a forensic scientist specializing in crime scene reconstruction and bloodstain pattern analysis. He worked for the Indiana State Police and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation Laboratory Systems. In 2004, he retired as Director of the CBI Regional Laboratory in Pueblo, Colorado. Barie then started Sangre de Cristo Forensic Services, where he utilizes his 30 years of experience assisting the judicial system in areas of crime scene reconstruction and post-conviction review. He worked as the Forensic Investigator on the Timothy Master’s case.
Maria Liu: Maria Liu is a founding partner in the law firm of Collins, Liu and Lyons LLP located in Greeley, Colorado. She specializes in criminal defense and post conviction relief. She received her law degree from Southern Illinois University. During law school Ms. Liu worked at the Illinois Migrant Legal Assistance Project and Land of Lincoln Rural Legal Aid. She began her career as a Deputy Public Defender at the Colorado Public Defenders Office. She enjoyed working with indigent clients because they are often the people that need lawyers the most. She served as president of the Weld County Bar Association from 2004-2005. Ms. Liu received the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar’s 2008 Gideon Award and the ACLU’s 2008 Sherman Award for her representation of Tim Masters.
David D. Wymore: David maintains a solo practice in Boulder, Colorado. He graduated from The Ohio State University and The University of Colorado School of Law. He became a Colorado Deputy Public Defender in 1976 and the Colorado Chief Trial Deputy from 1982 to 2004 when he retired. As the Chief Trial Deputy for the statewide defender system, he represented death eligible clients across the State of Colorado. Mr. Wymore also teaches trial tactics and death litigation across the United States as well as in foreign countries. Wymore was also involved in the 2008 exoneration of Timothy Masters.
Bill Clutter: Bill Clutter began his career as a criminal defense investigator in 1985 working for Springfield attorney Michael Metnick. In 1988, he was assigned to investigate his first case of actual innocence in the Naperville murder case of Jeannine Nicarico. That case was one of the first cases in Illinois in which DNA testing was undertaken. The early DNA test that was conducted by Dr. Edward Blake was a full profile match to serial killer Brian Dugan, corroborating his 1986 confession to the Nicarico murder. This early test conducted in 1988 exonerated Alejandro Hernandez, but was unable to exclude Rolando Cruz. Subsequent improvements in DNA testing technology later exonerated Cruz, as well. Bill Clutter’s post-conviction in the case of Randy Steidl and Herbert Whitlock that began in 1991 eventually led to their release from prison. Steidl had been sentenced to death and was released in May 2004. Whitlock received a life sentence and was set free four years later. Following Barry Scheck’s call to create a network of Innocence Projects, Bill met with his former legal studies professor Nancy Ford and Larry Golden at the University of Illinois at Springfield and founded the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project. He currently serves as Director of Investigations for the Project, in addition to maintaining a private detective agency.
John Hanlon: John Hanlon began his legal career as a staff attorney with the Illinois Appellate Defender’s Office assigned to the Supreme Court Unit. His first job out of law school landed him the assignment of defending Rolando Cruz, following Cruz’s 1985 conviction and death sentence for the murder of Jeanine Nicarico. In 1988, John persuaded the Illinois Supreme Court to reverse Cruz’s conviction. When Cruz was convicted a second time and sent back to death row in 1990, John recruited a young lawyer by the name of Larry Marshall, a new professor at Northwestern Law School, to assist him in Cruz’s appeal. That was the beginning of the Innocence Project movement in Illinois. The two succeeded in getting Cruz’s conviction vacated a second time. The third trial resulted in the dramatic acquittal of Rolando Cruz after it was revealed that two detectives had fabricated a Dream Vision Confession. William Kunkel was appointed as special prosecutor, leading to the indictment of police and prosecutors who were known as the DuPage 7. John’s work on the case of Joe Burrows and Randy Steidl contributed to their release from death row, and the Burrows case was cited by Gov. Ryan when he announced a moratorium on capital punishment. John currently serves as an adjunct professor at UIS teaching a class called Wrongful Convictions.
For more information on the seminar contact Bill Clutter at 217/528-5997 or 217/899-4353.
UIS hosts regional contest in 34th annual International "Battle of the Brains"
Local Information Technology Code Warriors Compete on Campus to Showcase Problem-Solving Skills at Regional Competition of IBM-sponsored Contest
WHAT: The powerhouse computer programming team from the University of Illinois Springfield and top collegiate programmers from surrounding areas will compete in an all-out “battle of the brains.”
WHO: Teams from the University of Illinois Springfield, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Augustana College, Illinois College, Illinois State University, Knox College, and Trinity Christian College.
WHEN: Saturday, October 24, 2009 from 9:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: University Hall Building (UHB) on UIS Campus in 2nd floor Cisco labs
DETAILS: Imagine completing a semester’s worth of computer programming in one afternoon. The IBM-sponsored ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest, the most prestigious computer programming competition of its kind, will gather tens of thousands of students from universities in approximately 90 countries on six continents during its preliminary rounds through December. One hundred teams from around the globe will earn coveted spots at the Contest’s World Finals February 1-6, 2010 hosted by Harbin Engineering University in Harbin, China.
The 34th annual Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) International Collegiate Programming Contest challenges teams of three university students to use their programming skills and rely on their mental endurance to solve complex, real world problems under a grueling five-hour deadline. One hundred successful teams will advance to the World Finals in Harbin, China. IBM’s sponsorship has fueled the growth of the contest to include tens of thousands of students. Since the IBM sponsorship began in 1997, the number of teams participating has grown from 1,100 to more than 7,100 teams. For more information on previous contests, problem sets and last year’s final standings, please visit http://icpc.baylor.edu/icpc/. Also visit IBM’s contest page at www.ibm.com/university/acmcontest/ or the contest podcast series at battleofthebrains.podcast.com.
For more information about the event at UIS please contact Lucinda Caughey, Computer Science Instructor at 217/206-8336 or lcaug2@uis.edu.
Illinois Issues: Five join legislative internship Hall of Fame
The Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame will honor five individuals who have served as legislative interns at the state Capitol. John Day, Claire B. Eberle, Stephen R. Pacey, Lee J. Schwartz and Gretchen A. Winter will be inducted during a ceremony at the Executive Mansion on Monday, November 16. Inductees are selected based on their contributions to Illinois and its citizens. The Hall of Fame is also recognition of the important role public service internships play in developing public sector leadership.
Day retired in 2003 as assistant executive director at Illinois’ Teachers Retirement System (TRS) after 10 years with the system. Prior to employment with TRS, he was executive director of the Legislative Audit Commission, worked with the Senate Democratic staff and was a legislative intern from 1970-71. Day is a resident of Rochester.
Eberle is deputy director of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) for the Illinois General Assembly. She has been with JCAR since 1986, previously serving on the Senate president’s staff from 1976 to 1978. She was a member of the legislative intern class of 1975. Eberle resides in Springfield.
Schwartz was a Chicago attorney in private practice at the time of his death in 2002. A member of the legislative intern class of 1966, he was described as an expert on the state constitution. He served as legal counsel to Jack Touhy, then-speaker of the House, and former state Senate Minority Leader Thomas Arthur “Art” McGloon. He made the transition to Chicago politics, where he served in similar positions for Chicago Mayors Richard J. Daley, Michael Bilandic and Harold Washington.
Pacey has served as Ford County’s resident circuit judge since 1996. Previously, he was a commissioner with the Illinois Court of Claims and a public defender for Ford County. A life-long Paxton resident, Pacey spent 22 years in private legal practice. He was a member of the 1970 legislative intern class.
Winter has been the executive director of the Center for Professional Responsibility in Business and Society in the College of Business of the University of Illinois since 2007. The Center is located in Chicago. A member of the 1979 intern class, she has more than 25 years of law firm, public sector and corporate experience and frequently speaks on the topics of professional responsibility, business ethics, compliance, governance, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Illinois Issues, sponsor of the Hall of Fame, is the state’s leading public policy magazine, published at the University of Illinois Springfield. The Hall of Fame is named for Samuel Gove, one of the magazine’s founders and a longtime director of the internship program. Both the magazine and the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program are part of UIS’ Center for State Policy and Leadership. The Hall of Fame was established in 1990, and this year’s event, which occurs biennially, will be its 10th anniversary. The Hall of Fame now includes 49 individuals, among them a former governor and several former and current state legislators. The names of the Hall’s members are inscribed on a plaque that hangs on the fourth floor of the Statehouse.
The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. on November 16, with a reception followed by the induction ceremony. Tickets are $60 per person. For information on attending, call 217-206-6084.
UIS Lincoln Legacy Lecture will examine "Lincoln and the Environment"
The 2009 Lincoln Legacy Lecture presented by the University of Illinois Springfield will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, October 15, in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS.
This year’s topic is “Lincoln and the Environment”. The lecture and a reception that will immediately follow are free and open to the public.
The Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series brings nationally known scholars to Springfield to discuss issues that, while they are of contemporary interest, also engaged Abraham Lincoln and citizens of his era.
This year’s featured speaker – Dr. Mark Fiege, associate professor of History and the William E. Morgan Chair of Liberal Arts at Colorado State University, Ft. Collins – will focus on Lincoln’s experience of nature. Dr. Michael Burlingame, professor of History and Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, will make opening remarks and moderate the discussion.
In his lecture, “Land of Lincoln: Environmental History and the 16th President," Dr. Fiege will examine how Lincoln’s unique political thought, rhetoric and leadership were grounded in his experience of nature – both the natural environment and human nature – while growing up and working in the forests, fields and rivers of pioneer settlements.
Dr. Fiege is the author of a book on the environmental history of the United States that is forthcoming from the University of Washington Press in its Weyerhaeuser Environmental Series. He has been the recipient of best article and book awards from the Idaho Library Association, the Forest History Society and various professional associations. In addition to teaching, he directs the Center for Public History and Archaeology at CSU, whose projects are funded in part by the National Park Service. Dr. Fiege received his Ph.D. from the University of Utah.
Program moderator Michael Burlingame is a preeminent scholar in Lincoln Studies. He taught History at Connecticut College for over 30 years before accepting the appointment at UIS this year. His recent two-volume biography, Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008) has been described as the definitive study.
Presented by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership, this year’s event is being held in conjunction with the 24th Annual Lincoln Colloquium hosted by the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Oct. 16-18. Cosponsors of this year's lecture are: Engaged Citizenship Speaker Series, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Public Affairs and Administration, UIS Speakers' Awards Committee, and WUIS Public Radio.
In previous years, lectures have focused on Lincoln and Race (2002), Ethics and Power (2004), Lincoln and Economic Opportunity (2005), Lincoln and America’s Faith (2006), Lincoln and the Law (2007), and Lincoln and Presidential Campaign Politics (2008).
Seating in Brookens Auditorium is limited; however overflow seating will be available in conference room C/D, where the audience can watch a large-screen live video feed. Conference room C/D is located on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS. Those unable to attend in person can watch a live webcast by going to www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html at the time of the event.
For more information, contact the Center for State Policy and Leadership at 217/206-7094.
“Central Illinois: Patchwork of Creative Minds”, a thought provoking lunch time educational series examining creative expression that has flourished in the heartland of Illinois, will continue on October 21 at the University of Illinois Springfield with a hot lunch buffet available at 11:30 a.m. and program from 12 noon until 1:30 p.m.
The presentations October 21 will focus on “Springfield Public Garden Design: Historic and Modern”. Terri Cameron, master gardener and historic preservation advocate, will make a presentation entitled “Springfield's Early Park Design and Its Impact” that will examine Springfield’s early parks through archival photos, publications and Springfield Park District minutes. Diane Mathis, Director of Marketing and Development for the Springfield Park District, will speak on “Innovative Park Design”. She will preview Southwind – Springfield’s new universally accessible and environmentally friendly park.
There is a charge for lunch but the presentations are free and open to the public. The luncheon and presentations will be held in the University of Illinois Springfield Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Rooms C/D (level below the Sangamon Auditorium lobby). The cost for lunch is $20 and paid reservations are required for the luncheon by October 14, 2009. Pre-registration is also requested from those not purchasing the lunch who wish to attend the presentations.
The series will conclude with a session on Wednesday, November 18 that will focus on “Creative Images: Canvas and Glass”.
Find out how to register and get more information by visiting www.uiaa.org/uis, or contact the Office of UIS Alumni Relations at 217/206-7395 or alumni@uis.edu.
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield presents Political Art and the Public Sphere featuring folk singers, songwriters, and activists Anne Feeney & David Rovics in concert.
WHEN: Monday, October 5, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS
ADDITIONAL INFO: Anne Feeney and David Rovics share an interest in using their music to raise questions about social and political issues, to share with listeners some of the history of the diverse struggles of the impoverished, marginalized and exploited, and to inspire people to work together for social and economic justice.
With her conscience and consciousness shaped by the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, Anne Feeney has been called the best labor singer in North America. Rovics, who writes journalism pieces periodically as he tours the world, has been called the musical voice of the progressive movement in the US and the musical version of Democracy Now! Accomplished musicians and songwriters, both allow their music to be downloaded and shared with organizers, other activists and myriad fans.
For more information contact Richard Gilman-Opalsky at 217/206-8328 or rgilm3@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield Career Development Center is working to improve the public speaking skills of students. The center has started a Toastmasters Club to bring in professional mentors from the community to work with students.
Employee Relations Recruitment Coordinator Rachel Hasenyager started the club. She says the skills that students are learning are key in job interviews. During the meeting students are called on to perform impromptu “table top” speeches. Students have a limited amount of time to talk about a subject they may know little about.
The Toastmasters Club also teaches students how to participate in the setting of a formal meeting. Every participant is introduced to the audience before they begin speaking.
Hasenyager says she hopes the club will also help teach leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.
Students also get the chance to network with the professional mentors brought in from the community. Hasenyager hopes that will pay off once they’ve graduated and are looking for a job.
The club meets every other Friday at Noon in the Student Affairs Building (SAB) Room 50. The next meeting will be on October 9th, followed by October 23rd.
Toastmasters will welcome Springfield native Ed Hearn, who was crowned the 2006 World Champion of Public Speaking by Toastmasters International. Hearn will present his award-winning speech on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center Restaurant.
Speakers Series presents Paul Simon: A public career worth imitating
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents journalist Robert Hartley discussing the political career of Paul Simon
WHEN: Thursday, October 1, 2009 at 10:00 a.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: The personal value system and attitudes toward government that Simon followed over 40 years in elective office were developed in large part during his service as a newspaper editor and state legislature. How those played out in terms of specific experiences will be discussed. The emphasis will be on his Illinois political years ending in 1973, with some references to his later congressional service.
Robert E. Hartley is the author of several published books and articles concentrating on Illinois politics and history. Hartley has written books on prominent political figures in Illinois, including Charles H. Percy, James R. Thompson, Paul Powell, and Paul Simon. Hartley had a long career in communication fields (newspapers and governmental affairs) from 1959 to 1999. From 1962 to 1979 he worked as an editor and columnist on newspapers in central and southern Illinois. http://www.illinoisauthors.org/authors/Robert_E._Hartley
UIS and Benedictine to host co-exhibit with internationally acclaimed Russian artist
The first North American solo exhibition of the artwork of Sergei Chepik is being announced by Benedictine University at Springfield and the University of Illinois Springfield, co-exhibitors. This first-ever co-exhibit by the two Universities will display forty lithographs by the internationally acclaimed Russian artist who currently resides in Paris. The prints were inspired by the novel The White Guard by Mikhail Bulgakov and were commissioned in 2006, with an initial exhibit held in 2008 at the Bulgakov Museum in Moscow.
Displaying remarkably powerful images of the Russian Revolution, the Chepik co-exhibit will begin October 1, 2009, at both the BUS Becker Library Gallery and the UIS Visual Arts Gallery, running through November 5 and October 28, respectively.
An opening reception will be held at 6:30 p.m. on October 7 in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery with a gallery talk by associate professor Rosina Neginsky, personal friend of the artist and author of Sergei Chepik: Between East and West, published by Benedictine University at Springfield.
A closing reception will be held from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on November 5 in the Brinkerhoff Home on the Benedictine campus with a gallery talk by Neginsky. The November 5 closing reception will occur together with the 2.2 release gala for Quiddity International Literary Journal and Public-Radio Program, published and produced by Benedictine University at Springfield and NPR member WUIS. Quiddity 2.2 includes Sergei Chepik as a featured artist.
For further information, please contact: Marianne Stremsterfer Benedictine University at Springfield mstremsterfer@sci.edu (217) 525-1420, ext. 518
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Career Development Center presents Networking: Strategic Alliances "Collect Success Partners".
WHEN: Monday, September 28, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: Sangamon Auditorium Lobby on UIS Campus
ADDITIONAL INFO: Join the UIS Career Development Center, Office of UIS Alumni Relations, and Springfield Chamber of Commerce for a night of networking how-tos. Learn the tips and tricks of building your career network from hospitality expert, Beth Reutter. Enjoy refreshments while building your career network with other students, alumni, faculty, staff, Chamber of Commerce members, and other community professionals.
Don't wait for graduation or your next job search to begin building your career network. Build those connections now and be ready when opportunity knocks! Make sure to get started during our event. According to the recent NACE Job Outlook 2010 Fall Preview survey, employers are planning to trim college hiring by 7%. In another NACE Survey, nearly 70% of college seniors cited networking as an extremely useful career tool. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for the event today and start your network now!
Professional business attire is strongly recommended.
For more information about the presentation contact Kristen Chenoweth, Communication Program Coordinator at 217/206-6501 or kchen01s@uis.edu.
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Shakespeare Behind Bars film viewing followed by a discussion moderated by Shakespeare theater director Curt Tofteland.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Studio Theatre at UIS
ADDITIONAL INFO: Take Shakespeare's final play The Tempest with its violent seas, windswept island, crucial connection to nature, and underlying theme of forgiveness, and bring it into a prison, the ultimate venue of confinement. The result is an extraordinary story about the creative process and the power of art to heal and redeem--in a place where the very act of participation in theatre is a human triumph and a means of personal liberation.
In Hank Rogerson's revelatory trip into and around this prison production, we embark on a year-long journey with the Shakespeare Behind Bars theatre troupe. Led by Shakespearean volunteer director Curt Tofteland, the prisoners cast themselves in roles reflecting their personal history and fate. Their individual stories, including information about their heinous crimes, are interwoven with the plot of The Tempest as the inmates delve deeply into the characters they portray while confronting their personal demons. http://www.shakespearebehindbars.com/
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents Arthur Danto: Prints gallery of the artist’s work and discussion.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS
ADDITIONAL INFO: Arthur C. Danto is considered one of the most important philosophers of art in the world. His undeniable influence on modern art criticism has affected the way that art is thought of and discussed around the world. Danto will talk about his work, as well art and aesthetics.
While many people are familiar with Danto as a philosopher and critic, Danto was also an artist early in his career. An exhibit of Danto’s work will be featured in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery from August 27 – September 23, 2009. This work, a series of woodcut prints produced from 1956 through 1963 has not been exhibited publicly since 1960. For more information on the exhibit visit: www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery.html
Click here to visit an online slide show of Danto prints on display.
The University of Illinois Springfield is holding several Star Parties for people with disabilities throughout the fall in the UIS observatory, located at the top of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. Sunday Night Star Parties for people with disabilities are free, but reservations are required.
The dates of the Star Parties this fall are Sunday, September 20, and Sunday, October 18 weather permitting. The events begin at 8:00 p.m. and will include a short presentation before the viewing. The featured objects for viewing will be the first-quarter moon and the planet Jupiter.
John Martin, UIS professor of astronomy and physics, conducts Sunday Star Parties. The sessions use a unique telescope specially designed to give people with disabilities access to the sky by using a fixed eyepiece that brings the image to the viewer. This eyepiece can be moved backward and forward in its tube to be able to accommodate anyone from a large person in a high wheelchair to a child in the lowest, smallest wheelchair. The telescope is the first one of its kind in the world.
For more information or to make a reservation for a Sunday Star Party, contact Professor Martin at 217/206-8342 or jmart5@uis.edu.
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/
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.
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.
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
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.
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 Theatre Program holds auditions for fall 2009 production
The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois Springfield will hold open auditions for the first production of its 2009-2010 season – Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things – on Tuesday, September 8, and Wednesday, September 9, beginning at 7 p.m. both nights in the Studio Theatre, located on level one of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. Call-backs will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 10.
Auditions are open to anyone, with or without experience. Auditions will consist of “cold readings” from the script, and prepared monologues and resumes are appreciated but are not required.
The Shape of Things is set in a liberal arts college, in a conservative Midwestern town. In the production, four characters struggle to find their voice in matters of love and art. After a chance meeting in a museum, Evelyn and Adam become embroiled in an intense affair. Before long, Evelyn steers Adam toward a new appearance and character. The final, shocking exhibition reveals Evelyn’s true intentions and challenges long-held ideas about art and love.
UIS Associate Professor of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct. Production dates are November 13-15 and 19-21. Beginning with this production, evening curtain times will be changed to 7:30 p.m., instead of 8 p.m. as in the past. Sunday performances remain at 2 p.m.
Those interested in working backstage (stage managers, props crew, sound research, costumes, dresser, running crew) are asked to attend one night of auditions to fill out an audition form and indicate area of interest. Thibodeaux-Thompson will meet with those interested in working backstage and discuss the area of interest.
For more information about auditions, the play, or helping behind the scenes, contact Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-6613, or go to www.uis.edu/theatre.
Visual Arts Gallery presents artwork by Arthur Danto
The UIS Visual Arts Gallery will be presenting a series of woodcut prints by world-renowned author, philosopher and artist Arthur C. Danto. The artwork, which was last exhibited in 1960, will be on display in the gallery from Thursday, August 27, through September 23.
Danto is the author of more than twenty books and is currently the Johnsonian Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Columbia University.
There will be a presentation by Danto on September 23 at 5:30 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library. The presentation will be followed by a reception, including food and refreshments, until 8 p.m. at the Visual Arts Gallery. The artist’s talk, reception and exhibit are free and open to the public.
The Visual Arts Gallery is located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building on the UIS campus. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For further information, go to www.uis.edu/visualarts/ or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or by e-mail at gallery@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois Springfield’s popular Star Parties will begin for the fall on Friday, September 11, and continue every Friday night through October 30, weather permitting. Star Parties are from 8 to 10 p.m. in the UIS observatory.
John Martin, assistant professor of Astronomy/Physics at UIS, will host the Star Parties. The observatory’s three telescopes will be used to view a number of celestial objects, including the giant planet Jupiter and its moons; the Ring Nebula in Lyrae, a star like the sun which has reached the end of its life; the globular cluster M13 in Hercules, which is a ball of one million stars roughly 13 billion years old; other star clusters and double stars; and the moon, when possible.
On October 2, a special Star Party will be held in conjunction with Homecoming Weekend at UIS that will occur regardless of the weather. If the weather is too cloudy for telescope observing, there will be a presentation at a location still to be determined.
The normal Friday night Star Party on October 23 will be part of the “Galilean Nights” celebration as part of the International Year of Astronomy. That night, UIS will be celebrating the achievements of Galileo and the 400th anniversary of him using his first telescope.
Star Parties are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required, and groups are encouraged to attend. The entrance to the campus observatory is located outside Brookens Library on the southeast corner.
Questions about whether the weather is suitable for viewing should be directed to 217/206-8342 at 7 p.m. on the evening of the Star Party. For more information about UIS’ Star Parties, contact John Martin at 217/206-8342 or go online to www.uis.edu/astronomy/about/starparties.html.
UIS Career Development Center hosts Foot in the Door Fair
The Career Development Center at the University of Illinois Springfield will sponsor the 2009 “Foot in the Door” Fair for UIS students interested in part-time jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities – both on- and off-campus – from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 27, in the lower level concourse area of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The event is free to all UIS students.
The “Foot in the Door” Fair is intended to bring students and local employers or organizations together to discuss career opportunities in a broad range of available positions.
A partial list of off-campus employers attending include State Farm Insurance, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum and the Illinois Policy Institute. On-campus employers attending include UIS Athletics, UIS Recreational Sports, Brookens Library and UIS’ Office of Graduate Intern Programs. The complete listing of employers and other event details can be found online at www.uis.edu/careerservices.
The Career Development Center will also have a table at the event where students can come to ask any questions they may have. Students are encouraged to bring their resumes and networking cards to the event and should be prepared to briefly outline their education, experience, goals and what types of positions they are interested in. A business casual dress code will be observed.
Additionally, the UIS Career Development Center will be holding walk-in hours on Monday, August 24, Tuesday, August 25, and Wednesday, August 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Student Affairs Building (SAB) 50, during which students can receive resume help and other suggestions to prepare for the event.
Students who cannot attend the event can go to the Career Development Center’s Web site and use UIS CareerConnect, a job and internship posting system, to find on- and off-campus jobs and internships, upload their resumes, as well as schedule an appointment with the Career Development Center.
For more information about the “Foot in the Door” Fair, go online to www.uis.edu/careerservices/foot_fair/foot_recruiter.html or call the Career Development Center at 217/206-6508. Individuals requesting disability related accommodations should also contact the UIS Career Development Center.
WHEN: August 14th through August 23rd from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
(Illinois County Fair Queen Morgan Metz, Governor Pat Quinn, and Emiquon advisory board member Michael Purnell - photo by Jeremy Wilburn)
WHERE: The Governor’s Innovation Tent is located near the intersection of Main Street and Brian Raney Avenue. (Come in Gate One, go straight, and the tent is on the right just pass Ethnic Village. There is a Governor’s Tent and a Governor’s Innovation Tent.)
ADDITIONAL INFO: The UIS display will contain information on the Emiquon Field Station and The Nature Conservancy. There will be a BioBingo game for kids, erosion/wetland demonstration, computer presentations and more. For additional information, contact Keith Miller at 217-206-7327 or kmill2@uis.edu. To learn more about Emiquon, visit http://www.uis.edu/emiquon/
Ashikaga Institute of Technology President to speak on green energy and wind energy
WHO: Izumi Ushiyma, President of AIT, noted expert on green energy and wind energy technology
WHAT: Public lecture on alternative energy
WHEN: Wednesday, August 19th, at 7pm
WHERE: UIS Public Affairs Center – Conference Room G
ADDITIONAL INFO: This will be the 9th student delegation from the AIT to visit UIS. There is always a need for home stays for the students. The home stays begin on Sunday, August 30th and run through the morning of Wednesday, September 9th. For additional information on the lecture or on the home stays, please contact Jonathan GoldbergBelle, Director of International Programs, at 217-206-8319 or jgold1@uis.edu
A late evening star-gazing event called “Meteors and Thompson Lake – 2009,” will be held at Thompson Lake on The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve, located between Havana and Lewistown, from Tuesday, August 11, at 8 p.m. until Wednesday, August 12, at 1 a.m.
This program is free and open to the public and is presented by the University of Illinois Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy. UIS professor Dr. John Martin will be the guest lecturer, and members of the Sangamon Astronomical Society will also be present to share views of the night sky through their telescopes.
The event will take advantage of the peak display of the Perseids Meteor Shower, the annual mid-August display of “falling stars.” As the sky becomes dark after sundown, the meteor showers should be readily visible.
Martin, assistant professor of Astronomy/Physics, will help guide sky-watchers as they view the meteor shower. Dr. Michael Lemke, associate professor of Biology and director of the Emiquon Field Station, will be available to share information regarding the station and associated wetland ecological research.
Participants should gather after 8 p.m. at the lakeside entrance to Thompson Lake, located directly off Illinois Rts. 97/78, approximately one-half mile north of the Dickson Mounds turnoff. A sign will be posted at the entrance. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and/or blankets.
Everyone entering the property will be asked to sign a liability waiver. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult and must have their waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian.
For more information, contact Dr. Michael Lemke at 217/206-7339 or lemke.michael@uis.edu.
UIS Career Center invites employers to participate in “Foot in the Door” Fair
The Career Development Center at the University of Illinois at Springfield will sponsor the 2009 “Foot in the Door” Fair for UIS students interested in part-time jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities – both on- and off-campus – from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, August 27, in the lower level concourse area of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The event is free to all UIS students.
The “Foot in the Door” Fair is intended to bring students and local employers or organizations together to discuss career opportunities in a broad range of available positions. Local employers with job opportunities are invited to participate in the event, which typically yields around 300 students in attendance.
Booth assignments will be made on a first-come, first-served response basis. Additionally, interviewing rooms will be available for employer use during the fair.
Registration for the event takes place through the Career Center’s online system called UIS-SUCCESS, which also allows employers to establish a company profile and post career opportunities at no cost. UIS students and alumni are then able to view and apply for positions directly through the system by uploading their resume.
All employer services through the UIS Career Center are free of charge. Employers are given the opportunity to host on-campus information sessions, informational tables, interviews and more. For more information about employer services, contact the Employer Relations Recruitment Coordinator at (217)206-6508 or e-mail employerrelations@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting its final program for the summer Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series on Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The program is called “This Event is Not Taking Place: Truth, Reality and History in Baudrillard’s Political Philosophy” and will be presented by Dr. Richard Gilman-Opalsky.
The lecture, followed by an open discussion, will focus on some of the central claims of the work of Jean Baudrillard and the most provocative tenets of late 20th century French social and political philosophy, especially the movement known as “poststructuralism.” Gilman-Opalsky will discuss how this movement challenges the ways we think and speak about the world in which we live. Background knowledge about Jean Baudrillard or “poststructuralism” is not needed to understand and participate in this program.
Gilman-Opalsky is an assistant professor of political philosophy in the Department of Political Science at UIS. His teaching areas and research interests include the history of political philosophy, continental and contemporary political theory, socialist philosophy, globalization, cosmopolitanism, critical theory, and poststructuralism.
For information about the ECCE Speaker Series, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting a program called “Bridging Across Cultures: Challenges and Opportunities” presented by Dr. Nithyakala Karuppaswamy on Wednesday, July 1, at 12 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.
The event is part of the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series at UIS.
The program will discuss why developing the skills of cross-cultural connection is not only recommended, but necessary to succeed in today’s global environment. Connecting across cultures involves understanding one’s own background, strengths and biases; being curious and learning about the others’ culture; and developing genuine connection by persisting in the face of obstacles. Karuppaswamy will address each of these steps by using cross-cultural connections between individuals from India and the U.S. as examples.
Karuppaswamy is an assistant professor of Human Development Counseling at UIS. Her areas of specialization include multicultural counseling, racial identity development, couples and family therapy, spirituality and the intersection of Western and Eastern worldviews in therapy.
For information about the ECCE Speaker Series, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.
Theatre Program announced schedule for 2009-2010 season
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Theatre Program has announced the schedule for the 2009-2010 season with productions that tell the stories of conflicted relationships.
The fall production is The Shape of Things by Neil LaBute. Set in a liberal arts college, in a conservative Midwestern town, four characters struggle to find their voice in matters of love and art. After a chance meeting in a museum, Evelyn and Adam become embroiled in an intense affair. Before long, Evelyn steers Adam toward a new appearance and character. The final, shocking exhibition reveals Evelyn’s true intentions and challenges our most deeply entrenched ideas about art and love.
UIS Assistant Professor of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct. Production dates are November 13-15 and 19-21. Open auditions will be held September 8-10, from 7 to 10 p.m. each day, in the Studio Theatre at UIS.
The spring production is The Runner Stumbles by Milan Stitt. The setting is in a remote northern Michigan parish in 1911, where a young nun, Sister Rita, mysteriously dies. Her superior, Father Rivard, is charged with the crime.
As the trial unfolds four years later, the story alternates between the past and the present, revealing a conflicted relationship between the young nun and the priest. Sister Rita tries to inject color and life into the rural, drab town, bringing more tension to the surface. Part-courtroom drama, part-memory play and part-romance, the play explores conflicts between duty to the church and duty to self, forbidden passions, and divisions between strict traditional morality and complex human emotions.
UIS Assistant Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct. Productions dates are April 23-25 and April 29-May 1. Open auditions will be held on January 31-February 2.
Beginning with the fall 2009 production, evening curtain times will be changed to 7:30 p.m., instead of 8 p.m. as in the past. Sunday performances remain at 2 p.m.
For more information about auditions, the plays, or the Theatre Program at UIS, go to www.uis.edu/theatre .
Emiquon to hold Walk and Talk lecture at Morton site
This month’s Emiquon Field Station Walk and Talk lecture will convene on Wednesday, July 1 at 6 p.m. at the Morton site to explore the excavations of the Morton Village. This is the second year of excavations at the Morton Village, a prehistoric Native American site that dates to about 1300 A.D. The excavations are a joint venture of Dickson Mounds Museum and Dr. Jodie O’Gorman of Michigan State University, with the cooperation of The Nature Conservancy.
The site is located on the west side of Illinois Route 78/97 0.4 miles south of the junction of Illinois Route 24 and 78/97, or if traveling from the south, at the top of the Illinois River bluff.
The Morton Village contains evidence of use by two groups that archaeologists refer to as Mississippian and Oneota. Natives of the Mississippian culture lived in the area for several centuries starting about 1000 A.D.; their living sites and cemeteries are common in the region around Dickson Mounds. Oneota is a cultural tradition centered in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and northern Illinois. However, in the last 25 years, several large villages and cemeteries belonging to the Oneota tradition have been identified in the area.
The research at Morton Village seeks to understand why Oneota groups expanded into the region, how they adapted to the new setting and the nature of the relationship between Oneota and Mississippian groups.
The excavations, which began on May 26 and will run through July 3, are being conducted by the Michigan State University Archaeological Field School and Dickson Mounds staff. The remains of several houses and numerous storage and cooking pits have been found as well as artifacts such as pottery, arrow points and stone hoes.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC) Workshop on Thursday, July 23, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, July 24, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
ReadyMinds, a leader in distance counseling, will be offering this training under the authorization by the Center for Credentialing and Education, Inc., an affiliate of the National Board of Certified Counselors.
Counselors will experience hands-on training that can be applied effectively in their current work environment. The need for distance services is growing, and the workshop will provide professional enhancement to counselors who are engaging in more e-mail and telephone exchanges with their clients.
The workshop will cover such topics as establishing a counselor/client relationship via distance, determining counselor and client suitability to distance counseling and confidentiality strategies. This workshop has been approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), and by the Human Services Education Council (HSEC), for up to 15 continuing education hours.
To attend the DCC training, participants must possess a master’s degree in counseling or an appropriately-related field from a regionally-accredited college or university. To also obtain the DCC Credential in addition to attending the DCC training, participants must have a master’s degree, be licensed to practice counseling or a related field in the state or country in which the candidate resides or works or be certified in good standing as a National Certified Counselor, and successfully complete the DCC Training Program and the DCC written Training Accountability Requirement document.
The training fee is $595 and includes the two-day training, all training materials and breakfast and lunch on both days. Licensed professional counselors and national certified counselors are eligible to receive a $150 discount. Contact Lisa Miller at lisa@readyminds.com or call (888) 225-8248 to receive this discount.
To register for the DCC training, go online to www.readyminds.com/dcclocations and click on the training site “University of Illinois at Springfield.” For more information about the DCC credential, visit www.cce-global.org or call (336) 482-2856.
Emiquon to host two presentations about fish and aquatic species
Two public lectures, “Restoring the Thompson Lake Fish Community” and “Aquatic Invasives in the Upper Mississippi River Basin,” will be presented on Wednesday, May 27 at 6 p.m. at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station. The program is free and open to the public; reservations are not required.
The first lecture, “Restoring the Thompson Lake Fish Community,” will be presented by Nerissa N. Michaels, Emiquon Project Coordinator for The Nature Conservancy. The program will include an overview of the Thompson Lake/Emiquon history starting from the early 1900s to the present. Additionally, information relevant to the Thompson Lake fish community, including stocking efforts, monthly monitoring and additional research, as well as information pertaining to the Thompson Lake aquatic vegetation community, will be shared.
Greg Sass, director of the Illinois River Biological Station, will present the second lecture, “Aquatic Invasives in the Upper Mississippi River Basin.” Sass will discuss the establishment of aquatic invasive species in the Upper Mississippi River Basin as well as their effects on native species.
The Emiquon Field Station is at The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve, located 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 at the turnoff. A map is also available online at: www.uis.edu/emiquon/about/images/mapToTNCEmiquon.jpg.
For more information, contact Mike Lemke, Emiquon Field Station Director, at lemke.michael@uis.edu or (217) 206-7339.
Downstate Innocence Project awards reception will also host unveiling of new book
The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, housed at the University of Illinois at Springfield, will host Michale Callahan, former Illinois State Police Commander of Investigations, as he unveils his new book at the Defenders of the Innocent Awards Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 18, at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield.
In 2000, Michale Callahan was the newly promoted Investigations Commander over a nine-county area in East Central Illinois. His first assignment was to review the fourteen-year-old Paris, Illinois murder of a young, newlywed couple, Dyke and Karen Rhoads. Randy Steidl and Herbert Whitlock were convicted for those murders based primarily on the unreliable testimony of two witnesses. Callahan quickly recognized the injustice of the convictions and called for a reinvestigation of the case, only to be told by his superiors that it was “too politically sensitive.”
The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project was one of a number of organizations that were involved in attempting to exonerate Steidl, who received the death penalty, and Whitlock, who received a life sentence. In particular, Bill Clutter, the Project’s Director of Investigations, was actively involved in critiquing the convictions and generating the evidence that was ultimately used to overturn them and to free both individuals.
In his book, Callahan tells the story about his fight against the attempts to cover up the scandal of the convictions and silence him as he attempted to reopen the investigation. Ultimately, the fight cost him his career and his belief that our system was one of fairness and justice. As stated in the release about his book: “This book is about everyone’s worst nightmare, when the cover-up of any crime becomes more important than the injustice done to the victims. This true story is a warning and foreboding example of just what can happen now that a government can muzzle its employees to cover up its criminal acts.”
Callahan will be present to sell and sign the books for those attending the awards reception. Tickets to the awards reception are $100 and will be available at the door, or make reservations in advance by calling 217/206-7989.
For more information, contact Larry Golden at 217/553-7171.
The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, housed in the Institute for Legal, Legislative and Policy Studies at the University of Illinois at Springfield, will hold the Defenders of the Innocent Awards Reception from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, May 18, at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield. The event is open to the public; however, reservations are required.
The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project works to assist the wrongfully convicted by providing resources for investigation and research, and to develop policy proposals that would help prevent the conviction of innocent persons in the future. This awards reception is the second annual event to recognize individuals and organizations who have worked to help achieve those goals.
The featured speaker at the reception will be Larry Marshall, who founded the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Bluhm Legal Clinic at Northwestern University Law School. Marshall’s work on death penalty exoneration cases led to reforms in the death penalty process in Illinois.
Springfield criminal defense attorney Michael Metnick will be honored with a Defender of the Innocent Award for his lifetime achievement in the defense of the innocent. During his career, Metnick devoted pro bono representation in the defense of two clients who had been sentenced to death for crimes they didn’t commit.
In 1988, Metnick undertook the retrial of Alejandro Hernandez, who was set free in 1995 after being convicted in the high-profile murder of Jeanine Nicarico of Naperville. That case, also involving Rolando Cruz, was one of the major inspirations for the innocence movement in Illinois and the nation.
In 1992, Metnick volunteered his services in the post-conviction representation of Randy Steidl, freed in 2004, after being convicted of the murder of Dyke and Karen Rhodes in Paris, Illinois in 1989.
Bill Clutter, the Project’s director of investigations, who worked with Metnick on both cases, said, “Mike Metnick’s heart and soul went into these cases with great passion and commitment. His determination to fight for his clients’ lives is the reason they are free today. He is a true champion of justice and deserves this recognition.”
The event will also honor the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, whose charitable support was instrumental in the formation of the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project. The Dominican Sisters of Springfield have devoted themselves to work in opposition to the death penalty.
Innocence Project Director Larry Golden, who has worked with the Dominican Sisters on a number of social justice projects, noted “The Sisters have a commitment to social justice unequaled in our community. They lead through their actions as well as their teaching. While they don’t seek publicity, these awards are one way their contributions can be recognized.”
Tickets are $100 and will be available at the door, or reservations may be made in advance by calling 217/206-7989.
For more information, contact Golden at 217/553-7171.
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.
UIS holds 2nd annual Take Back the Night with LLCC
The University of Illinois at Springfield and Lincoln Land Community College are teaming up to hold the second annual LLCC/UIS Take Back the Night on Saturday, May 2, from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
Take Back the Night is a movement inclusive of all genders and sexual orientations that brings survivors, supporters and activists together in a call for the end of violence against women. The Speak Out and March start at the Lincoln Land campus in the Helen Hamilton Area at 7:30 p.m. Musician Tom Irwin, a UIS student, will perform at the start of the rally.
The keynote speaker for the Speak Out will be Candi Clouse, UIS alum and Prevention Coordinator for the Sojourn Shelter.
Around 8:15 p.m., the group will then march to the UIS campus. The band A Day and a WakeUp will play at around 8:30. There will also be an Information Fair and refreshments on the UIS Quad, as well as The Clothesline Project, a project to support victims of domestic violence.
The event is presented by the Women’s Issues Caucus club from UIS and the Feminist Activist Coalition student club at LLCC. Co-sponsors of the event include the Lincoln Land Women’s Studies and International Club and the UIS Women’s Center, Women and Gender Studies, Student Government Association, African Student Association, Black Student Union, Christian Student Fellowship, Delta Sigma Omicron, Diversity Center, Indian Student Organization and Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS).
University of Illinois at Springfield Music will present its annual Spring Showcase Concert on Friday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. in the Studio Theatre, located on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus.
A live webcast of the event will also be available.
The concert will feature the UIS Band, Chorus and Chamber Orchestra. The UIS Band will present a program designed to kick off the summer concert season, presenting works by Henry Fillmore, D’Arcangelo, Andrew Boysen Jr., and Percy Grainger.
In addition to their individual repertoire, the Chorus and Chamber Orchestra will also combine and perform Eric Whitacre’s Five Hebrew Love Songs.
The program is free and open to the public. Donations benefiting the UIS Music Student Merit Award will be accepted.
For more information, contact Todd Cranson, director of the Chamber Orchestra and Band, at 217/206-7549.
“Spring Migration by the Numbers,” a public lecture and nature walk, will be presented at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station beginning at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. The program is free and open to the public; reservations are not required.
The program will be led by Jim Herkert, director of conservation science for The Nature Conservancy. Heckert will explore the phenomenon of migration in birds, discussing how many species of birds migrate through Illinois each year, how birds navigate while migrating, Emiquon’s role in migration and more.
“Emiquon is a great place to observe bird migration because it contains a wide variety of habitats, including woodlands, prairie and wetlands, and therefore provides habitat for a wide range of migratory birds,” Herkert noted. “Because of its large size, Emiquon allows for very large concentrations of birds to use the site during their annual migrations.”
The Emiquon Field Station is at The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve, located 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. A map is also available online at www.uis.edu/emiquon/about/images/mapToTNCEmiquon.jpg.
The program will start with a presentation and then follow with a walk on the nearby trails. Everyone entering the property will be asked to sign a liability waiver. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult and must have their waiver signed by a parent or legal guardian. All are encouraged to wear walking or hiking shoes and to bring binoculars.
For more information, contact Mike Lemke, Emiquon Field Station Director, at lemke.michael@uis.edu or 217/206-7339.
Earth Day speaker to focus on cleaning nation's rivers
The University of Illinois at Springfield will be celebrating Earth Day on Tuesday, April 21, with a presentation by Chad Pregracke called “Making a Difference in the World: My Journey to Clean America’s Rivers.” The program will be held at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. It is free and open to the public.
Pregracke is the founder and president of Living Lands & Waters, a not-for-profit environmental organization based in East Moline, Ill. The organization has involved tens of thousands of volunteers with community-based river cleanups, Riverbottom Restoration Projects, Adopt-a-River Mile Program and Big River Educational Workshops.
Pregracke has been the recipient of more than 40 national awards for his service and is the author of From the Bottom Up: One Man’s Crusade to Clean America’s Rivers, which chronicles his journey to clean up America’s rivers one tire at a time.
During Pregracke’s Earth Day program at UIS, he will discuss his experiences growing up on the Mississippi River and how it led to his unique vision to clean up the Mississippi River, from underwater shell-diving to open-air community clean-ups.
Sponsors of the event include the ECCE (Engaged Citizenship Common Experience) Speaker Series and Office of the Provost. Co-sponsors are Students Allied for a Greener Earth (SAGE), College of Public Affairs and Administration, Department of Environmental Studies and the Senate Committee on Sustainability.
For more information, contact Tih-Fen Ting, professor of environmental studies, at 217/206-7876 or tting1@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will present UIS professor emeritus of History Cullom Davis for a lecture titled “Prisoners of Conscience in the Modern Era” on April 16 at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public.
During his presentation, Davis will reflect on the lives of modern and contemporary prisoners of conscience, such as Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (Burma), who has been under house arrest for much of the time since 1988 for opposing the repressive national government.
Davis served for fifteen years as founding director of Sangamon State University’s Oral History Office and helped found the university’s master’s program in Public History. From 1988 to 2000, he was also director and senior editor of The Lincoln Legal Papers. In 2008, Davis was one of thirty citizens world-wide to receive the special bicentennial edition of The Order of Lincoln, the state’s highest honor.
A dessert reception will follow the lecture in the Public Affairs Center Restaurant. The event is sponsored by the Friends of Brookens Library.
The complete schedule of ECCE speakers and topics for the 2009 Spring Semester is available at http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. For information about any ECCE event, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.
Stalking Victimization is focus of ECCE Speaker Series program
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will host a program called “Real Fear, Real Crime: Stalking Victimization in the United States” on Wednesday, April 15, at 4 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center, room G, on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public, and refreshments will be provided.
A recent national report showed that 3.4 million people are stalking annually in the United States, and this program will address the realities of stalking and the role everyone can play to stop stalking.
The program’s speaker is Michelle Garcia, director of the Stalking Resource Center in Washington D.C., a non-profit program within the National Center for Victims of Crime working to raise national awareness about stalking. Garcia, a past resident of Champaign-Urbana, has more than fifteen years experience working with victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and stalking in both rural and urban settings and advocating for victims’ rights on a local, state and national level.
The event is sponsored by the ECCE Speakers Series and the UIS Women’s Center. The complete schedule of ECCE speakers and topics for the 2009 Spring Semester is available at http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. For information about any ECCE event, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.
UIS Theatre’s 2008-2009 season concludes with Shakespeare’s "As You Like It"
The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield will conclude its 2008-2009 season with the play As You Like It by William Shakespeare, opening Friday, April 17. Six performances will be presented in the Studio Theatre, on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS - on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 17, 18, and 19, and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, April 23, 24, and 25. All shows will begin at 8 p.m. except the Sunday performance (April 19), which will begin at 2 p.m.
As You Like It is set in France, where Duke Senior and his followers are hiding in the Forest of Arden after Duke Senior is usurped and exiled by his brother, Duke Frederick. Duke Senior’s daughter, Rosalind, is permitted to stay at court because she and Frederick’s daughter are close. But when Rosalind falls in love at first sight with young Orlando, and after Orlando is forced to flee persecution by his older brother, Rosalind and Celia flee to the Forest of Arden, and Rosalind disguises herself as a man.
As is common in many of Shakespeare’s plays, confusion and mistaken identity ensue, lovers pine for each other, and Duke Senior and his followers search for meaning while in hiding in the Forest of Arden.
Characters in the play include Duke Frederick; Duke Senior; Rosalind, daughter to Duke Senior; Celia, daughter to Duke Frederick and Rosalind’s cousin; Orlando, youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys; Oliver and Jacques, his brothers; Adam and Dennis, servants to Orlando and Oliver respectively; Touchstone, a court Fool; Charles and Le Beau, part of Duke Frederick’s court; and Jacques and Amiens, lords attending to Duke Senior. Other characters are Corin and Silvius, shepherds; Phoebe, a shepherdess; Audrey, a goatkeeper; William, who is in love with Audrey; and Sir Oliver Martext, a parish priest.
Eighteen actors are playing 23 roles in the production. The cast is Dwight Langford* (Orlando); Ben Beams* (Oliver); Matt Craven* (Jacques the brother/Dennis); Patrick O’Brien (servant/Sir Oliver Martext); Aasne Vigesaa (Rosalind); Ashley Warren* (Celia); Joey Cruse* (Touchstone); Kevin Purcell (Duke Frederick/Corin); Larry Smith (Charles/William); Karina Diaz* (Le Beau); Kevin Cline (a lord); Tom Hutchinson (Duke Senior); Ted Keylon (Jacques the lord); Nick Teeter* (Amiens); Nicole Butts (a lord); Roger Boyd* (Silvius); and Sarah Clinch* (Phoebe).* denotes a UIS student.
UIS Associate Professor and Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson will direct.
Tickets – $12 general adult; $10 senior citizen, 65+ with photo ID; $8 UIS faculty/staff with current I-card; $6 all students with current school ID – are available now at the UIS Ticket Office, located on level two of the Public Affairs Center. Purchase tickets in person, by phone at 217/206-6160 or 800/207-6960 between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.uis.edu/theatre. Tickets will also be available at the ticket office on the day of the performance, beginning 90 minutes before curtain time.
For more information, contact Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson at 217/206-6613.
The third and final installment for the University of Illinois at Springfield’s spring 2009 Political Art and the Public Sphere (PAPS) series will be held on Monday, April 13, at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.
The event will offer a viewing of the film “Montoneros” with a discussion to follow. Special guest Adriana Crocker, professor of political science at UIS, will speak about her personal experience as a young child living in Argentina during the time of the Montoneros.
The Montoneros Movement was an Argentine left-wing guerrilla group active during the 1960s and 1970s. The Montoneros were dedicated to the overthrow of the government in Argentina.
Founded as a militant fighting division by General Juan Perón before his exile to Paraguay in 1955, the Montoneros remained active during his 18-year absence. When Perón returned to Argentina in 1973, he condemned the Montoneros, who in response formed a revolutionary left wing. The military government and right-wing groups suppressed the Montoneros in the late 1970s.
Political Art and the Public Sphere features a showing or performance of some kind of “political art,” followed by a group discussion of the issues it raises. “The basic idea behind PAPS is to consider how ‘art’ raises provocative social and political questions,” noted Richard Gilman-Opalsky, coordinator of the series and professor of political philosophy at UIS.
“Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate, and to circulate ideas and arguments,” Gilman-Opalsky added. “In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power.”
For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 217/206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.
UIS hosts 6th annual U of I Communication Collaboration Conference
The Sixth Annual University of Illinois Communication Collaboration (UICC) Conference will be held at the University of Illinois at Springfield on Friday, April 10.
The conference will take place in University Hall Building, room 2008, on the UIS campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Communication students from all three University of Illinois campuses will participate in an academic forum where they are able to present their planned, in-progress and finished work.
Guest speaker Dr. Sandra Metts will speak on “The Role of Emotion Experience and Expression in the Development and Maintenance of Close Relationships” at 11 a.m.
The conference is free and open to the public. Attendees of the conference must register by Wednesday, April 8. For more information or to register, contact conference organizers at uicc2009@gmail.com.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will be holding a three-day conference called “Symbolism, Its Origins and Its Consequences” from April 22 through April 25 at Allerton Park and Retreat Center in Monticello, Illinois.
The purpose of the conference is to explore the origins of Symbolism, a variety of Symbolist manifestations in art, literature, music and philosophy, its consequences in art and literature, and to understand how ideas moved from one European country to another.
Symbolism was based on a certain world view that expressed itself in different genres in different countries. European Symbolism was a complex movement that started in England, then moved to France, back to England, and then finally into Russian culture.
The keynote address for the conference will be given by Geneviève Lacambre, general honorary curator of the patrimony at the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, and is titled “Toward Symbolism: Gustave Moreau and the Masters of the Past and his Contemporaries.”
Each day of the conference will be comprised of various sessions focusing on Symbolism, with breaks for meals. Registration fees are $180, and $90 for students.
The conference is co-sponsored by the Strategic Initiative Grant from the UIS Provost’s Office and UIS’ Information Technology Services, Visual Arts Department and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Lodging can be booked at the Allerton Retreat Center by calling 217/333-3287. For more information or to register for the conference, go online to http://www.uis.edu/hosted-orgs/conferences/symbolism/index.html or contact Rosina Neginsky, organizer and coordinator of the conference, at 217/206-7431.
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.
"The Lazarus Project" author to hold reading and Q&A session at UIS
As part of the Verbal Arts Festival and the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Aleksandar Hemon, author of the 2008 novel The Lazarus Project, will be holding a reading, presentation, and question and answer session on Friday, April 3, at 7 p.m.
The program will be held in the Studio Theater, on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. It is free and open to the public.
Hemon, a native of Bosnia, is also the author of Nowhere Man and The Question of Bruno. The Lazarus Project was one of five finalists for the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction.
For more information, contact Michael Gammon at mgamm01s@uis.edu or 217/206-7460.
Astronomy program discusses Pluto - planet or not?
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a presentation by Dr. Mercedes Richards called “Pluto and the New Dwarf Planets” on Friday, April 10, at 7 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center room F on the UIS campus.
In August 2006, Richards was one of 411 International Astronomical Union members worldwide to vote on a new definition of planets, leading to the demotion of Pluto to the status of “dwarf planet.” Richards’ program will give a first-hand look at the decision to change Pluto’s planet status and will examine the structure of the solar system to understand the different classes of objects that orbit the Sun.
Richards, a native of Jamaica, is a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Penn State University. In October 2008, she was awarded a Musgrave Gold Medal by the Institute of Jamaica, which is the highest academic honor awarded by the government of Jamaica and is given to scholars who have attained international recognition in their particular field.
Richards’ interest is pairs of stars called binary stars, which are like twin stars. She was the first astronomer in the world to make clear images of the gravitational flow of gas between the stars in any interacting binary pair.
Richards’ lecture is part of the Harlow Shapley lecture series, sponsored by the American Astronomical Society.
Following the lecture, a Friday Night Star Party will be held at the UIS Observatory, located on the roof of Brookens Auditorium, weather permitting.
For more information about the presentation, contact Professor Charles Schweighauser at 206-6721 or cschw1@uis.edu.
Smithereens' lead singer to perform at WUIS studio
Pat DiNizio, the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the Smithereens, will appear in Springfield on Thursday, April 9 for a benefit “living room” concert at 7:30 p.m. for WUIS, the public radio affiliate based at the University of Illinois at Springfield campus.
DiNizio is currently traveling around the country doing a series of living room concerts in people’s homes. He will perform in the WUIS Suggs’ Performance Studio, which will take on a living room motif for the show, for an audience of up to 50 people.
DiNizio will showcase acoustic versions of Smithereens songs, along with performances from his tribute to Buddy Holly released this year on the 50th anniversary of Holly’s death.
“The show will allow DiNizio and fans to interact, and proceeds will go to the fund dedicated to the performance studio. It will also be recorded for later broadcast,” said Bill Wheelhouse, WUIS General Manager.
Admission is $50 per person, with proceeds going to the WUIS Suggs Performance Studio Fund. For more information or to make a reservation for the show, call WUIS at 217/206-6516.
Due to an illness in the family, Dalia Mogahed, executive director at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, will not present “Who Speaks for Islam?” on Monday, March 30 at 7:30 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium on the UIS campus. Instead, Magali Rheault, senior analyst at the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, will give a presentation. The event is free and open to the public.
Rheault’s main areas of research are integration and identity of European Muslims and perceptions of African Muslims. As part of the Muslim-West Facts Initiative and in collaboration with the Coexist Foundation, she travels the world to disseminate key findings from the Gallup World Poll to inform opinion leaders about Muslims’ views.
Rheault is also a senior consultant with the Gallup World Poll, where she analyzes public attitudes toward governance and entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa.
The program is sponsored by the World Affairs Council, the International Visitors' Commission, Sister Cities, the Islamic Society of Greater Springfield and the UIS ECCE Speaker Series.
An overflow area will be available in the Public Affairs Center conference rooms C/D. The presentation will be followed by a reception in the PAC Restaurant from 9 to 10 p.m.
The University of Illinois’ Masters in Public Health Student Association and Campus Health Services will host the 11th annual Health Awareness Day on Wednesday, April 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center (PAC) lobby and conference rooms on the concourse level of the PAC.
The event is held to educate the university community and others in the Springfield and surrounding area about positive health practices. Representatives from the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, St. John’s Hospital and Memorial Medical Center will be present.
The keynote speaker for the event is Dr. John K. Lee, a first-year resident in Family Medicine at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Lee’s topic is “The secret of supplements: do they really work?” The presentation will be held in conference room F on the lower level of the PAC from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., and lunch and drinks will be served.
Screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, bone density, cholesterol and more will be offered, as well as testicular and prostrate exams given by Springfield Clinic. Information about topics such as healthy eating and decreasing stress will be available. UIS’ Recreation and Athletic Center will also perform fitness testing and give participants a detailed analysis of their health.
Attendees to the event are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to be donated to a local food pantry. Attendees who complete an evaluation form about the day will be entered into a drawing for prizes donated by individuals and organizations in the Springfield community.
UIS’ Health Awareness Day is held in coordination with National Public Health Week, which is organized by the American Public Health Association. The theme of this year’s National Public Health Week is “Building the Foundation for a Healthy America.”
For more information about Health Awareness Day at UIS, contact Linda Tait at ltait2@uis.edu or 217/206-6676.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host “Project Success: Dress to Impress” on Thursday, April 2 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Sangamon Auditorium on the UIS campus. Project Success is a runway fashion show and presentation about how to dress for business casual and business professional.
UIS students have been invited to gather teams of five and compete by showing their best and worst examples of business attire. The runway show will be judged by the audience and a panel of judges. Each member of the winning student team will receive a $100 gift card.
Following the runway competition, Jennifer Hunt, extension educator in Computer and Family Economics for the University of Illinois Extension, will give a presentation on business attire, first impressions and on creating an affordable professional wardrobe.
The event will also be available via live Webcast, and the online audience can participate in the runway judging through Elluminate.
Project Success is sponsored by UIS’ Career Development Center, Alumni Relations, Student Government Association and Diversity Center.
The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Kristen Chenoweth at 217/206-6501 or kchen01s@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting a series of events called 100 Hours of Astronomy, in partnership with the Sangamon Astronomical Society, from Friday, April 3 through Sunday, April 5.
The events are part of an international 100 Hours of Astronomy celebration in conjunction with the International Year of Astronomy 2009, a global effort to help the citizens of the world rediscover their place in the Universe through the day- and night-time sky.
The series of events will begin with a Friday Night Star Party in the UIS Barber Observatory on Friday, April 3 from 8 to 10 p.m. The observatory will be open for participants to view the night sky through the observatory telescopes.
The observatory is located on the roof of Brookens Library on the UIS campus, accessible by a door on the southeast corner of the library. In the event of uncooperative weather, there will be a special presentation about International Year of Astronomy 2009. The event is free and open to the public; reservations are not required.
On Saturday, April 4, the Sangamon Astronomical Society will be holding a star party at Centennial Park from 4 to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public; reservations are not required. In the event of cloudy weather, the Saturday star party will be cancelled.
On Sunday, April 5, UIS will host “Sun-Day” from 1 to 3 p.m. at the UIS Barber Observatory. Charles Schweighauser and John Martin, UIS professors of astronomy/physics, will give a lecture about the Sun, featuring photos and video footage of the sun taken through UIS’ 14-inch telescope. The lecture will start at 1 p.m. and will take in the Public Affairs Center, room F.
Weather permitting, the campus observatory will be open following the lecture for the public to look at the Sun through the telescope, and the Sangamon Astronomical Society will also have telescopes set up for viewing. The Sun should not normally be viewed through a telescope; however, special equipment will be installed on the telescopes for this event to ensure safe viewing of the Sun.
“Sun-Day” is free and open to the public; reservations are not required.
To complete the 100 Hours of Astronomy celebration, UIS will host a Sunday Night Star Party for people with disabilities, beginning at 7 p.m. at the UIS observatory. A modified eight-inch Schmidt Cassegrain telescope will be used for this Star Party, which has a fixed eyepiece to bring the image to the viewer and can accommodate anyone from a large person in a high wheelchair to a child in the lowest, smallest wheelchair.
Reservations are required for the Sunday Night Star Party. To make reservations, contact Schweighauser at 217/206-6721.
Day for "Celebration of Animals and Nature in Myth and Legend"
The University of Illinois at Springfield will be hosting an event called “Celebration of Animals and Nature in Myth and Legend” on Tuesday, April 7. The event is presented by UIS’ College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Office of Undergraduate Education ECCE Speaker Series, along with the Lincoln Memorial Gardens and Illinois’ Nature in Legend and Story.
The event will feature seasoned storytellers, who will explore some of the ways in which cultures define themselves through unique relationships to fauna and flora. The program will look at ways in which nature and culture combine in the construction of human, as well as tribal, identity, so that social issues are inseparable from environmental concerns.
The keynote presentation, “Celebration of Animals & Nature in Legend & Myth,” will be held from 10 to 11:45 a.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. ECCE Speaker Series students will receive academic credit for their attendance at this event only.
A Nature Storytelling Workshop for Educators will take place from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., also in Brookens Auditorium.
From 7:30 to 9 p.m., a Storytelling in the Round, Author’s Reception and Book Signing event will be held at Lincoln Memorial Gardens’ Nature Center, Council Ring 3. The cost to attend the evening event is $5; students with a UIS I-card will be admitted at no cost. Due to limited seating, pre-registration is required for this event by calling the Lincoln Memorial Gardens Nature Center at 217/529-1111.
Speakers include James Bruchac, nationally-known cultural educator and author; Dr. Boria Sax, UIS adjunct professor of the course “Animals and Civilization”; Betsy Irwin, education coordinator at Lincoln Memorial Gardens; and Cathy Mosley, president of the Illinois-based Nature in Legend and Story.
Emiquon Field Station presents "Spring Mushrooms and Morels" lecture and nature walk
“Spring Mushrooms and Morels,” a public lecture and nature walk, will be presented at the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station on Wednesday, March 25, beginning at 6 p.m. The program is free and open to the public; reservations are not required.
The program will be led by Dr. James Veselenak, UIS associate professor of Clinical Laboratory Science and Public Health. Veselenak is an experienced mycologist, which is a scientist that studies fungus and mushrooms.
“We will offer a primer on hunting spring mushrooms including the elusive morel,” Veselenak said. “We will learn about the varieties of spring mushrooms seen in this area. Discussed will be tips for hunting - where, when, and more - and the basics of identification.”
The Emiquon Field Station is at The Nature Conservancy’s Emiquon Preserve, located between Havana and Lewistown. The entrance to the field station is on Prairie Road, located off Illinois Routes 97/78, approximately one-and-a-half miles north of the Dickson Mounds turnoff. A sign will be posted, and a map is also available online at www.uis.edu/emiquon/about/images/mapToTNCEmiquon.jpg.
For more information, contact Mike Lemke, Emiquon Field Station Director, at lemke.michael@uis.edu or 217/206-7339.
Rockefeller fellows to discuss gender and sexual orientation
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a Diversity Forum titled “The Role of Women in 2009” on Tuesday, March 24, at 12:15 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The forum is free and open to the public. There will also be a live Webcast of the event; go here to access the Webcast on the day of the event.
Leading the forum as panel members will be fellows from the Rockefeller Foundation’s Next Generation Leadership Program. The program was created in 1997 to create a diverse network of leaders. Program fellows learn to work with individuals from different backgrounds, outlooks and political persuasions with the goal of improving democracy.
Panel members will encourage forum participants to think about issues like fair compensation between men and women and the role of women in positions of leadership in businesses and corporations.
The members of the panel include Sonya Lopez, who works on the recruitment and attrition of first generation college students in her position as the Upward Bound Director at Texas State University; Hilary Morgan, creator and director of Homeward Bound, a transitional housing program for chronic homeless street alcoholics; Arlene Mayzel, vice president and dean of degree programs at Lake Forest Graduate School of Management; and Robert Kallen, founder of RSK Strategies, LLC, which provides expertise and capital to small and growing companies specializing in the food and education sectors.
The event is sponsored by the Barat Education Foundation’s Green Coffey Lecture Series and the UIS Engaged Citizenship Common Experience Speaker Series.
The ECCE Speakers Series at UIS is a campus-sponsored lecture series that aims to exemplify engaged citizenship as part of the university’s effort to foster appreciation for and practice of diversity and the active effort to make a difference in the world.
Upcoming ECCE programs include two showings of the film Milk combined with an “Out in Politics” panel discussion on Friday, March 27, Who Speaks for the Muslim World? with Dalia Mogahed on March 30 and “Lifework of a Bosnian Writer Displaced in Chicago” with Aleksandar Hemon on April 3.
The complete schedule of speakers and topics for the 2009 Spring Semester is available at http://illinois.edu/goto/speakerseries. For information about any ECCE event, contact Kimberly Craig, series coordinator, at 206-6245 or e-mail speakerseries@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host a showing of the movie Milk on Friday, March 27, in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus.
The first showing of Milk will begin at 3:30 p.m. with an “Out in Politics” panel discussion following at 6 p.m., also in Brookens Auditorium. A second showing of the film will begin at 8 p.m. Both showings and the panel discussion are free and open to the public; UIS students will receive priority seating.
Milk stars Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, Diego Luna and James Franco, and tells the story of Harvey Milk and his struggles as a gay activist in the United States.
In 1977, Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man to be voted into major public office in America. While in office, he forged coalitions across the political spectrum. From senior citizens to union workers, Milk changed the nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights before his untimely death in 1978. The film charts the last eight years of Milk’s life.
The “Out in Politics” panel held between film showings will consist of LGBTQ-identified (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning) politicians who will share their experiences on being out and active in the political arena.
The event is sponsored by the UIS LGBTQ Resource Office and the LGBTQ Resource Office Programming Advisory Board.
For more information, contact the LGBTQ Resource Office at LGBTQ@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s ninth annual Science Research Symposium – featuring presentations on applied or theoretical research by undergraduate and graduate students and faculty in science programs at UIS and other four-year colleges in the area – will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 17, on the UIS campus. The symposium is free and open to the public.
Awards will be presented for the best student posters and oral presentations. College-level science presentations are welcome from schools outside UIS. The presentations and a keynote address will be held in Brookens Auditorium, located in the lower level of Brookens Library.
The keynote speaker is Dr. Peter Ward, professor of Paleontology from the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at the University of Washington, who will speak on “Extinctions: Past, Present, and Future” from 3 to 4 p.m. A reception for Dr. Ward will immediately follow the keynote program.
UIS began hosting the symposium in 2001 to recognize the growing number of college students engaged in research projects. Dr. Rebecca Landsberg, UIS assistant professor of Biology and symposium co-coordinator, noted, “The symposium aims to encourage scientific dialog and inform the academic community of scientific research conducted at UIS and neighboring campuses. It is open to undergraduate and graduate students and faculty involved in applied or theoretical research. We particularly encourage presentations by students.”
Other goals include promoting community interest in scientific research and inviting nationally recognized scholars to share information about their own research.
The deadline to submit an abstract is March 27. For details, including format, guidelines and registration, go to www.uis.edu/biology/. The registration fee for presenters is $10; however the fee is waived for students who are members of biology or chemistry student clubs.
Symposium sponsors at UIS are the Biology, Chemistry and Clinical Laboratory Science programs, the Speaker’s Fund, the Research Board and student science clubs.
For more information, contact Landsberg at 217/206-7338 or rland3@uis.edu, or Dr. Yash Mhaskar, assistant professor of Chemistry and symposium co-coordinator, at 217/206-7336 or ymhas2@uis.edu.
PAPS series continues with showing of "War Made Easy"
The University of Illinois at Springfield series Political Art and the Public Sphere continues with a screening of the film “War Made Easy” at 6 p.m. Monday, March 23, in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. Both the film and the discussion session that follows are free and open to the public.
Based on the best-selling book of the same title, written by Norman Solomon, “War Made Easy” exposes various strategies used by administrations, both Democratic and Republican, to promote agendas for war, from Vietnam to Iraq. The film offers an analysis of the role of media in producing popular support and encourages viewers to think critically about the techniques of persuasion used to promote and prolong the option of war.
Each month, Political Art and the Public Sphere will feature a showing or performance of some kind of “political art,” followed by a group discussion of the issues it raises. “The basic idea behind PAPS is to consider how ‘art’ raises provocative social and political questions,” noted Richard Gilman-Opalsky, professor of political philosophy at UIS and coordinator of the series.
“Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate and to circulate ideas and arguments,” he added. “In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power.”
For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.
Highlights from the Vogele Print Collection will be on display at the Visual Arts Gallery at the University of Illinois at Springfield from Monday, March 30 through Wednesday, April 22. An opening reception will be held in the gallery, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Friday, April 17.
The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public. The reception will be held in conjunction with UIS’ Arts Night.
The gallery is proud to present work from a collection of more than 20 prints by leading American contemporary artists donated by Robert and Ruth Vogele to the University’s permanent collection. Included in the collection are prints by Jim Dine, Sol LeWitt and Philip Pearlstein, among others. The Vogeles are alumni of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The Visual Arts Gallery is located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building on the UIS campus. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
For more information, go to www.uis.edu/visualarts or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or by e-mail at gallery@uis.edu.
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s popular Star Parties will begin for the spring on Friday, March 27, and continue every Friday night through May 1, weather permitting. Star Parties are held from 8 to 10 p.m. in the UIS observatory, located on the roof of Brookens Library.
The Star Parties will be hosted by John Martin, assistant professor of Astronomy/Physics. The observatory’s three telescopes will be used to view a number of celestial objects, including Saturn, the ringed planet; the Great Orion Nebula, a nearby cradle of new stars; and the Moon, when visible. Other double stars and star clusters will also be viewed.
At a typical Star Party, visitors learn about galaxies, the sun, stars and stellar evolution, as well as star and constellation identification, prior to using the telescopes. These discussions take place in the stairway gallery of astronomical pictures on the way to the observation deck.
Star Parties are free and open to the public. Reservations are not required, and groups are encouraged to attend. The entrance to the campus observatory is located outside Brookens Library on the southeast corner.
Questions about whether the weather is suitable for viewing should be directed to 217/206-8342 at 7 p.m. on the evening of the Star Party. More information about Star Parties can be found online at http://www.uis.edu/astronomy/about/starparties.html.
For other questions about Star Parties, contact Martin at 206-8342.
Good as Gold ceremony calls for nominations to honor volunteer work
The University of Illinois at Springfield and the Junior League of Springfield have formed a partnership to host the Springfield Good as Gold Ceremony, a recognition event to acknowledge community members and organizations for their volunteer efforts.
The Good as Gold Ceremony will be held on Thursday, April 23 at 4:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. Six award categories will be announced during the ceremony.
Nonprofit organizations are invited to consider up to two individuals who exemplify the true meaning of volunteerism with enthusiasm, dedication, a caring attitude and leadership. These individuals will be automatically selected and recognized during the ceremony as Heart of Gold volunteers.
Other categories for which an individual can be nominated include an award for Distinguished Volunteer, Youth Volunteer and Organization Agent of Service Award. UIS will also honor with Golden Star Awards one staff or faculty member and one student who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service and volunteerism.
In addition, the Junior League of Springfield will feature the winner of its Outstanding Graduate Award, recognizing a local junior high school girl for her leadership and volunteerism.
All nominees will be recognized in a keepsake program for the event and will also receive a certificate of appreciation at the event. Five nominees for the Distinguished Volunteer Award will also be acknowledged during the event with a short presentation. The Distinguished Volunteer award winner will have the opportunity to give a brief presentation to showcase his or her accomplishments within the Springfield community and will receive a donation stipend to give to the charity of his or her choice.
The nomination deadline for all of the award categories is Monday, March 30 at 5 p.m. To nominate an individual for an award, visit www.uis.edu/volunteer or email volunteer@uis.edu.
Annual Etiquette Dinner helps participants with social and business etiquette
An enjoyable and informative dinner featuring instruction in business and social etiquette will be hosted by the University of Illinois at Springfield on Tuesday, March 31, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center restaurant on the UIS campus. The etiquette dinner program is open to the public; however, space is limited, and advance registration is required.
The four-course dinner will give participants a chance to brush up on their table manners and learn other tips that will enhance their careers and personal lives. Beth Reutter, coordinator of the Hospitality Management Program at the U of I campus at Urbana-Champaign, will be the instructor. Reutter, who is a corporate etiquette consultant certified by the Protocol School of Washington, has presented this program to students and other college groups as well as to business groups in the Champaign-Urbana area.
The cost of the event, including dinner, is $10 for current UIS students and $25 for everyone else. The deadline to make a reservation for the program is March 24. Reservations may be made online at www.uiaa.org/spfld or by contacting Alumni Relations by phone at 206-7395 or by e-mail at alumni@uis.edu.
The event is presented by the Office of UIS Alumni Relations/U of I Alumni Association and co-sponsored by the UIS Career Development Center, Student Government Association, Office of Student Life and Graduate Public Service Internship Program. Northwestern Mutual Financial Network is the local business sponsor.
For more information, contact Mary Caroline Mitchell at 217/206-7395.
Emiquon Field Station holds annual Emiquon Science Meeting
The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Emiquon Field Station, in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy and Dickson Mounds Museum, is holding the second annual science meeting titled “Emiquon Science 2009: The Rebirth of Emiquon.” The event will be held on Thursday, March 12, at the Dickson Mounds Museum, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Emiquon Project is one of the largest floodplain restoration projects in the nation and was started in 2007. UIS established the Field Station at Emiquon in 2008, which is used for many research and learning opportunities for both the UIS community and general public.
Bill Mitsch, internationally-known wetland ecologist and professor at The Ohio State University, will be the keynote speaker for the annual meeting. His talk, “Restoring the Mississippi River Basin: Wetlands, Rivers, Floodplains and Delta,” will focus on how the Mississippi-Ohio-Missouri river basins contribute to Gulf Hypoxia and how restoration may pave the way toward fixing this problem. Mitsch has received numerous awards in the field of ecology, including the 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Wetland Scientists and the 2005 Theodore M. Sperry Award from the Society for Ecological Restoration International.
The meeting will be comprised of both oral presentations and poster presentations related to ecology or research at the Emiquon Preserve. Morning topics include water quality at Emiquon, wetland and waterbird monitoring and more. The afternoon is comprised of poster sessions, and the event will conclude with a tour of the Emiquon Preserve and Field Station. For a complete schedule, go tohttps://edocs.uis.edu/mlemk1/www/Emiquon2009_final.pdf.
Cyber Defense and Disaster Recovery Conference focuses on protecting online data
“Keeping Secrets Safe: Protecting Your Data” is the subject of the Cyber Defense and Disaster Recovery Conference to be held Friday, March 13, in the Studio Theater, first floor of the Public Affairs Center, at the University of Illinois at Springfield. The conference is hosted by UIS' Computer Science department, in conjunction with InfraGard Springfield and the Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance. Advance registration is required.
Janis Rose, conference chair and instructor of Computer Science at UIS, noted, “Identity theft is big business in today’s economy, and protecting business and personal data is about more than using a shredder. What information are our children posting online that increases their vulnerability? What data protection strategies can companies use to fill in gaps and improve results?”
Breakout sessions will focus on various relevant topics, including cyber bullying, identify theft, corporate data leakage, cloud computing, foreign intelligence collection, hacking and remote access.
“Participants will learn effective problem-solving techniques based on real-world applications,” said Rose. “This is a unique opportunity in Springfield. Professionals in all fields are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to learn what they can do to better protect corporate and personal data.”
Conference speakers will include John Bace, Vice President, Gartner’s Compliance & Risk Management Research; John Bambenek, SANS Internet Storm Center; Mike Bernico, GSEC Network Service Analyst; Adam Hansen, Manager of Security, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP; John D. Johnson, John Deere; Bob Kowalski, Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation; Sarah Migas, High Tech Crimes Bureau, Office of the Illinois Attorney General; Gary Monnard, St. Ambrose University; Ken Pappas, Vice President Security Strategies, Top Layer Security; and Jeff Thompson, Certified Expert Penetration Tester Central Management Services, State of Illinois.
The deadline to register is Monday, March 9. The $30 registration fee includes lunch. CISSP credit and CPDUs will be available to those who request them.
InfraGard is a partnership between the FBI and leaders in business, education and government. CSSIA is the first comprehensive Information Technology Security and Data Assurance Center in the Midwest. Partial funding for this conference has been provided by the National Science Foundation ATE Program.
Expanding Your Horizons encourages young women in math, science and technology
“Expanding Your Horizons in Math, Science and Technology” – a hands-on conference designed specially for girls in sixth, seventh and eighth grades – will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, on the campus of the University of Illinois at Springfield. Advance registration is required, and space is limited.
The event is presented by the American Association of University Women - Springfield Branch, and is sponsored by UIS and The Children’s Center, a Memorial Health System affiliate.
Many cutting-edge careers of the future will involve science, math and technology and will be wide open to well-prepared young women. Girls who attend this conference can choose three sessions from more than 20 hands-on, experiential workshops. Separate workshops for parents and teachers will be held concurrently.
Girls’ workshops will allow participants to interact with successful women who are scientists, physicians, engineers, architects and professionals in many other careers traditionally held by men. They will meet other girls with similar interests and learn about career opportunities for women in these fields.
A partial list of topics includes Online Businesses, Bone Engineering, At the Scene of a Crime, Space Walking, Green Architecture, Protecting the Earth with Ethanol and Digital Photography Editing.
The workshops for adults will provide essential information on how to encourage girls to take classes that will keep their options open as they approach college and choose careers. Topics for these sessions include Your Daughter’s Future – Too Important to Leave to Chance, Stress: How to Help Teens Cope and Be Healthy, and Tools for Planning for College…and Paying for It!
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.
Sunday Night Star Parties held for people with disabilities
The University of Illinois at Springfield is holding several Star Parties for people with disabilities throughout the spring in the UIS observatory, located at the top of Brookens Library on the UIS campus. Star Parties are free, but reservations are required.
Weather permitting, the dates of the Star Parties include Sunday, March 8, Sunday, April 5, and Sunday, May 3. The events begin at 8 p.m. and will include a short presentation before the viewing. The featured objects for viewing will be the first-quarter moon and the ringed planet Saturn.
Sunday Star Parties are conducted by Charles Schweighauser and John Martin, UIS professors of astronomy and physics. The sessions use a telescope designed to give people with disabilities access to the sky.
The modified eight-inch Schmidt Cassegrain telescope at UIS uses a fixed eyepiece that brings the image to the viewer. This eyepiece can be moved backward and forward in its tube to be able to accommodate anyone from a large person in a high wheelchair to a child in the lowest, smallest wheelchair. The telescope is the first one of its kind in the world.
For more information or to make a reservation for a Sunday Star Party, contact Schweighauser at 206-6721 or cschw1@uis.edu.
Political cartoonist visits UIS for exhibit, ECCE series and PAPS program
The University of Illinois at Springfield series Political Art and the Public Sphere (PAPS)will resume for the spring 2009 semester with an open discussion with syndicated columnist and political cartoonist Ted Rall on Friday, February 27 at 1 p.m. in the Visual Arts Gallery, located in Health and Sciences Building room 201 on the UIS campus.
Rall's collection of cartoons, called Search and Destroy, will be on display at the Visual Arts Gallery from Thursday, February 26 through Monday, March 23. He will also participated in an Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker’s Series artist’s talk in the Brookens Auditorium on Thursday, February 26 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. An opening reception will follow, including food and refreshments, in the gallery from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The exhibit and both events are free and open to the public.
Rall’s first cartoons were published in the Kettering-Oakwood (OH) Times. Inspired after meeting pop artist Keith Haring in a Manhattan subway station in 1986, Rall began posting his cartoons on New York City streets.
In 1991, Rall’s cartoons were signed for national syndication by San Francisco Chronicle Features, and later moved to Universal Press Syndicate. His cartoons now appear in more than 100 publications around the United States, including the Los Angeles Times, Tucson Weekly, Willamette Week, Newark Star-Ledger, Village Voice and The New York Times.
Rall considers himself a neo-traditionalist who uses a unique drawing style to revive the aggressive approach of Thomas Nast, who viewed editorial cartoons as a vehicle for change. His focus is on issues important to ordinary working people. His work comments on un- and under-employment, the environment and popular culture, and political and social trends.
During the PAPS event, Rall’s political cartoons will be on display in the gallery, followed by an open discussion with Rall about his cartoons.
Each month, Political Art and the Public Sphere will feature a showing or performance of some kind of “political art,” followed by a group discussion of the issues it raises. The basic idea behind PAPS is to consider how ‘art’ raises provocative social and political questions, noted Richard Gilman-Opalsky, coordinator of the series and professor of political philosophy at UIS.
“Public spheres are the places where people come together to communicate, to evaluate, and to circulate ideas and arguments,” Gilman-Opalsky said. “In the public sphere, people form a collective political opinion and will. Ultimately and ideally, the public sphere brings the interests and demands of the public to bear on those who hold power.”
For more information about this program or the PAPS series, contact Gilman-Opalsky by phone at 217/206-8328 or by e-mail at rgilm3@uis.edu.
For more information about the Visual Arts Gallery, go to www.uis.edu/visualarts or contact the gallery at 217/206-6506 or gallery@uis.edu. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
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 ofUIS 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.
Voices in Praise Choir to participate in Old State Capitol event
The Voices In Praise Choir (VIP) from the University of Illinois at Springfield will be one of eight to ten local choirs participating in the “Amazing Grace – A Time of Spirituals” event at the Old State Capitol on Saturday, February 7. The event will run all day with singing from the local choirs and a showing of the movie Amazing Grace, which details the ending of the slave trade in Europe through William Wilberforce.
The day will culminate with all of the choirs joining together at President Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb to sing “Amazing Grace.” The event commemorates Lincoln’s 200th birthday and celebrates the end of slavery.
The Voice in Praise Choir will perform at 11 a.m. at the Old State Capitol and will sing four pieces: “Down by the Riverside,” “Swing Low,” “Wade in the Water” and “Kum Ba Yah.”
The choir will also be performing the same selections at the Faith Temple AME Church during its annual Black History Month Breakfast on February 28 at 10 a.m.
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host its ninth annual Technology Day from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 18. The focus of this year’s program is “EnviroTech: Educational Technologies that Advance Sustainability.”
The day features demonstrations, discussions, and poster and breakout sessions led by members of the UIS academic community that highlight a variety of topics designed to showcase interesting and innovative ways that the campus is using technology in education.
All activities will be held on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS and are free and open to the public. Participants are welcome to attend some or all of the sessions.
Dr. Donald Spicer, associate vice chancellor for Information Technology and CIO at the University of Maryland, will deliver the keynote address at 11:30 a.m. in conference rooms C/D. Spicer’s topic is “IT’s Role in Campus Sustainability Efforts.”
Presentations and technology demonstrations will follow the keynote address and continue until 4:30 p.m. Topics include teaching and learning techniques, resources, services and other creative uses of technology.
UIS sponsors of the event include the Academic Technology Committee, Brookens Library, Information Technology Services, Office of Web Services and Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning.
Prizes and light refreshments will be provided. Additional details and information for guests with special needs are available by contacting Tulio Llosa, director of Educational Technology at UIS, at 206-7755 or by going to www.uis.edu/technologyday.
The Whitney M. Young Graduate Fellowship Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield will host a spring symposium to showcase the work of students who are current Fellows. The symposium will be held on Friday, February 20, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in conference room G in the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public.
The fellowship program is open to full-time students who are accepted into a graduate degree program at UIS and is designed to help students pursue and complete their degrees in a timely manner. The program also aims to enhance research and leadership skills through regular seminars and by involving students in public service projects that complement their academic disciplines.
The program is named after the late Whitney M. Young Jr., former Executive Director of the National Urban league, educator, and activist. The program carries on his legacy and is focused on graduate students who are underrepresented at UIS, including ethnic and racial minorities, first generation college students and students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
During the symposium, current Fellows of the program will speak about both academic and public service work they have done this year in the classroom and in the community. Students have been involved with projects this year that include mentoring school-age and college students and working with a variety of community organizations.
Light refreshments will be served at the event. Those interested in becoming part of the fellowship program are also encouraged to attend. For more information about the symposium or the fellowship program, contact Cecilia Cornell, director of the program, at 206-7430.
11th annual Springfield Collegiate Career Fair to be held at UIS
The career planning and placement offices of the University of Illinois at Springfield, Lincoln Land Community College, Robert Morris College and Springfield College in Illinois/Benedictine University will host the 11th annual Springfield Collegiate Career Fair from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, in the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The primary audience for the free event is current students and alumni of the four participating institutions.
Representatives from approximately 100 area employers are expected to be on hand. A partial list of those already confirmed includes Archer Daniels Midland, Illinois workNet Center, and Scentsy.
Tammy Craig, director of the Career Development Center at UIS, noted, “This is the most high profile event held on campus for students who would like to talk with local and national businesses as well as agencies of the local, state and federal government. The professional atmosphere gives students the chance to make positive first impressions on company representatives.” Craig added that, in addition to searching for a job, students are encouraged to attend the fair for networking and gathering general information.
Beyond information about actual job openings, the fair is designed to provide an open information exchange about different organizations, hiring trends and the best routes to future opportunities. For potential employers, it is a chance to disseminate pertinent information and to develop a pool of candidates interested in future opportunities, internships and summer openings as well as permanent employment.
Information for students, alumni and others: Pre-registration is not required; business-casual attire is required and participants should bring copies of their resumes to the fair. UIS’ Career Development Center is also offering opportunities for advance preparation with several programs. “Career Fair Prep Expo: Making the Most of Career Fairs” will be held in the Public Affairs Center, across from the Food Emporium, on Thursday, February 5, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 4:30 to 6 p.m., and on Friday, February 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Just In Time Career Fair Prep Workshop” is on Wednesday, February 11, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Career Development Center, Student Affairs Building 50, and a workshop on “Recession Proof Job Search Techniques,” sponsored by the University of Illinois Alumni Association, is on February 18, from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Career Development Center.
For current UIS students and Career Development Center clients, a “Last Chance Resume Critique” will be held on Friday, February 13, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Career Development Center.
Information for employers: Advance registration is required. Free booth space will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is available online at http://www.uis.edu/careerservices. For more information, contact the Career Development Center at 217/206-6508.
UIS’ Career Development Center is located in room 50 of the Student Affairs Building, phone 217/206-6508. An updated list of employers participating in the Career Fair, as well as the web-based programs UIS-SUCCESS and CareerSearch are available on the center’s website at http://www.uis.edu/careerservices.
UIS hosts Carol Moseley Braun for HistoryMakers series
The University of Illinois at Springfield will host United States Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun for The HistoryMakers’ Dr. Frances G. Carroll 2008-2009 Speaker Series on Wednesday, February 4. A reception will be held at 5:30 p.m. before the program begins at 6:30 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located in Brookens Library on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public.
The event is part of a series titled Agents of Change, and the speaker series is named in honor of University of Illinois Trustee Dr. Frances G. Carroll, who will be present at the program.
The HistoryMakers, a Chicago-based, independent nonprofit, is the nation’s largest African-American video oral history archive. It uses state-of-the-art technology to chronicle the lives of well-known and unsung African-Americans.
The HistoryMakers has partnered with the University of Illinois to offer the Agents of Change series, interactive exhibits on all three campuses and a summer fellowship for University of Illinois students. Through collaborative efforts, the U of I and The HistoryMakers are heightening awareness of African-American achievements. Earlier on Feb. 4, there will be an interactive exhibit featuring material from The HistoryMakers archives from 11:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. in conference rooms C/D, located on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center.
The Agents of Change speaker series highlights and honors individuals who have affected great change in society. Carol Moseley Braun, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago, will be participating in the UIS Agents of Change event.
In 1978, Moseley Braun was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives where she was an advocate for education. After only two terms in the House, she was selected to become the first African-American woman in Illinois history to serve as Assistant Majority Leader.
In 1992, she became the first African-American woman ever to be elected to the United States Senate. In 1999, President Bill Clinton appointed her Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa, a role she served in until 2001. She is now the founder and president of Good Food Organics, parent company of Ambassador Brand Organic Products.
Moseley Braun will be talking with students and visiting classes in the morning before the evening program. The event is co-sponsored by the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series at UIS.
Overflow seating for the program will be available in conference rooms C/D with a televised viewing of the program, and the program can also be viewed through a live webcast at www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html. To attend the program, call 217/206-8497 or email ga_aas@uis.edu by January 28 to make a reservation. For more information about The HistoryMakers, go online to http://www.thehistorymakers.com/.
By Nick Rogers, for the University of Illinois at Springfield
Fire stoked in a belly or fear struck in a heart isn’t a traditional measure of success for a piece of music. For Jay Ungar, that essence is inherent to the hits of the ‘60s.
The 1860s, that is.
“Without recordings and radio and all that, many more people played an instrument, and everybody sang,” says Ungar, a fiddler and mandolin player. “It was part of the fabric of the culture. Music also had an effect during the war, when a powerful song like ‘Battle Cry of Freedom’ was said to actually affect the outcome of battle.”
The Civil War, and its preceding tensions, dictated the emotions behind much of America’s popular music from the 1840s to 1860s. However, those tunes echoed not just a tumultuously changing society or combat’s chaos, but also a trans-generational importance of home comforts, family milestones and community togetherness.
In that more joyous spirit, the University of Illinois at Springfield will host “An Early Birthday Party for A. Lincoln” at 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31 in Sangamon Auditorium.
Headlining this musical bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth will be Ungar and his wife, Molly Mason, who plays mandolin, guitar and piano. The duo is best known for “Ashokan Farewell,” a haunting instrumental immortalized in popular culture by its memorable use in “The Civil War,” Ken Burns’ 1990 PBS documentary. Ungar and Mason will perform that, along with many 19th-century tunes.
Accompanying them will be two Springfield arts groups with UIS connections – the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Band and the Springfield International Folk Dancers. Including those groups, says Sangamon Auditorium director Robert A. Vaughn, continues the auditorium’s ongoing mission to foster local collaboration and expand outreach.
“We’ve made great strides to improve that sense of university ownership while further strengthening collaborative ties with civic arts organizations,” Vaughn says. “It provides the opportunity to see the auditorium as more than just a place that people can go and see performances, but as a tool to enrich curriculum.”
For this artistic complement to Lincoln’s bicentennial birthday on Feb. 12, Vaughn purposely avoided scheduling it at the same time as other planned celebrations.
“I thought it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to try to crowd the calendar at that time, but to have a more modest celebration out on campus,” Vaughn says.
Modest, perhaps, but its deep fidelity to the time period is, in one instance, literal icing on the cake. Shortly after its mustering in 1861, the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry became one of few such regiments to have its own 12-member band. Today, the band is a 25-member group of central Illinois musicians who wear Civil War-style cavalry uniforms and play antique brass instruments and re-produced drums.
Conducting the cavalry band is Todd Cranson, assistant director of co-curricular music at UIS and director of the UIS band and chamber orchestra. Cranson’s polished-ebony baton, inlaid with silver, once belonged to the leader of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry Band, which frequently performed for Abraham Lincoln.
Cranson also has collaborated with Ungar and Mason on adapting their existing arrangements to include the cavalry band’s instrumentation. Although string groups and brass bands of the day often played the same songs, they rarely played together. Modern amplification has simplified blending the instruments, Cranson says.
Among the folk dancers joining the cavalry band onstage during “The Mary Lincoln Polka” will be Amy Zepp – a UIS graduate student in public administration and a graduate assistant at Sangamon Auditorium.
“People were just starting to learn the traditional polka that we think of today,” Zepp says of that selection’s period-specific choreography. “It will be similar to what people are familiar with now, but somewhat more traditional. The positioning of the couple will be farther apart, as such close dancing was considered inappropriate.”
Lastly, in the auditorium lobby after the performance, complimentary birthday cake – from a Mary Todd Lincoln recipe – will be served, along with punch and coffee.
When selecting Ungar and Mason to perform, Vaughn was particularly stricken by the suitability of “Ashokan Farewell.” Ungar composed the piece in 1982 as an elegy for the end of a musically memorable summer. Eight years later, Burns used it numerous times during “The Civil War,” and the tune propelled the soundtrack to a 1991 Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album.
Ungar says he may have “unintentionally Americanized” the Scottish lament style with “Ashokan Farewell.” But it since has become synonymous with both the era’s musical style and a general sense of human sadness or longing.
“We hear from a lot of people who’ve not ever seen the ‘Civil War’ series who write me almost in shock, asking, ‘Why am I crying when I hear this tune?’ It’s gratifying to know it touches many people in that way,” Mason says.
“I thought it was embarrassing to play that tune with tears coming out of the corner of my eye,” Ungar says. “But when I saw it did the same for others, it was magical.”
Prior to the concert, Ungar will present a fiddling workshop discussing his music at 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 in the Visual and Performing Arts Building. Those interested in participating may call (217) 206-8405.
Alongside “Ashokan Farewell” on the Jan. 31 program will be selections tied to the country’s mid-19th-century mood, Lincoln’s musical preferences and his political legacy.
“The Vacant Chair” sadly chronicles a family gathering with a seat left open in memory of a fallen soldier. A sing-along medley that Ungar and Mason dub “Hits of the ’60s” will touch on popular Union and Confederate melodies.
“We came to understand that the songs of the north were sung in the south and vice versa,” Ungar says. “We were still one cultural unit in some ways. Everyone knew all the songs, and the most powerful ones, the other side would have their own lyrics for them.”
Mason hopes to perform “Listen to the Mockingbird,” an 1855 song reported to be Lincoln’s favorite and one that has lived on as a fiddle-contest favorite.
“The identity in the music we’re looking at here has a very strong emotional content,” Ungar says. “It is very playable and danceable, and has lyrics that speak very directly of people’s feelings, inner life and higher goals to aspire to.”
“It’s one part educational and one part historical to a modern audience, but the major portion is for entertainment,” Cranson says. “The kind of thing it seems Abe liked the most is fun.”
Tickets for “An Early Birthday Party for A. Lincoln” are $37 and are available: online at http://www.sangamonauditorium.org/; by calling (217) 206-6160 or toll free at (800) 207-6960; or from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office.
The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield will hold open auditions for the 2009 spring production – As You Like It by William Shakespeare – on Sunday, January 25, and Monday, January 26, beginning at 7 p.m. both nights, in the Studio Theatre, located on level one of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. Call-backs will be at the same time and place on Tuesday, January 27.
Auditions are open to anyone, with or without experience. UIS Director of Theatre Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson, who will direct, noted that everyone auditioning is strongly encouraged to read the play in advance. He added that headshots and resumes, as well as brief prepared monologues, are appreciated but not mandatory. Anyone interested in working backstage on the production should also plan to attend one night of auditions.
As You Like It is generally regarded as one of Shakespeare’s finest comedies. The setting is France, where Duke Senior -- usurped and exiled by his brother, Duke Frederick – has gone into hiding in the Forest of Arden with his followers. Duke Senior’s daughter, Rosalind, is permitted to stay at court because she and Frederick’s daughter Celia are close. However, Rosalind soon falls in love with Orlando, and when the young man is forced to leave court to escape persecution by his older brother, Rosalind (disguised as a boy) and Celia (disguised as "his" sister) also flee to the Forest. After much confusion, mistaken identity, and love-struck pining, Duke Frederick repents, Duke Senior is restored to his rightful position, and everybody lives happily ever after. (Plot synopsis from The Shakespeare Resource Center at http://www.bardweb.net/)
Thibodeaux-Thompson also noted that this production of As You Like It will be translated into a modern-day setting, while remaining faithful to Shakespeare’s original play.
A limited number of scripts are available for 24-hour checkout from UIS’ Brookens Library. In addition, some copies are available for 24-hour check-out, with a refundable $10 cash deposit, from the Communication/Theatre program office in UIS’ University Hall, room 3010, phone 206-6790, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.
Rehearsals will begin Sunday, February 1, and are generally scheduled for Sunday through Thursday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. Production dates are April 17, 18, 19 and 23, 24, 25.
More information about auditions is available at www.uis.edu/theatre/auditions.html or contact Thibodeaux-Thompson by phone at 206-6613 or by e-mail at ethib1@uis.edu.
Variety of spring events honor Lincoln Bicentennial
UIS will host a variety of programs during the 2009 spring semester in observance of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial.
Applications are being accepted for the Lincoln Legacy High School Forum -- a statewide contest for high school juniors and seniors co-sponsored by UIS and the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Three categories of competition are: Historical Essay, Creative Expression in the Written Word, and Performance/Visual Arts; the first prize in each category is a one-year tuition scholarship to UIS. Winners will come to campus to present their work to the public in April. Entries must be postmarked by January 2, 2009. Get complete information
Jay Ungar and Molly Mason will lead a musical "Early Birthday Celebration for A. Lincoln" at 8 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Sangamon Auditorium. Their performance of Ungar's composition "Ashokan Farewell," heard in Ken Burns' The Civil War, earned the couple an Emmy nomination and a Grammy award. Special guests for this program are the 10th Illinois Volunteer Cavalry Regiment Band, directed by Todd Cranson, assistant director of co-curricular music.
In February, WUIS will broadcast a number of special programs focusing on Lincoln. More information about "Lincoln the Poet," "Lincoln the Lawmaker," and "Lincoln and Humor," including broadcast times and dates, will be available from the WUIS website.
On Saturday, February 21, faculty and students will present a readers' theater production of Ronald Gow's one-act play The Lawyer of Springfield beginning at 7 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. A discussion session with the audience will follow the performance.
At 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 28, Wynton Marsalis will lead the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra in a concert at Sangamon Auditorium. This "extraordinarily versatile" orchestra is composed of leading jazz soloists performing a repertoire that ranges from their own compositions to jazz classics.
From April 2 to 17, a juried "Lincoln Legacy" exhibit of selected artwork from the High School Forum will be on display in the VPA Access Gallery.
All three U of I campuses are hosting events in the University's Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration. Get more information.
Host of NPR's This American Life will present "Radio Stories and Other Stories"
Popular National Public Radio host Ira Glass will visit the University of Illinois at Springfield's Sangamon Auditorium on Saturday, December 13, at 8 p.m. to present "Radio Stories and Other Stories," based on his award-winning Showtime and public radio shows. The event is sponsored by ACE Hardware and 91.9 WUIS Public Radio.
Glass is the affable host and producer of the quirky hit show This American Life, now heard by millions of public radio listeners each week and recently adapted for television by Showtime. He travels the country meeting everyday people from all walks of life telling "unexpected stories that happen to be true." Glass will share some of his favorite yarns and answer questions from the audience when he visits Sangamon Auditorium.
Glass began his career as an intern at National Public Radio's headquarters in Washington, DC, in 1978, when he was 19 years old. Over the years, he worked on nearly every NPR news program and held virtually every production job – including tape cutter, newscast writer, desk assistant, editor, producer, and substitute host (for Talk of the Nation and Weekend All Things Considered) -- in NPR's Washington headquarters. He moved to Chicago in 1989 and put This American Life on the air in November 1995. Under Glass' editorial direction, the program has won the highest honors for broadcasting and journalistic excellence, including the Peabody and DuPont-Columbia awards, as well as the Edward R. Murrow and the Overseas Press Club awards.
Tickets for this event are $42 or $37 and are on sale now. Order tickets, or call the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office at 217/206-6160 or toll free at 800-207-6960. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the Ticket Office, which is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Individual tickets to all Visiting Artist Series and Family Events are on sale now, and tickets to Broadway shows go on sale approximately six weeks prior to each event. Patrons can receive a discount through the Create Your Own Series option by choosing at least five events from the Visiting Artists Series, Broadway Series, and Family Events. Please call the Ticket Office for more information.
About Sangamon Auditorium, UIS Sangamon Auditorium, located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Springfield, hosts more than 120 performances annually. Also home to the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Springfield Ballet Company, it is the only auditorium of its kind and size in the Springfield area, with a seating capacity of 2,018. Sangamon Auditorium continues to fulfill its mission of presenting and supporting varied cultural and educational professional arts activities to audiences in Springfield, Sangamon County, and the surrounding areas. The auditorium administrative offices can be reached at 217/206-6150 or by e-mail at onstage@uis.edu.
Jashn-e-Azadi (How We Celebrate Freedom) presented by the director, Sanjay Kak
1:30 p.m., Sunday, December 7, Brookens Auditorium
Discussion session will follow
The film is a provocative look at democracy in India's 60th year of independence, through Kashmir, India's only Muslim majority state -- a reflection on power, resistance, and freedom.
Sponsor: Illinois Network on Islam and Muslim Societies
Music groups at the University of Illinois at Springfield will present their annual Fall Showcase concert beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, December 12, in the Studio Theatre, located on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. The event is free and open to the public; however tax-deductible contributions to the UIS Music Student Merit Award will be accepted.
The UIS Chorus will perform a variety of vocal selections including secular music by Mozart, an Agnus Dei setting by Hassler, American folk songs, and a contemporary composition featuring a Zimbabwean proverb. The UIS Chamber Orchestra will perform works by Respighi and Hindemith. Three small ensembles will perform Renaissance works, and the UIS Jazz Workshop will share their interpretation of some American classics.
The UIS Band will pay homage to the 200th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln with two works -- Francis Scala's Union March, written for Lincoln's 1861 inauguration, and Aaron Copland's A Lincoln Portrait, featuring David Kuhn narrating as Civil War General Benjamin H. Grierson.
Audience members who arrive early can hear a pre-concert lecture by Jessica Davis, graduate student in musicology at the U of I at Urbana-Champaign. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. in the Studio Theatre lobby; doors will open for the concert immediately following the lecture.
For more information, contact Sharon Graf, associate professor of Ethnomusicology, at 206-6570.
Two performances of "A Merry TubaChristmas" will be held Saturday, December 13, in downtown Springfield. The first performance will be inside the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum at 1 p.m., followed by a second performance (weather permitting) on the steps of the Old State Capitol at 2 p.m. The concerts are open to the public and are free, except for the price of admission to the museum.
All tuba and euphonium/baritone players in the area are invited to take part in the concerts, which are sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and the University of Illinois at Springfield. Both concerts will be directed by Todd Cranson, UIS Director of Bands.
Created by Harvey Phillips in 1974, Merry TubaChristmas is celebrating its 35th anniversary with concerts in over 200 cities throughout the United States and in several foreign countries. Under the program, tuba and euphonium players of all ages gather every Christmas season to pay respect to the great artists/teachers who represent their heritage. While the size and make-up of each TubaChristmas ensemble varies by community, every performance features traditional Christmas carols specially arranged for the first TubaChristmas -- December 22, 1974, in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza -- by American composer Alec Wilder.
Musicians who would like to play in the concerts should register at Union Station across from the Lincoln Museum at 11 a.m. There is a $5 registration fee, and music books will be available for $15. A short rehearsal will be held in the station at noon. All participating musicians will be admitted to the museum free.
For more information, contact Cranson at 217/206-7549, or Jerry Dunn at 217/854-7442.
UIS Visual Arts Gallery to hold annual silent auction
The Visual Arts Gallery at the University of Illinois at Springfield will hold its 18th Annual Benefit and Silent Auction fundraiser Tuesday, December 9, through Thursday, December 11. Art in every medium – including paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics, and photography – will be on display for silent bids each day in the gallery, located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building on the UIS campus. The event concludes Thursday evening with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. in the gallery, with final bids placed at 7 p.m. The reception is free and open to the public.
Gallery manager Morgan Carroll said that donations of artwork will be accepted through December 3. Inclusion of donated items is subject to approval by the faculty of UIS' Visual Arts department.
The auction is the gallery's only fundraiser and all proceeds are used to support future exhibitions. The 2008 fall season included "Talking Stones," an exhibition by visual and performance artist James Luna, and "An Indian from India/Bollywood Satirized," a group of selected works from two exhibitions focused on culture by photographer Anuu Palakunnathu Matthew.
Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Contact Carroll by phone at 206-6506 or by e-mail at gallery@uis.edu for more information or to arrange to drop off a donation.
UIS student groups to present "Patriotic American Muslims through History"
"Patriotic American Muslims through History," a panel discussion on the contributions American Muslims have made to this country through to the present day, will be presented at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, December 4, in conference room C/D, lower level of the Public Affairs Center at the University of Illinois at Springfield. The event is free and open to the public.
Sponsors are UIS student groups Muslim Students Association and Peace Students Organization.
Panelists will include Dr. Maryam Mostoufi of the Islamic Society of Greater Springfield and the Greater Springfield Interfaith Association, and Dr. Baker Siddiquee, UIS associate professor of Economics. The discussion will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.
The Peace and Muslim Students organizations work to unite people of all religions, races, castes, origins, ethnicities, colors, and sexes; promote peaceful and nonviolent solutions to problems; and encourage peaceful means of negotiation.
For additional information, contact Mohammed Khaleel Yacoob, PSO/MSA vice-president, at 405/537-5081.
His Excellency Roy Ferguson, ambassador from New Zealand, will be the featured speaker Wednesday, December 3, at a lunch at the Prairie Heart Institute's Dove Conference Center. The event is part of the Ambassador Series co-sponsored by the University of Illinois at Springfield and WSEC-TV. Advance reservations are required.
The program begins at 11:30 a.m., with lunch served at noon.
At the lunch, Ambassador Ferguson will share business, economic, and political insights from his distinguished career in public service, which includes ambassadorships to South Korea and North Korea and other foreign affairs positions. A question-and-answer period will follow his presentation.
This is the second event in the Ambassador Series. Future programs include: His Excellency Welile Nhlapo, ambassador from South Africa (January 22); His Excellency Oleh Shamshur, ambassador from Ukraine (March 11); and His Excellency Wegger Christian Strommen, ambassador from Norway (date TBD).
Cost for the remaining five events is $720 for a table of eight for the series, and $90 per person for the series.
For more information, contact Stacey Willenborg at 217/206-6058.
Host of NPR's This American Life will present "Radio Stories and Other Stories"
Popular National Public Radio host Ira Glass will visit the University of Illinois at Springfield's Sangamon Auditorium, on Saturday, December 13, at 8 p.m. to present "Radio Stories and Other Stories," based on his award-winning Showtime and public radio shows. The sponsors are ACE Hardware and Public Radio WUIS 91.9.
Glass is the affable host and producer of the quirky hit show This American Life, now heard by millions each week and recently adapted for television by Showtime. He travels the country meeting everyday people from all walks of life telling "unexpected stories that happen to be true." Glass will share some of his favorite yarns and answer questions from the audience when he visits Sangamon Auditorium, UIS.
Glass began his career in 1978, when he was 19, as an intern at National Public Radio's network headquarters in Washington, DC. Over the years, he worked on nearly every NPR network news program and held virtually every production job in NPR's Washington headquarters. He has been a tape cutter, newscast writer, desk assistant, editor, producer, and has filled in as host of Talk of the Nation and Weekend All Things Considered. He moved to Chicago in 1989 and put This American Life on the air in November 1995. Under Glass's editorial direction, the program has won the highest honors for broadcasting and journalistic excellence, including the Peabody and DuPont-Columbia awards, as well as the Edward R. Murrow and the Overseas Press Club awards.
Tickets for this event are $42 or $37 and are on sale now. To order tickets visit www.SangamonAuditorium.org or call the Sangamon Auditorium Ticket Office at (217) 206-6160 or toll free at 800-207-6960. Tickets can also be purchased in-person at the Ticket Office, which is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Individual tickets to all Visiting Artist Series and Family Events are on sale now, and tickets to Broadway shows go on sale approximately six weeks prior to each event. Patrons can receive a discount through the Create Your Own Series option by simply choosing at least five events from the Visiting Artists Series, Broadway Series, and Family Events at UIS. Please call the Ticket Office for more information.
About Sangamon Auditorium, UIS Sangamon Auditorium, located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Springfield, hosts more than 120 performances annually. Also home to the Illinois Symphony Orchestra and Springfield Ballet Company, it is the only auditorium of its kind and size in the Springfield area, with a seating capacity of 2,018. Sangamon Auditorium continues to fulfill its mission of presenting and supporting varied cultural and educational professional arts activities to audiences in Springfield, Sangamon County, and the surrounding areas. The auditorium administrative offices can be reached at (217) 206-6150 or by email at onstage@uis.edu.
The campus will host a number of activities in observance of World AIDS Day, Monday, December 1
11:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m., PAC F
Free AIDS testing
2:30 - 7:30 p.m., PAC C/D
Movie and dialog
Second Life (UIS virtual reality) - Scavenger hunt and dance
Suffice, the Center for First-Year Students - chorus, writers, & poets speak out against AIDS
6 p.m.
Special guest speaker: Nigerian artist Ibiyinka Alao, first-place winner of the 2001 UN International Art Competition
Co-sponsors: BASUAH (Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS); Illinois Department of Public Health, Office of Minority Services; and UIS African-Caribbean Student Organization, African Student Association, Center for First-Year Students, Counseling Center, Diversity Center, Health Services, Office of Student Life, Office of Technology Enhanced Learning, and Public Health program
Brookens Library will host an evening with legendary author Ray Bradbury, via a live satellite interview, beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 19, in Brookens Auditorium. The program and a reception in the PAC restaurant immediately following are free and open to the public.
Bradbury is the author of such classics as Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and Something Wicked This Way Comes. From his home in Los Angeles, he will discuss his life and work in a conversation with Dr. Loren Logsdon, professor emeritus of English and Western Civilization & Culture at Eureka College. Logsdon, a friend of Bradbury and an expert on his writing, will open the evening with a short address.
Bradbury is a native of Waukegan, Illinois, and one of 35 Illinois authors whose names are engraved on the fourth floor frieze of the Illinois State Library. Fahrenheit 451 is a cautionary tale about a media-obsessed society where citizens have stopped reading. Some of its themes are censorship, freedom of expression, and the effects of television and technology on society.
The program is part of The Big Read in West Central Illinois. For more information about the program at UIS, contact the office of the dean of Library Instructional Services at 6-6597.
UIS to host artist's talk "Strangers in a Familiar Land"
The Visual Arts Visiting Speakers Series at the University of Illinois at Springfield will present "Strangers in a Familiar Land," a brown bag talk featuring Jeff Curto, beginning at noon on Friday, November 21, in UIS' Visual Arts Gallery. The event is free and open to the public.
Curto (left) is coordinator and professor of photography at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, where he has taught since 1984. His presentation at UIS will complement and expand on "Indians from India," the concurrent exhibition by contemporary photographer Annu Palakunnathu Matthew. Matthew’s work references 19th century colonial photography in this country and India.
The Visual Arts Gallery is located in room 201 of the Health and Sciences Building on the UIS campus. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For further information, go to www.uis.edu/visualarts/ or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or by e-mail at visarts-ga@uis.edu.
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