Students help the Central Illinois Foodbank while giving thanks

The University of Illinois Springfield Housing Residents Council (HRC) hosted its annual “Fall Feast” on Thursday, November 19, 2009 in the Lincoln Residence Hall great room.

Students who live in on-campus housing were treated to a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings for only a dollar donation to the Central Illinois Foodbank. The students were also encouraged to donate canned food as part of the UIS Holiday Stars Project.

“I think it’s really good and helps the community,” said Erin Clinch, UIS freshman education major. “It’s nice for people who can’t afford a good Thanksgiving dinner and it makes you feel good to help people out."

HRC raised nearly $200 last year from the “Fall Feast” on top of the canned food they collected. Organizers expected almost 300 students to go through the buffet line this year.

“You really can’t beat the goodness of giving a can for a Thanksgiving dinner with your UIS family because a lot of the times it’s hard to get back to see everyone from school,” said Margaret Martinotti, UIS junior and HRC Vice Chair for Programming.

The pre-Thanksgiving meal also served the dual purpose of allowing students to connect with one another before they leave campus for holiday break.

“I know my friends at other colleges don’t get as many activities as I do here,” said Clinch. “It’s really nice to just walk down from your dorm room and there’s dinner.”

Nationally Acclaimed "Intern Queen" visits UIS

The University of Illinois Springfield welcomed Lauren Berger, “The Intern Queen” to speak to students about opportunities and answer questions on November 11, 2009 in Brookens Auditorium.

Berger is called “The Intern Queen” because she completed 15 internships during her 4 years of college. She started her own intern company, Intern Queen Inc. in 2006, with the goal of raising internship awareness and connecting students with their future.

“Students are a little lazy sometimes. I was a little lazy as a student and it’s just a little bit of a hand holder and if I can be that person they look at and say wow the ‘Intern Queen’ really helped me with these jobs then I’ve done what I’ve set out to do,” said Berger.

The UIS Career Development Center along with the Student Government Association sponsored the event. The presentation included a panel discussion featuring local businesses and their internship opportunities for students.

“We get a lot of students who come in to do their resumes and other things and get coaching and some haven’t even thought of doing an internship,” said Rachel Hasenyager, Career Development Center Employee Relations Recruitment Coordinator.

Berger was recently named one of BusinessWeek’s Top 25 Entrepreneurs 25 and Under. “The Intern Queen” has been featured in Business Week, E! News Online, New York Post, Chicago Public Radio, Young Money, and Seventeen magazine.

UIS hosts International Advisers

The University of Illinois Springfield hosted five EducationUSA advisers from Azerbaijan, Peru, Philippines, Oman, and Russia as part of a U.S.-based training program on Monday, November 2, 2009.

EducationUSA advisers are posted at centers around the world to help foreign students learn about higher education in the United States. The group also shared information about admissions processes for students in their home countries.

"We get an inside perspective from the advisers face to face as to what's going on in their countries, what challenges their students face and what their academic interests are," said Dana Atwell, ESL Coordinator in the Office of International Programs.

The advisers spent time in Springfield participating in cultural events as well as informative meetings and workshops. They will visit college campuses around the country and also travel to Washington, D.C.

UIS worked with Study Illinois, a consortium of over fifty accredited institutions of higher learning to bring the group to Springfield. UIS also hosted the annual meeting for the organization during the visit by the international advisers.

UIS kicks off Holiday Stars Project with Trick-or-Eat for the Central Illinois Foodbank

The Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at the University of Illinois Springfield will sponsor a Trick-or-Eat competition to collect the most canned goods on Halloween, Saturday, October 31. The Volunteer Center is collaborating with area hospitals and the SIU School of Medicine, who will also be participating in the Trick-or-Eat competition.

The event is part of the UIS Holiday Stars Project, a campus-wide service initiative giving focus to UIS’ efforts to make a difference in the local community during the upcoming holiday season. The overall goal is to collect 4,500 of pounds of food for the Central Illinois Foodbank by December 3, 2009.

“Our campus community has embraced our Holiday Stars Project and is excited about working together to make a difference in the local community during these times of economic difficulty,” said Kelly Thompson, director of the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center.

Teams of UIS students who registered for the Trick-or-Eat drive have been assigned to neighborhoods where they will collect non-perishable food items. The teams have already canvassed the neighborhoods in advance, distributing collection bags, along with door hangers that explain the project.

On Halloween, the teams will revisit their neighborhoods between 4:30 and 8 p.m. to pick up donations. Collected items will be returned & weighed that evening at Central Illinois Foodbanks, and prizes will be awarded to teams that bring in the most pounds of food.

The Holiday Stars Project continues through November, when specially marked collection bins will be placed around the UIS campus. Everything collected during the project will be presented to the Foodbank on December 3, 2009.

The Central Illinois Foodbank serves 160 agencies throughout 21 central Illinois counties and also hosts the Kids Café, part of a nation-wide program through America’s Second Harvest that feeds children a hot, nutritious meal in a safe environment. More information is available at www.centralilfoodbank.org.

For more information about the UIS Holiday Stars Project, contact Kelly Thompson, director of the UIS Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, at 217/206-8448, or go to www.uis.edu/volunteer/holidayproject/

UIS joins National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week effort

Students at the University of Illinois Springfield got a taste of what it’s like to drive drunk during National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week on Wednesday, October 21, 2009.

Students put “beer goggles” on and drove around the quad in a golf cart to simulate the effect of getting behind the wheel intoxicated. The UIS Counseling Center sponsored the event and set up an obstacle course for the students to navigate around.

"The goggles scare you. Once you put them on you don't realize how bad it is to drink and drive because the goggles are for real. You can't see nothing. You're like a zombie," said UIS Sophomore Jeanell Randolph.

"The students that are going to drink and drive are unfortunately still probably going to drink and drive, but I think the other students gain an awareness of what it's actually like to drive intoxicated," said UIS Alcohol & Drug Prevention Coordinator Valerie Scarbrough.

Students also took part in a red ribbon sign-up drive where they pledged not to drink and drive. UIS has celebrates National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week every year along with hundreds of other schools across the country.

UIS students attend AmeriCorps opening ceremony

Students from the University of Illinois Springfield participated in the AmeriCorps open day ceremony at the Prairie Capital Convention Center on October 15, 2009.

“I think it’s great for everyone to come together and see the number of people we have in AmeriCorps in the state, just to see the impact it can have,” said Jordan Jeffers, UIS AmeriCorps VISTA.

Volunteers participated in games that helped them learn about each other and listened to speakers talk about service.

UIS has 16 students that have pledged to volunteer 300 hours a year, which amounts to 5 hours a week.

“I wanted to be part of AmeriCorps because I felt in high school that I wasn’t really involved in community service at all and this was a great opportunity on campus to do a lot of hours,” said UIS freshman John Tienken.

Students later marched to the capitol where they took an oath to serve as part of AmeriCorps.

UIS students rally at capitol to save MAP Funds

Hundreds of college students, including a group from the University of Illinois Springfield, rallied near the state capitol on Thursday, October 15, 2009 to urge lawmakers to fund the Monetary Award Program (MAP).

The students are asking lawmakers to restore $200-million dollars to make MAP grant funds available for the spring 2010 semester. If the funds aren’t restored it could make it hard for some students to pay for school and others fear they might have to drop out.

"The only way we can possibly get it reinstated in time for it to be effective for students to get it in the spring is right now," said UIS Student Government Senator Jaime Casinova.

The cuts to the MAP program would affect about 750 students at UIS who on average receive about $1,900 a semester from the program.

Governor Pat Quinn spoke at the rally telling students he’s working to restore the funds before lawmakers head home at the end of the week.

MAP grants are awarded to students based on financial need and more than 130,000 people across the state receive them every year.

After the rally UIS students met with lawmakers and delivered signed petitions from the campus community asking for the funds to be restored.

Board of Higher Education approves new UIS Bachelor's Degree

The Illinois Board of Higher Education approved a new Management Information Systems bachelor’s degree for the University of Illinois Springfield at its meeting in Chicago on Tuesday.

The undergraduate major is designed to provide students with a balance of technical skills and business knowledge. The program will prepare students for employment in private and public sectors in a changing global economy.

“College students today are interested in interactive learning. The blended delivery of this program facilitates and enhances interactivity,” said Rassule Hadidi, Ph.D., chair of the Management Information Systems Department.

Students will attend face-to-face classes every other week and instruction is done online during the weeks that classes do not meet in person.

“The blended nature of this program makes it suitable not only for local students, but also those in a reasonable driving distance, such as Bloomington, Danville, Edwardsville and Peoria,” said Hadidi.

UIS expects 25 students to major in MIS in the first year and up to 60 students to be enrolled over the next 5 years. UIS will start offering the degree in the fall of 2010, but students can start taking classes for the major now.

UIS has offered a successful Master of Science in Management Information Systems since 1985 with 42 degrees awarded in fiscal year 2008. The master’s program has a 100% in the field placement record for graduates.

“The prospect for graduates of this new BS in MIS program is very bright,” said Hadidi. “The 2009 federal stimulus includes about $20 billion for health care related information technology.”

According to government estimates about 200,000 new Healthcare Information Technology professionals are needed in areas such as design, development, implementation, and maintenance of electronic medical records.

The curriculum for the B.S. in MIS consists of at least 123 semester credit hours from six groups of courses: 37 hours of general education, 13 hours of Engaged Citizenship Common Experiences (required of all UIS undergraduates), 22 hours of foundation coursework, 21 hours of the College of Business and Management core course, 30 hours in Management Information Systems, and approved general electives.

The addition of the MIS degree means that UIS will offer a total of 23 undergraduate degrees effective the next academic year. The university offers 20 master’s programs and 1 doctoral program for a combined total of 44 available degrees.

Visit the MIS website: mis.uis.edu

For more information on the degree contact Rassule Hadidi, Ph.D. at 217/206-7294 or by e-mail at hadidi@uis.edu.

Students volunteer during Homecoming activities

Students from the University of Illinois Springfield are giving back to the community during Homecoming 2009.

The Volunteer & Civic Engagement Center organized a service event for M.E.R.C.Y. Communities on Friday, October 2, 2009. The organization provides a supportive housing and service organization for abused, homeless, and at-risk single mothers and their children.

Students spent the afternoon cleaning, painting, and moving air conditioning units to prepare a housing center for new families.

“I volunteered today just to help out because I figure if no one volunteers to do it they’re going to have to get people either way to do it,” said UIS Freshman volunteer Rachelle DeBerry.

“Having the UIS students come out here is really a big help to us every year,” said M.E.R.C.Y. Communities Director of Marketing Brian Ganz.

For more information on volunteer opportunities call The Volunteer & Civic Engagement Center at 217/206-7716 or e-mail volunteer@uis.edu.

UIS Career Development Center Twitter page honored

The University of Illinois Springfield Career Development Center’s Twitter page is attracting national attention. The Pongo Resume blog ranked the UIS page on the ‘Top 15 College Career Centers You Should Follow on Twitter’.

The Development Center has been using the Twitter page to post daily tips on everything from job interviews to upcoming career fairs.

“After attending conferences it is quite apparent a new recruitment source for employers is to connect with students through social networking venues. The department would like to encourage UIS students to establish Twitter and Linked In accounts to research companies and expand their professional network,” said Tammy Craig, Director of Career Services.

"A number of individuals have already landed jobs through Twitter, and the department would like to encourage more UIS students to try it out by establishing a professional account," added Craig.

Pongo Resume is a web site for the active job seeker that offers resume and cover letter building services. The company has been featured in national publications like the New York Times, Boston Herald and U.S. News and World Report.

If students need assistance either establishing a professional account or navigating social networking sites, please contact the Career Development Center.

Read the Pongo rankings:
http://www.pongoresume.com/blogPosts/393/college-career-centers-you-should-follow-on-twitter.cfm?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social-media&utm_campaign=twitter

Follow UIS Career Development Center on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/UISCareerCenter

Fall into Volunteer Fair teams students with community

The University of Illinois Springfield invited nearly 25 non-profit groups to campus on Tuesday, September 22, 2009 in an effort to get students to volunteer.

It was all part of the first ever "Fall into Volunteer Fair" organized by the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, UIS Housing and the Experiential and Service-Learning Programs.

"I think volunteering is a great way for students to find something to do during their free time on the weekends that gives them some type of extra meaning in their lives," said UIS senior and event organizer Andy Shaffer.

Representatives from Lincoln Memorial Gardens, Illinois State Museum, Boys and Girls Club, Planned Parenthood and Memorial Medical Center attended the event.

Students share stories about studying abroad in Peru

A dedicated group of nine University of Illinois Springfield students spent 17 days this summer learning in Peru. It’s the first time UIS has sent a study abroad group to South America.

The students shared their experiences with the UIS campus during a presentation on September 17, 2009.

The students lived in the former imperial capital of Cusco for a week, they climbed Machu Picchu, a place of retreat for an Inca king and one of the new Seven World Wonders; they navigated Lake Titicaca located 12,500 feet above sea level and stayed with host families on Amantani Island, and also took 28 hours of immersion Spanish!

As part of the class activities and requisites, students in the Peru study abroad course kept a bilingual journal where they wrote (in Spanish) about culture and many learning activities of the day, and they wrote (in English) critical reflections about issues related to social responsibility, environmental practices, cultural practices, history, and political resistance.

Students say they’d love to have the chance to go back to the country and say next year’s study abroad trip is already being planned.

For more information on Study Abroad visit the Office of International Programs website or contact Veronica Espina at 217/206-8300 or vespi1@uis.edu.

Health Services works to prevent seasonal and H1N1 flu

University of Illinois Springfield Campus Health Services is now offering seasonal flu shots to students, faculty and staff. The shot does not protect against the H1N1 virus, but Health Services expects to have that vaccine on hand by mid-October.

The seasonal flu shot costs $15.00 for UIS students and is free to employees who have State of Illinois insurance. Non-insured staff can get the shot for $18.00 and employee’s significant others for $20.00.

Campus Health Services Director Lynne Price says the best way to prevent either flu is by washing your hands. She says people also need to cough or sneeze into their sleeves and stay home when they have a fever over 100.

Price says H1N1 is milder than the common flu, but it spreads more readily. She says about 97% of the flu cases happening now are H1N1 and only 3% appear to be seasonal.

Seasonal Flu Shot Clinic Dates:

Thursday, September 17, 2009
9am - 3pm

Tuesday, September 22, 2009
9am - 5pm and 6pm - 7:30pm

Wednesday, September 30, 2009
9am - 5pm

Monday, October 5, 2009
9am - 5pm

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

9am - 5pm and 6pm - 7:30pm

All shots will be given in Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Rooms C & D.

If you have questions call Campus Health Service at 206-6676

UIS Hosts Campus Blood Drive

University of Illinois Springfield students, faculty and staff members rolled up their sleeves to help save lives Monday. The Clinical Lab Science Club sponsored a blood drive and bone marrow typing event at Lincoln Residence Hall.

The drive was put on by the Central Illinois Community Blood Center, which is the main source for blood for 19 hospitals in central and southwestern Illinois.

This is the first time the blood center has teamed up to offer bone marrow typing, which puts donors on a match registry for people in need.

Almost 50 people donated blood during the drive at LRH.

Future UIS Blood Drives:

Monday, November 16 , 2009
Public Affairs Center (Sponsor: Graduate Professional Union)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Public Affairs Center (Sponsor: Student Government Association)

Monday, April 19, 2010
Lincoln Residence Hall (Sponsor: Clinical Lab Science Club)

MAP Grant Cuts Felt on UIS Campus

State budget problems could mean less financial aid for students at the University of Illinois Springfield. The Illinois General Assembly cut all funding for the Monetary Award Program (MAP) for the Spring 2010 semester. The Fall 2009 semester is still being fully funded by the state.

The cuts to the MAP program would affect about 750 students at UIS who on average receive about $1,900 a semester from the program. The UIS office of Financial Assistance has sent out an e-mail to students warning them about the cuts.

Many students have traditionally used the MAP grant program to help them fund their college education. UIS Director of Financial Assistance Dr. Gerard Joseph says the university is talking to lawmakers in an effort to get them to restore MAP funds.

“We are hoping that students will not panic and get anxious and just drop out of school and not wait until we figure out where we stand in this situation,” said Joseph.

MAP grants are awarded to about 150,000 college students statewide every semester.

For more information about MAP grants visit the Financial Assistance office website at or call 206-6724.

UIS sets record for fall enrollment

Enrollment at the University of Illinois Springfield this fall is the largest ever in the institution’s 39-year history. The total number of enrolled students at UIS is 4,961. It is a 5% increase (250 students) over last fall’s total of 4,711 students.

“We are very excited about the fall enrollment numbers. They demonstrate the value attached to the high quality education UIS delivers for students from all over Illinois. These numbers are attained by programs at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, in many academic areas. And this in spite of some very tough economic conditions. We are most gratified,” said Chancellor Richard Ringeisen.

There are 3,027 undergraduates at UIS this fall, compared to 2,889 last fall. UIS has 1,934 graduate students, which is 112 more than last fall.

“The retention of students continuing their education at UIS continues to grow, which reflects the quality of education that is offered here,” said Admissions Associate Director Lori Giordano.

Additionally, the university has a record number of students living on campus this fall. There are 1,089 students living in the UIS apartments, townhouses, and Lincoln and Founders residence halls compared to 1,030 last fall.

Online learning grows in popularity

Online programs at UIS are continuing to experience overall growth, according to Ray Schroeder, Director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service.

More than one-fourth of the student body at UIS is majoring in online degree or certificate programs, with online majors totaling 1,301. This represents an increase of 8.4% from last fall’s 1,200 online majors.

“Online enrollments at UIS have increased for a remarkable 33 semesters and summer sessions in a row,” Schroeder noted. “This fall’s numbers once again included significant increases in the number of students majoring in online degree and certificate programs. UIS has built a national reputation for excellence in online teaching and quality online degree programs at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels.”

General online enrollments are also higher than last fall, with 4,300 students enrolled in at least one online class, compared to 3,875 last year – an increase of almost 11%. Online enrollments, also called seat counts, are the total number of seats that are filled in online classes.

With increases in online enrollment, UIS is also seeing a 10% increase in faculty members who are teaching an online class, with 154 this fall compared to 140 in fall 2008.

“While the growth of the online program at UIS has spanned more than a decade, recent increases seem to be fueled by the economic downturn. The quality of UIS online classes, coupled with the flexibility and accessibility of the classes, has made UIS online an attractive option for students seeking to advance their education while continuing to work,” Schroeder said.

Theatre Open House & Season Preview

UIS Theatre held an open house to show new and returning students what they have planned for the 2009-2010 season. Three productions featuring a mix of student and community actors will start in November.

The first show is Neil LaBute’s The Shape of Things set to run November 13-15 and 19-21, 2009. The play 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.

UIS “Student Directed Scenes,” which showcases the final projects of the students in the Fall ’09 “Directing for the Theatre” class will take place on December 8 and 9, 2009.

The last performance will be Milan Stitt’s The Runner Stumbles set to run April 23-25 and 29-May 1, 2010. The play is set in a remote northern Michigan parish in 1911 where a young nun mysteriously dies. The parish priest is charged with the crime.

Performances will take place starting at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00 p.m. on Sundays in the Studio Theatre in the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus.

For more information about the plays and auditions visit the UIS Theatre website at: http://www.uis.edu/theatre/

UIS students volunteer during Service-A-Thon

Students from the University of Illinois Springfield rolled up their sleeves to help out the community through volunteering. It was all part of the Service-A-Thon organized by the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center as part of Welcome Week 2009.

Volunteers spent time at Washington Park in Springfield clearing shrubs from a hiking trail in order to restore it to a more natural look. Students also went to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center to put together school kits to be shipped overseas. Other students put together cancer survivor packets at the American Cancer Society office in Springfield.

Students are encouraged to sign up in an effort to provide service to the community, meet new friends and learn skills.

For more information about volunteer service at UIS and future events visit www.uis.edu/volunteer/.

Welcome Week 2009 Activities

The University of Illinois Springfield greeted new and returning students with a variety of activities during Welcome Week 2009.

The Diversity Center held an open house in an effort to bring students of all races and backgrounds together. Students gathered to talk about what they have in common and what makes them unique.

The Involvement Expo on the UIS quad featured nearly 50 student organizations that help out in the community and promote education. Springfield-area businesses also joined in the expo to show students what they have to offer.

The 2009 "Foot in the Door" Fair was sponsored by the Career Development Center and brought 52 employers to campus. The goal of the fair was to bring students face-to-face with employers to discuss part-time jobs, internships and other opportunities.

The Office of Disability Services welcomed students during it's open house to show how they help students with special needs in the classroom. The office works with professors to make sure needs are met for students with chronic or temporary illness.

To also see slide show of welcome week activities click on the below link:

Welcome Week slide show

Chancellor's picnic welcomes back students

Clear blue skies helped welcome students back to campus during University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Richard Ringeisen’s annual picnic. Students got to shake hands with the campus leader and enjoy a variety of food while listening to music.

“It shows a variety of the different types of students we have and it also gives the faculty and staff a chance to interact with the students,” said Ringeisen.

The celebration is part of Welcome Week 2009, which also includes an open house at the Diversity Center, Involvement Expo on the Quad and the Foot in the Door Job Fair.

To also see slide show of welcome week activities click on the below link:
Welcome Week slide show

College of Business and Management signs 2+2 agreements

The College of Business and Management at the University of Illinois Springfield has announced that it has signed Articulation (2+2) Agreements with William Rainey Harper College and Illinois Central College for degrees in Business Administration, Economics and Management. A 2+2 agreement is a partnership that facilitates the transfer of students from a two-year college to a four-year university.

A four-year course plan has been mapped out for the students at Harper and Illinois Central colleges that will ensure that they take the necessary foundation courses to prepare them for any of the three undergraduate degree programs of Business Administration, Economics, and Management offered by the College of Business and Management at UIS.

“In this economy, it’s especially important that every course a student completes fulfills a degree requirement,” noted Dyanne Ferk, associate dean for the College. “These Transfer Agreements give students, advisors and parents a guarantee that courses completed at the community college will count toward degree completion at UIS.”

A 2+2 agreement creates synergy between the faculty of both colleges because they have ongoing communications concerning transferring students and maintenance of the degree plans, according to Ferk. Students also benefit from having academic advising from the senior university while still at the community college.

“Transfer agreements such as 2+2 agreements greatly benefit students,” said Eric Rosenthal, director of Academic Advising and Counseling and transfer coordinator for Harper College. “They make it very clear to the student which classes he or she must take at the community college to transfer most efficiently to the 4-year institution.”

Steven Carlisle, academic advisor of Business & Information Systems at Illinois Central College added: “One of the most important benefits for Illinois Central College students who choose the 2+2 agreement is knowing what classes they will be taking at both schools. It gives them a checklist of items to work through as they are on the academic journey; it allows the student to be comfortable with the classes they take at ICC, which will then transfer to UIS.”

UIS currently has 2+2 agreements with two other colleges, Lincoln Land Community College and Heartland Community College, in the areas of Business Administration, Economics and Management.

The College of Business and Management at UIS is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International and offers programs that prepare students for challenging careers and positions in private and public sector organizations. Graduate degrees are also offered in Accountancy, Business Administration, and Management Information Systems.

Founded in 1967, Illinois Central College is a two-year, fully accredited institution of higher education located in Peoria, Illinois.

William Rainey Harper College was founded in 1967 and is a two-year, fully accredited institution of higher education with campuses located in Palantine, Prospect Heights, and Schaumburg.

For more information, contact UIS’ College of Business and Management at 217/206-6533.

Convocation kicks off 2009-2010 academic year

By Courtney Westlake

The University of Illinois Springfield kicked off the 2009-2010 academic year with a Convocation ceremony on Thursday afternoon, August 20.

Provost Harry Berman welcomed UIS' 21 new faculty members and introduced them to campus, while Chancellor Richard Ringeisen spoke about UIS' accomplishments over the past year and its goals for the future.

"We always have a choice about how we’re going to approach any year," Ringeisen said. "I choose optimism, while being realistic. I choose gratitude for the resources we have, instead of anxiety about what we still want. I choose to be hopeful about the future, and I think we have good reason to be."

Ringeisen began his presentation by highlighting many examples of excellence from UIS graduates, including a recent graduate who was also the first in his family to graduate not only college but high school as well.

He reflected a lot about the past year and the way the public has begun to view UIS. He announced that after last year's U.S. News and World Report listed UIS as the fourth best public in the Midwest for 2009, the 2010 report was released today and UIS achieved the same ranking.

"That establishes us as a top flight public university," he said.

He also touched on UIS becoming a Division II school in the NCAA, being placed on the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll and the university's recent acceptance into the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC), among many other achievements from the year.

"You may have seen the COPLAC announcement, but what you didn’t hear was the evaluators say to Provost Berman and me that UIS might be the most exciting university in the nation right now, because of everything we’re doing and where we’re heading. It’s why I’m so optimistic and choose to look ahead today," he said.

Ringeisen challenged everyone to pause and "to see ourselves as others see us," he said.

"We’re on the rise. We’re on the journey. I am tempted to declare that we have arrived, three years after finalizing our strategic plan with a bold vision and lofty goals," he said. "In many ways we have arrived – when you see us as others see us."

The state budget hit the university hard this year, Ringeisen noted, but said it's a time to remember "my favorite analogy: 'When a ship is in a storm at sea, you don’t shut the engines down.'"

This year will give UIS the opportunity to continue to focus on its top three goals - academic excellence, enriching individual lives, and making a difference in the world - in addition to focusing more on its fourth goal, strengthening the campus culture.

New faculty and staff hires, new investiture ceremonies for faculty, the creation of customized Web sites called portals, new openings of universities centers, the upcoming celebration of the 40th anniversary and a new Public Safety Building were all highlighted by the Chancellor.

"I commend you for all of your work that has led to the recognition we are now receiving. We don’t do what we do for the recognition, of course; we do it for our students, so that they will have the best possible educational experience," Ringeisen said. "But if you see UIS as others see us, you know this is an institution on the rise."

Watch convocation at
http://www.uis.edu/its/otherservices/webcasting.html

Despite storms, UIS freshmen move-in goes smoothly

By Courtney Westlake

The new freshmen class at UIS braved the storms and tornado sirens on Wednesday, August 19, as they loaded up all of their suitcases, computers and other personal items from their cars and carried everything in to their new rooms in the two campus residence halls during move-in day at UIS.

"In the 29 years of openings that I've been involved with in campus housing, this is the first year that we've operated under a tornado warning, so that's added a new wrinkle to the organized chaos," laughed John Ringle, director of UIS Housing. "I think it went fairly smoothly, all things considered."

When the campus notification came through from the campus police that there was a tornado warning in the mid-afternoon and the sirens began to sound, the housing department moved in all of the students, their parents, and campus volunteers who were helping outdoors and made sure they were under cover, Ringle said.

"It's not something we plan for, but we had contingency plan that went into effect virtually flawlessly," Ringle said.

Ringle noted that UIS is likely to surpass the 1,100 number of on-campus students, which the university has never reached before.

"In fact, last year we cracked the 1,000 barrier," he said. "I think we've got more students living on campus, and we also have more transfer students and graduate students. I always like to be 100 percent occupied, or even 101 percent to be on safe side, but I think we'll be in the high 90s."

Move-in day for the freshmen class is always a team effort from many people on campus, Ringle said.

"I want to thank the groups we had helping - all of the volunteers -and it's been a great opportunity for them to network and meet some of the new students as well," he said.

Seven students receive awards from EXS-L Programs at UIS

Seven students at the University of Illinois Springfield have received Outstanding Student Awards from Experiential and Service-Learning Programs at UIS. The awards were presented in May for placements and portfolios undertaken in 2008.

Katherine Shaffer and Stephanie Miller are recipients of the Craig Brown Outstanding Applied Study Term (AST) Student Award. The award honors Craig Brown, Political Studies professor emeritus who also served as a member of the AST faculty for more than 20 years.

Applied Study Terms are individualized field experiences, approved and supervised by UIS faculty, that give students an opportunity to apply theory, expand knowledge, determine additional learning needs, and explore careers while earning academic credit. To be nominated for an Outstanding AST Award, students must demonstrate excellence in several areas, including self-learning, personal growth, reflection, and the acquisition of new skills.

Shaffer served as a Marketing Intern at the Laketown Animal Hospital, helping to manage the hospital’s “Healthy People, Healthy Pets” event, writing press releases and a monthly newsletter, creating employee incentives and learning about the industry.

Miller created a portfolio titled “Forensic Scientist for a Semester” based on her experience in the Illinois State Police Research & Development Laboratory. Miller’s work helped to produce a report that recommended a change to the state police forensics manual.

Kemberly Martin is the recipient of the Walden-Irwin Credit for Prior Learning Program Outstanding Student Award. Credit for Prior Learning is a portfolio-based assessment for students who have acquired college-level, experiential learning outside the classroom. CPL evaluates experiences such as professional training, certification, volunteer work, independent research projects, military service, and more that may qualify as college credit.

Martin’s portfolio spans from her childhood years through her adult life including her time serving as a Medical Laboratory Technician in the U.S. Air Force and as a civilian employee working in the Pentagon during the attacks of September 11, 2001. Through her Narrative Essay, Martin incorporates learning theory from her AST class and also from her own independent learning to help her thoroughly identify, evaluate and describe her experiential learning.

The Barbara Jensen-Schweighauser Outstanding Public Service AST Award was given to Scott Allen and Shana Stine. The award is named for a UIS emeritus AST faculty member who worked in AST for 19 years and is given to students who demonstrate excellence in self-learning, personal growth, and the acquisition of new skills in their individualized field experiences and who intern in the public service sector.

Allen was placed in the Illinois Department of Corrections Jail/Detention Standards Section and assigned to review inmate grievances and determine if investigations were necessary. He conducted investigations and had to work with personnel issues that were beyond the scope of a normal internship.

Stine created a new non-profit organization named “Jump for Joel” after having served as a volunteer in the Gathiga Children’s Hope Home in Nairobi, Kenya. With her leadership, Jump for Joel has raised more than $17,500 to support the orphanage.

Lastly, the Dr. Elaine Rundle-Schwark Service-Learning Award was given to Rebecca Brown and Teela Whyte. The award was named for the Experiential and Service-Learning Programs director who wrote the first Service-Learning course offered at UIS and designed the minor in Social Responsibility and Leadership Development. The award recognizes students who go above and beyond what is required in their Service-Learning coursework.

Brown enrolled in two online service-learning courses in 2008. In the spring semester, Rebecca worked with the hospice in her local area, visiting a family regularly and also working to educate youth on what hospice does. In the fall, she worked with an organization that supported youth with cancer, serving as an activities director for the semester she served there.

Whyte enrolled in “AST 202- Learning and Serving with Homelessness in LA” during summer 2008. Even after the course was over, she continued to volunteer with one of the organizations in the L.A. area, and during the fall 2008 semester, Whyte volunteered to assist with recruitment of students for the course.

All UIS Experiential and Service-Learning Programs courses can be used to fulfill ECCE Engagement and Elective categories. For more information, contact the EXS-L office at 217/206-6640, e-mail exsl@uis.edu or go online to www.uis.edu/exsl.

UIS launches new home page

A new and improved look has arrived on the UIS home page. Last spring and early summer, the UIS Office of Web Services received feedback on how to do just that. Many suggestions have been incorporated in the new page.

Some of the new features include a top row of useful links, a new web-based campus directory, a right-side menu for prospective and new students, hot topics, department highlights, and many more enhancements.

“It's been two years since we redesigned the UIS home page. Technology has changed and so have viewer preferences. We made changes based on our own research and incorporated features most requested by prospective and new students,” said Sherry Hutson, director of the office of web services.

There is an additional new feature - users can select from two color themes. One theme is darker and includes more color. For those who prefer it, there is also a theme with more subdued color and clear dark-on-light contrast for the text.

“Our staff works very hard on the design and programming of the page to make it attractive, functional, and accessible to a wide variety of users,” said Hutson.

Visitors to the website will notice that the way the university’s name appears on the website has changed. Effective immediately, the university is dropping use of the word “at” and will be known as University of Illinois Springfield or, simply, Illinois Springfield. This is a decision by the Chancellor’s Cabinet.

The change modernizes the UIS graphic identity and better reflects it's status as a U of I campus. It also addresses a very real confusion between “at” and “@” when used on the website, our most important recruitment tool. The change does not alter our legal, statutory name, nor does it require purging signage or documents where it does appear. In fact, the original name remains on very permanent structures such as entrance signage, the colonnade, and the tile floors in UHB and PAC.

This new presentation does not contradict anything already in place on campus but will represent the graphic identity to the outside world going forward. There will be a period of transition and, at times, it may seem confusing. If you have questions or concerns, please direct them to Derek Schnapp at dschn3@uis.edu or Michelle Green at mgree1@uis.edu.

Related Links:
UIS Home Page: www.uis.edu/
Office of Web Services: www.uis.edu/webservices/

UIS announces Spring 2009 Deans' List

The students listed below have been named to the University of Illinois at Springfield Deans’ List for the 2009 spring semester. A total of 441 students were selected; 68 are students in the College of Business and Management, 67 are students in the College of Education and Human Services, 268 are enrolled in programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 30 are enrolled in programs in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, and 8 are non-degree or undecided.

To qualify for the designation, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded semester hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

Download a PDF of the list
DeansListSpring2009.pdf

Tuition increases at U of I campuses

Tuition at the University of Illinois at Springfield will be $3,701.25 per semester for full-time freshmen and transfer students enrolling for the first time this fall. The tuition for all three U of I campuses was approved today by the Board of Trustees at an Executive Committee meeting in Chicago.

The new rate is $93.75 more per semester than the rate paid by last fall’s new students and is the smallest increase in several years. The rate is guaranteed not to increase for four consecutive years after a student’s initial enrollment. Illinois’ public universities implemented a guaranteed tuition plan for all undergraduate students in 2004.

The increase amounts to 2.6 percent, which is equivalent over four years to a 1 percent annual increase.

In terms of per credit hour, the new rate is $246.75, only $6.25 more per credit hour compared to last year.

“The trustees felt a more modest tuition increase was appropriate at this time because of the troubled economy,” said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. “We want students and their parents to know that much consideration was given to the difficult circumstances the recession has created for so many people.”

The cost per credit hour for graduate students will increase to $266.25, a $10.25 per credit hour increase compared to last year.

Undergraduate students from Illinois living in a residence hall this fall at UIS will pay a total of $20,350.50 annually. That includes tuition of $7,402.50, fees of $2,288, room and board (Plan B), $9,400, and books/supplies/parking of $1,260.

Undergraduate students from Illinois living in an apartment will pay a total of $17,901.50 annually. That includes tuition of $7,402.50, fees of $2,288, room and board (Plan A) of $6,960, and books/supplies/parking of $1,260.

Ringeisen noted that UIS has a variety of needs on its campus, all centered on maintaining and enhancing academic quality. “Everything we do is designed to provide the best possible learning environment for our students. Strengthening academic quality is paramount followed by addressing facility operations needs and meeting inflationary and other essential cost increases,” he said.

Four Management students receive awards

Four students majoring in Management at the University of Illinois at Springfield have received awards for excellence.

Shannon L. Burrell and Raymond A. Byrd, both of Peoria, Ill., have been awarded the 2009 James C. Worthy Award for their high-quality senior papers. This honor, which includes a monetary award, pays tribute to the late James C. Worthy, a charter member of the management faculty. Each year’s winners are selected by the faculty who teach the course “Strategic Management and Leadership.”

Valerie G. Huels, of Peoria, Ill., is the recipient of the department’s 2009 Highest Academic Achievement Award. This honor, which includes a monetary award, recognizes Huels for academic excellence.

Joshua A. Winkler, of Peoria, Ill., is the 2009 recipient of The Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award, presented annually to a student who best exemplifies managerial competence, both in the classroom and professionally. He received a one-year subscription to The Wall Street Journal.

Housed within UIS College of Business and Management, the baccalaureate Management program prepares students to become leaders in all types of organizations through a curriculum designed to develop critical conceptual and interpersonal skills.

UIS graduates more than 1,100 students

UIS celebrated the graduation of 1,132 bachelor's, master's and doctoral students on Saturday, May 16 during the 38th annual Commencement Ceremony.

See a printable list of graduates' names and degrees

UISGraduationList2009.pdf

Hundreds of UIS graduates celebrate achievements at Commencement

By Courtney Westlake



Emotions from pride to excitement were abundant on Saturday, May 16, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center as graduates, their families and members of the UIS community gathered to celebrate the 38th UIS Commencement Ceremony.

More than 600 UIS graduates gathered in their caps and gowns on Saturday afternoon to receive their hard-earned diplomas in the presence of their proud friends and families in a day that summed up years of hard work and dedication.

"Without question, this is the most gratifying moment of the year for all of us," said Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. "All that we strive for and all that we stand for is really about the preparation for this one day when we celebrate a milestone for our graduates."

Dr. Matthew Holden, Jr., was the 2009 Commencement Speaker for UIS. Holden has been designated as the first Wepner Distinguished Professor in Political Science at the University of Illinois at Springfield. He will become a part of the Department of Political Science in the College of Public Affairs and Administration this fall.

“I am becoming familiar with the UIS vision…three legs like a tripod: academic excellence, enriching individual lives and making a difference in the world,” Holden said.

Holden focused on five different themes in his speech, from friendship to the challenges that come with opportunities and more.

Holden said he would not be where he is today without the “sponsors,” or mentors, who have guided him through life, including his parents, professors and others along the way.

“You do not get anywhere all by yourself,” he said. “Your opportunity depends on somebody else’s sponsorship.”

Making a difference in the world, one of the focuses at UIS, always means meeting someone else’s need, Holden said. However, he added, “as you seek to make a difference in the world, you will find the opportunities are endless, but they are not cost-free.”

Friendships also count when seeking to make a difference in the world, Holden noted.

Paul Gesterling, the student speaker and graduate of a master’s degree in Public Administration,also tied in with Holden’s speech and encouraged his fellow graduates to impact the world in a positive way.

"There are enough graduating classes headed out to save the world, but we could be one of the few to have a deep and lasting impact in Mechanicsburg, Illinois or St. Patrick's School or Enos Park Neighborhood. It may not be glamorous, but it's real and it's human and it's important," Gesterling said. "I'm hoping that leaving here, the UIS graduating class of 2009, will work with a touch of genius and a lot of courage to make a difference on a human scale."

Gesterling urged his fellow graduates to be a part of whatever community they are headed to.

“In my field we call it civic engagement. Whatever your field calls it, get involved. Take an active role in your community with all of your best ideas, beliefs, skills, values, motives," he said. "Not to save the world, but to be human, to be fulfilled and live as a social being for the betterment of your community, your family and yourself.”

With his stories from his own life as examples of his lessons, Holden reminded the UIS graduates to remember, above else, that failure is not final.

“You are wonderful people, but you will stumble; things will go wrong. When you stumble, remember that failure is not final; you get up and struggle on to the next thing,” he said.

Online graduates experience UIS campus during online brunch

By Courtney Westlake



Joy McCulloch moved from Springfield to Anchorage, Alaska in 2002, and wasn't able to complete the master's degree she had begun at UIS. So she was thrilled when she found out in 2007 that UIS was offering a master's degree in legal studies online.

"For me, it worked out really well," she said. "I work fulltime so I was able to be at home and do my studying at home. Lots of times, that was early in the morning or late at night, and with the three-hour time difference, it worked out great."

Dozens of students and their families traveled from across the country, like McCulloch, to participate in UIS' commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16. Before the ceremony, however, graduating online students, many of whom had never stepped foot on campus before, were able to see the UIS campus in the morning during a celebratory online brunch in the Public Affairs Center.

Students ventured to UIS from all over Illinois and as far away as Florida and Pennsylvania over to California, down to Texas and up to Minnesota. The graduates and their families, online coordinators and program faculty were all recognized during the brunch. The group was the largest in attendance in the years that the university has hosted the brunch.

"Congratulations to both the graduates and to the families who have persevered through this - we all applaud you," said Ray Schroeder, director of the Center for Online Learning, Research and Service. "Those of us here are not alone. There are more than 1,200 online degree and certificate majors at UIS."

UIS has been the recipient of multiple awards for online learning in the past few years and has emerged as a leader in online learning and teaching, Schroeder said.

"Many other universities look to UIS for leadership and more particularly, quality, in online learning, so be proud of your degree," Schroeder told graduates. "Our online program is strong and growing, and we look forward to following your successes as you move forward in your careers."

Graduates were thrilled to meet many campus community members, especially online coordinators and faculty, for the first time and celebrate their achievements at UIS.

"The same faculty who taught you those online courses are teaching our on-campus courses," said Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. "That's our way of ensuring that high-quality degree offered on campus is the same high-quality degree you earn online. You should be proud to be a part of the great University of Illinois system."

Traveling to be a part of the Commencement celebrations was exciting for the graduates and their families who attended the brunch.

"I was actually notified by the department head that I was asked to be the Legal Studies graduate marshal, so knowing that I was getting that honor and would get to see my family, I wanted to be here and walk for Commencement," McCulloch said.

UIS invites high school students to spend a Day at the Capitol

By Courtney Westlake



UIS alum Mike Ragen, who now works for the Illinois State Library, took time out from his day on Wednesday, May 13, to spend some time with four sophomores from Greenview High School as he showed them around the Illinois State Capitol Complex and explained the processes and issues within the state government.

The tour was part of the first-ever "Under the Dome - UIS Day at the Capitol" for select students from area high schools. The 30 students who participated were given a first-hand look at a day behind the scenes at the Illinois Statehouse on one of the busiest days of the legislative session.

The students learned about many career opportunities and the skills and education needed to pursue a career related to government or politics from the dozens of UIS alumni and students working in professional positions at the Statehouse.

"It was a great day, there was a lot of high energy, and it was good to see people come in support of us; UIS has some great friends who work in state government," said Ed Wojcicki, associate chancellor of constituent relations for UIS.

The morning of the event kicked off with a tour of the House gallery and a question-and-answer session with Sara Wojcicki, a UIS alum who works in media relations in the Office of Republican House Minority Leader Tom Cross, as well as Jim Fletcher, who is a lobbyist with Fletcher, O'Brien, Kasper & Nottage.

"One unexpected event is that we saw Representative Rich Brauer, and he invited us to come on the House floor," Wojcicki said. "It was very nice for these kids to go on the House floor because most of time, you have to go up in the gallery and look down."

After lunch, the high school students broke into small groups, where they met up with eight different UIS alumni serving in positions from legislative staffer to lobbyist to political reporter, who were able to show them around the Capitol. Students got the opportunity to sit in the press room where the governor holds press conference, stand in the room where the Illinois Senate gathers and more.

The students also attended a panel discussion that included Kent Redfield and Chris Mooney, UIS political science faculty members, Mary Bohlen, professor of communication at UIS, Chris Cray, director of Legislation with the Illinois State Board of Education and UIS adjunct faculty and Charles Wheeler, director of the public affairs reporting program at UIS. Additionally, they took part in a program with statehouse reporter Amanda Vinicky.

"One reason we wanted to do this is because literally no other university can do what we did today, and that is bring a group of kids to Springfield, to the state capitol, behind the scenes of state government, all with people who are friends of the university - and a lot of them who graduated from here - and show them exactly what to expect if they want to have a career in government," Wojcicki said. "And we're located here - a lot of other people could bring students to Springfield for tours or field trips, but we're here, so we do it every day with our students, our interns and our alumni."

"We think UIS is a great school for high school students to come to and experience things in state government if they want to have careers in politics and government," he added.

UIS expands student exchange programs with four new universities

The University of Illinois at Springfield has signed four new agreements with universities outside of the United States to expand its offerings and study abroad opportunities for students, staff and faculty.

UIS has signed a general affiliation agreement with the Universidade Estadual De Maringa (UEM), a state university in the State of Parana, Brazil. The agreement sets the stage for the development of student, staff and faculty exchange programs, collaborative research and team teaching. Faculty members from each university have already made visits to the other’s campus, and this June, Dr. Mike Lemke, professor of biology, and UIS student Rene Debelak will be visiting UEM for microbiological study of the Parana River.

UIS has expanded its cooperative endeavors with Heilongjiang University (HU) in Harbin, China. For more than 10 years, UIS and HU have been exchanging faculty, and with the new exchange agreement, the universities will now begin to exchange students.

The exchange is structured so that UIS students may study at HU for a semester, a full academic year or for part of or all of a summer term at HU. It is anticipated that UIS will offer a summer program in Chinese language and culture at HU during the summer of 2010.

UIS has also established a student exchange program with the University of Hull in East Yorkshire, England. Up to four students per year from each university will be able to study on the other’s campus while paying their home tuition. Students may study for a semester or for the full academic year.

Finally, UIS’ exchange program with the University of Colima in Mexico has been expanded to include an online component. Students from both campuses will be able to enroll in select courses in Political Science starting in the fall of 2009. Courses at the University of Colima will focus on the politics of Mexico, both domestic and international. Students will pay tuition and fees to their home campus.

These new programs complement the existing exchange programs UIS has already established with Saitama University in Japan, and Murdoch and Charles Darwin universities in Australia. UIS is also exploring opportunities in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Dalian and Hangzhou, China and La Plata, Argentina. In addition, short-term programs for the summer of 2010 are being planned for Japan, Mexico, Poland, China and the Netherlands.

For more information on these new programs and on all UIS study abroad programs, contact the Office of International Programs at 217/206-8319 or email intprog@uis.edu.

Four UIS students receive Avery Brundage Scholarships

Four students from the University of Illinois at Springfield have been awarded Avery Brundage Scholarships for excellence in academics and athletics. Each winner will receive a $2,400 award for the 2009-2010 academic year.

The recipients include: Kimberly Bartosiak of Bethalto, Ill., a student in College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who is on the volleyball team; Tiffany Blumhorst of Addieville, Ill., who is in the College of Business and Management and plays softball, basketball and golf; Kristan Delafeld of Des Plaines, Ill., a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and plays on the softball and soccer teams; and Matthew Reynolds of Peoria, Ill., who is a student in the College of Business and Management and is on the basketball team.

The Avery Brundage Scholarship Fund Committee, composed of nine representatives from the faculties and student bodies of the Chicago, Springfield and Urbana-Champaign campuses, selects students from each U of I campus who engage in athletics for personal development, not as preparation for professional sports. In addition, the students must be working toward bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees at the University of Illinois and must be in the upper 25 percent of their undergraduate class or in good academic standing in their graduate program.

The scholarship program was established in 1974 by an endowment from Avery Brundage, University of Illinois alumnus and former president of the International and U.S. Olympic committees.

Graduate student receives fellowship from FMC Technologies Inc.

Michael Dobbs, a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Springfield, has received a Graduate Fellowship from Chicago-based FMC Technologies, Inc. Dobbs, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration in the program offered by UIS in Peoria, will receive $9,000 for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Established in 1971, the fellowship program honors outstanding graduate students in business administration, economics, engineering, finance or related fields. Final selections are made by representatives from FMC Technologies, the University of Illinois, and the U of I Foundation.

Dobbs, who expects to graduate with his MBA in May 2010, completed an Associate Degree in Arts and Sciences at Illinois Central College in Peoria in 2006. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in Accountancy at UIS in Peoria, graduating in May 2008. While studying Accountancy, his accomplishments earned him the Joy Kilmer CPA Scholarship, the Louise Hartman Schewe Scholarship, and the Vollentine-Stanhope Accounting Scholarship.

After graduating in 2008, Dobbs began working as an accountant at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria where he provides professional fund accounting support and related services for the Department of Cancer, Biology and Pharmacology.

Dobbs’ ultimate goal is to obtain a full-time position that enables him to use his experience and education with a quality business or organization in the accounting or financial services industry.

Dr. Paul McDevitt, Director of the MBA Program, nominated Dobbs for the fellowship on behalf of the MBA faculty. He said the faculty characterize Dobbs as a personable and extremely diligent student with a great work ethic and a strong entrepreneurial bent. “Aside from his academic excellence, he has earned the respect of his colleagues for his active leadership and contributions to peers in his cohort,” McDevitt said.

The UIS Peoria MBA format is designed to meet the needs of students who are employed fulltime but wish to complete degree requirements in a timely manner. Courses are offered so that it is possible for students to complete degree requirements in less than two years.

The FMC Educational Fund (formerly the Link-Belt Educational Fund) was established in 1963 by U of I alumnus Bert Gayman, who donated a large block of company stock to the U of I Foundation. Designed to provide education and research opportunities, the fund now gives more than $135,000 annually for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships at the University of Illinois.

See more information about the programs offered by UIS’ College of Business and Management.

UIS students honored at Model United Nations conference

A class of students from the University of Illinois at Springfield who attended the annual National Model United Nations conference was honored with the Distinguished Delegation Award for their efforts at the conference, which was held April 7 to 11 in New York City.

The conference is a simulation of a United Nations meeting. Groups of students from more than 300 schools internationally attended the conference, and each delegation, or group, represented a specific country. UIS was chosen to represent Croatia.

This was the first year that a semester course was created to learn about and attend Model United Nations; in previous years, the university has sent a group from a Model United Nations Club on campus.

Several UIS students also received individual awards at the conference. Priyanka Deo was honored with the Best Chair Award for her role in serving as chairman of the General Assembly. Kelsey Quinn received the Best Delegate Award from among more than 400 delegates. Both Deo and Quinn have been invited to attend a conference in Switzerland this summer based on their work at Model United Nations.

This semester, the class, called Model United Nations and comprised of 12 students, has been studying topics like how the United Nations is organized, foreign policy and diplomacy, and all aspects of Croatia.

“Having a course, we were able to discuss Croatia, its history, its culture and its relations with other neighboring countries,” noted Dr. Adriana Crocker, professor of political science who taught the class. “It was quite an accomplishment to receive several awards, especially because our group was much smaller than most others who attended. It was a great experience for our students.”

UIS Teacher Education honor society inducts new members

The Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Teacher Education at the University of Illinois at Springfield, Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter, held initiation and induction ceremonies for new members on Saturday evening, April 25, on the UIS campus. Kappa Delta Pi recognizes scholarship and excellence in education.

Teacher candidates initiated in the honor society, which represents the top twenty percent of educators, were Amanda Flesch, Tina Freeman, Deana Hunter, Jack Hutchison, Danielle Kreier, Sara Legate, Lacy May, Sara Quigley, Hyun Ah Oh, Emily Orr, Kenneth Reid, Kayla Robinson, Danielle Simler, Lacey Slatton, Jason Winnett, Simon Wilson and Erica Weaver. The candidates were initiated by the chapter counselor, Jennifer Herring, assistant professor of Teacher Education at UIS.

Previous chapter counselor Allan Cook welcomed initiates and assisted with the induction of new Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter officers for the upcoming year: Deana Hunter, president; Tom Hutchison, vice president; Lacey Slatton, treasurer; Kayla Robinson, secretary; Danielle Kreier, historian; and Amanda Flesc, foundation representative.

Graduates and those who completed their Teacher Education certificates and received honor cords included Tina Freeman, Jack Hutchison, Sara Legate, Emily Orr, Kenneth Reid, Danielle Simler and Erica Weaver.

Tamara Douglass, District 186’s 2008 Teacher of the Year in attendance, was the guest speaker at the ceremony.

Teacher Education is a department in the College of Education and Human Services at UIS. The program currently offers a teacher education minor and certification in elementary education and secondary education in the areas of English, math, biological science and social studies.

Good as Gold Ceremony recognizes volunteer efforts in community

In honor of National Volunteer Week (April 19-25), the University of Illinois at Springfield and the Junior League of Springfield hosted the Springfield Good as Gold Ceremony, a recognition event to acknowledge community members and organizations for their volunteer efforts.

The ceremony took place on Thursday evening, April 23, in the lobby of the Public Affairs Center on the UIS campus. More than 50 people were recognized during the event for their achievements and efforts.

UIS honored one staff member and one student who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to service and volunteerism with the UIS Star Staff and UIS Star Student awards. Craig Pelka, a senior at UIS, was the recipient of the UIS Star Student Award. Mary Caroline Mitchell, associate director of the UIS Alumni Office, received the UIS Star Staff Award.

UIS students were also recognized for their involvement in many volunteer projects over the past year, including involvement in the Americorps program and mentoring at Jefferson Middle School and Harvard Park Elementary School. The students were honored with Outstanding Community Service Awards.

The Junior League recognized Allie Beams, a local junior high school student, with their Outstanding Community Service Award.

Jack Flesner, a second-grader at Our Savior’s Lutheran, was the recipient of the Youth Volunteer Award.

The Graham Elementary School Lunch Bunch Mentoring Group was honored with the Organization Agent of Service Award. Members of the group include Daniel Cadigan, Darrell Clark, Andre Jordan, Leroy Jordan, Melvin Jordan, Jonathan Lackland and Edward Pinn.

Five nominees for the Distinguished Volunteer Award were acknowledged during the event with a short presentation. The nominees included Jennifer Allender, Richard Corkery, Kenneth Page, Shana Stine and John Woods.

The winner of the Distinguished Volunteer Award was John Woods, for his work with Camp Care-a-Lot, a summer camp for children ages six to 10.

Forty-four local volunteers were also honored with the Heart of Gold Award. Recipients included:
Randi Alexander, Thomas Armstead, Eloise Baird, Elizabeth Bishop, Floyd and Bobbi Blackard, Mervin Brennan, Jodie Brubaker, Lisa Brunson, Daniel Cadigan, Latosha Caldwell, Dennis and Sharon Chrans, Laura Coffey, Karen Finney, Samuel Finney, Lynn Handy, Jeanne Harris, Jeanne Harvill, Helen Healy, Gloria Henkle, Michael and Barbara Hickey, Michelle Higginbotham, Linda Hinds, Alia Hollenbeck, Tricia Hopkins-Price, Jennifer Isringhausen, Howard Kang, Mary Lawrick, Dannyl Madura, Coleton Meseke, Jill Meseke, Sister Josine Mondloch, Bailie Parfitt, Helen Peters, Joseph Richiusa, Amanda Roberts, Therese Romanelli, Diamond Ross, Steve Roth, Donna Schechter, Noel Scott, Chad Underwood, Debbie Waters, Patricia Wilken and Patricia Wright.

High school students present winning work for contest at UIS

The University of Illinois at Springfield and the Illinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission co-sponsored a state-wide Lincoln Forum Scholarship Contest for students in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of 16th President Abraham Lincoln. First, second and third place winners presented their winning work at UIS on the morning of Saturday, April 4, and were hosted by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in the afternoon, followed by tours of the Lincoln Home and New Salem on Sunday.

“The quality of the students’ work was truly exceptional,” said Dean Margot Duley of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UIS. “Lincoln believed that education is ‘the most important subject that we as a people may be engaged in.’ The students, their parents, their sponsoring teachers and their schools can be justly proud of embracing and embodying that Lincoln legacy.”

This contest was open to Illinois high school students in grades 11 and 12 attending public, private, parochial or home schools, or Illinois students enrolled in high school correspondence/GED programs during the 2008-2009 academic year.

The contest was comprised of three categories, and prizes for each category included one year tuition waiver at UIS or $500 for first place, $250 for second place and $100 for third place.
Category I was called “Historical Essay,” and entrants chose one of the following topics as the focus of their essay: Lincoln on race, Lincoln and wartime civil liberties or Lincoln’s religious or spiritual beliefs.

Mark Podeschi received first place for his Spiritual Views essay titled “Lincoln and his Lord.” Podeschi, of Taylorville, is a student at V.I.T. High School in Table Grove under the guidance of teacher Mary Dawson.

Amy Nosbisch, a Deitrich native, was the second place winner with her Lincoln on Race essay called “Lincoln: Friend or Foe to the African-American Race.” Nosbisch studies under teacher Rebekah Volk at Teutopolis High School.

Taylor Franzen Perkins, from Flanagan, received third place for her Spiritual Views essay, titled “Lincoln’s Binding Thread.” Perkins is a student at Flanagan-Cornell High School.

Category II focused on creative written works inspired by Abraham Lincoln and his legacy. Submissions were accepted in the genres of poetry, short story and dramatic script.

Shelby Adcock, of Table Grove, won first place for her short story submission titled “The Pride of New Salem.” Adcock studies with teacher Karen Lafary at V.I.T. High School.

Joseph Capps, a native of Mt. Vernon, received second place in the poetry category for his work called “Lincoln’s Greatness.” He studies with teacher Melanie Gulley at Mount Vernon Township High School.

Alyssa Huber, of Sugar Grove, won third place for her dramatic script submission titled “Young Lincoln’s Joke.” Huber is homeschooled by Linda Huber.

Category III was “Performance and Visual Arts.” Submissions were accepted in the visual arts fields of painting and drawing, graphic design, printmaking, digital imagery, sculpture, ceramics and glass, textiles, film and video, photography and mixed media, and in the performance arts fields of original music composition, solo performance based on student’s own writing and solo performance based on Lincoln’s own words or speeches.

John Tienken, a native of Clarendon Hills and student at Hinsdale Central High School, received first place for his video/film submission called “A Great American.” He studies with Christopher Freiler.

Jennifer Wilson, of Galesburg, was the second place winner with her work in the Ceramics category titled “A Nation Ripped at the Seams.” Wilson is a student at Galesburg High School under teacher Sheryl Lee Hinman.

Allison Abrahamian, of Burbank, won third place for her work of graphic design titled “Stand with Me.” Abrahamian studies under the guidance of teacher Katherine Kalus at Reavis High School.

Laura Powers, a Springfield native and homeschooled student under Carla Powers, received an honorable mention for her video/film submission called “The Legacy of Abraham Lincoln.”

Student selected as finalist in photography competition

Andy Mitkos, a student at the University of Illinois at Springfield, has been selected as a finalist in the 29th Annual Student Photography Contest sponsored by Nikon and Photographer’s Forum Magazine. His photo, a scene of a plane underwater, is titled “Any Landing You Can Walk Away From...,” and will be published in the Best of College Photography Annual 2009.

This is the second consecutive year that the work of a UIS student has been selected for publication in the annual. More than 4,000 students entered this year’s contest, which was open to photography students worldwide.

At UIS, Mitkos is earning a bachelor’s degree in mass communications and has take two photography courses under Professor Michael Duvall.

Mitkos’ winning photograph was captured while he was scuba diving off the coast of Aruba. He used underwater housing equipment with his camera to photograph the underwater plane.

“I like to use photography in everything I do,” Mitkos noted. “Professor Duvall suggested entering the contest to me, and I entered it not expecting anything to happen. It’s really an honor when your work is recognized by others.”

Established in 1977, Photographer’s Forum Magazine is a quarterly, award-winning publication dedicated to high-quality reproduction of photography in the United States and Canada. It is designed to facilitate communication and experience among emerging professionals.

This year’s judges for the contest were Rob Winner, Brooks Institute of Photography; Peter Glendinning, Michigan State University; and Karen Sinsheimer, Curator of Photography at Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Students give time over Spring Break to assist hurricane victims in Louisiana

By Courtney Westlake

photo

Students with UIS’ Alternative Spring Break and Habitat for Humanity student organizations spent their spring breaks not only soaking up the sun in the south but also assisting Hurricane Katrina victims.

Twenty-four students and two supervisors made the trip to Mandeville, Louisiana to build homes in the southeast Louisiana area.

“We wanted to give back to them since they have been the area of the state that was really affected,” said Jaleesa Earthely, treasurer of the Alternative Spring Break organization. “We wanted to help them get back on their feet.”

“And we wanted to go somewhere hot,” she laughed.

Mandeville is about 30 to 40 minutes outside of New Orleans, and the population has greatly increased since Katrina as New Orleans residents moved more north, said Zach Berillo, another student on the trip.

The UIS group teamed up with a group of students from Wisconsin to work in a section called Carterville, which is an area of Habitat houses.

“We worked on three houses; the framework was already down, and we got to build up the structure,” Berillo said. “And later on, we got to look at some other Habitat houses whose structures were already up, and they were putting up drywall.”

Last year, Berillo accompanied the UIS Habitat for Humanity organization to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and said he enjoyed working outside this year in the nicer weather.

“It felt good because this year we got to be outside building, and I felt like we got to accomplish more,” he said. “We could definitely see how far we came through the building.”

This was the first trip planned by Alternative Spring Break at UIS and the group hopes to continue volunteering over Spring Break in the years to come. The first year was a great experience, Earthely said.

“Hopefully we’ll do it next year and probably go somewhere different,” she said. “The people were very friendly in Louisiana. They knew what we were coming down for, and they said ‘thank you so much’ and were really appreciative.”

Berillo encouraged other individuals or groups to consider helping out in the area affected by Hurricane Katrina.

“It was several years ago, and people don’t think about it as much anymore, but they still need a lot of help down there with rebuilding the areas,” he said.

UIS announces Fall 2008 Deans' List

A total of 471 students were selected for the Deans’ List for the 2008 fall semester. 78 are students in the College of Business and Management, 70 are students in the College of Education and Human Services, 282 are enrolled in programs in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 34 are enrolled in programs in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, and 7 are non-degree or undecided.

To qualify for the designation, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded semester hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

Download a PDF of the Fall 2008 Deans' List:
DeansListFall2008.pdf

UIS Trustee Craig McFarland designated official voting member for BOT

Governor Patrick Quinn has designated D. Craig McFarland, student trustee from the University of Illinois at Springfield, an official voting member of the U of I Board of Trustees. It is only the second time that a UIS student trustee has received that coveted designation.

The Governor gave McFarland voting rights for the remainder of his term on the board, which ends on June 30, after UIC Student Trustee James Winters resigned from his position on the board due to medical and personal reasons. Winters had been serving as the official voting student trustee.

McFarland, from Moline, Illinois, is a senior majoring in political science and communication. He served as the UIS Student Government Association’s Senator to Transfer Students in 2007-08. He is a member of the College Democrats, Students Allied for a Greener Earth, Model Illinois Government, and was active in Students for Barack Obama.

Each of the three U of I campuses elects one student trustee to serve on the board each year, and the governor designates one of the three as a voting member. The designation had always gone to either the Urbana or Chicago trustee until July 2006 when Sarah Doyle became the first student trustee from UIS ever to be given official voting rights. That designation was made by then Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

The U of I Board of Trustees is comprised of 13 members appointed by the governor for terms of six years and three student trustees who serve one-year terms. The governor serves as an ex officio member.

The Journal staff takes home record number of awards at ICPA convention

Staff members of The Journal, the student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Springfield, received 12 awards at the 26th annual Illinois College Press Association convention, held February 20 and 21 at the Doubletree Hotel in Chicago.

Professional journalists and advertising professionals from throughout Illinois judged entries from more than 30 college newspapers across the state. Others schools that UIS competed against included Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, DePaul University, Loyola University, Columbia College, University of Chicago, Bradley University and Northeastern Illinois University.

Students from The Journal and Beyond, The Journal’s news and features magazine published once a semester, won awards in both the open division, which included daily and weekly student newspapers from Illinois, as well as the weekly division for student publications from universities and colleges with enrollments of 4,000 or more.

Three of The Journal’s awards came from the open division. Deborah Crandall took second place for an advertising design that included a graphic of a photo taken of the UIS Colonnade with well wishes for a good summer from Student Affairs. David Amerson’s review of a Springfield sports bar received third place, and Luke Runyon took an honorable mention for his review of a band.

In the weekly division, editor-in-chief Amanda Dahlquist and former Journal public affairs reporter Pete Nickeas won a first place award for their photo essay of pictures taken during Barack Obama and Joe Biden’s visit to Springfield during summer 2008. Luke Runyon also earned an honorable mention for his photo essay of the 2008 UIS Springfest.

Second place went to the Journal Editorial Board in the editorial competition for a piece in which they encouraged students to take seriously their right to vote for the UIS Student Government Association candidates and encouraged candidates to run for the SGA in order to make a difference at UIS.

David Clary also won a second place award for a sports photo he captured showing a UIS soccer player after a losing game.

Greta Myers took third place for a feature story about a couple dealing with Alzheimer’s disease, and Michael Omenazu received a third place award for a sports game story when he wrote about the first UIS women’s soccer team and its inaugural game.

Brittney Meyer received an honorable mention for a column on her first-person account of skydiving, and David Clary received an honorable mention for his column about UIS’ quest for NCAA status. An honorable mention also went to Robert Jackson for a sports feature story when he wrote about the impact of the fans on the game.

UIS student publications adviser Debra Chandler Landis noted, “I am very proud of the students and the honors they received. While Journal students typically win at least some awards each year in the ICPA contest, the 12 awards is a record number for us.”

For more information, contact Landis at 206-7717 or dland2@uis.edu or contact The Journal at journal@uis.edu.

Diversity Center receives award from SCCF for book fund

The Sangamon County Community Foundation has awarded a grant to the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Diversity Center to establish a UIS Book Fund for first-generation students from Sangamon County.

The book fund will provide funds up to $350 for textbooks for first-generation students from Sangamon County. To be eligible for the award, students must be incoming freshmen and demonstrate financial need. The fund will go into effect in July, and students must apply for the award through the Diversity Center. The center is currently seeking donors to add to the fund.

“The UIS Diversity Center is dedicated to help first-generation students to stay in school, achieve their dreams, and becoming contributing professionals following graduation,” said Dr. Clarice Ford, director of the Diversity Center. “The high cost of books should not defer a dream for our students at UIS. This grant from the Sangamon County community Foundation allows us to make a difference between a student staying in college or having to drop out.”

The UIS Diversity Center was established in 2008 with the goal of fostering a supportive environment for students to develop an understanding of differences through educational, cultural and social programming activities and to assist in the recruitment, transition and retention of ethnic minority and underrepresented students at UIS. The Diversity Center promotes intercultural dialogue and other initiatives to create a campus climate that welcomes diversity and eliminates intolerance and stereotyping.

The Sangamon County Community Foundation is a county-wide charity with the mission of building permanent endowments as charitable capital for the local community. The Foundation also promotes effective grant-making to serve both the current and future needs of the greater Springfield area.

CNN interviews UIS students about Obama's visit to Springfield

By Courtney Westlake

Springfield was in the national spotlight on Thursday, February 12, as the city and the nation celebrated the 200th birthday of 16th President Abraham Lincoln, which also included a visit from current president, Barack Obama.

UIS students caught a bit of that spotlight on Thursday afternoon as five of them were interviewed by CNN in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and Library in downtown Springfield. The students spoke about what Obama's visit means to the city and about Obama's election in general.

The students who were interviewed included Guila Ahern, Yolanda Beaman, Charles Olivier, Mike Ziri and Renee Rathjen. One topic that was brought up during the interview was Barack's support for the U.S. troops. Ahern noted that her brother was introduced to Obama before he was sent to Iraq, and the two corresponded.

"I thought it was very impressionable to have senator contacting him overseas," she said. "I think Barack's support of the troops is to be commended."

Rathjen spoke about Obama's support for the homosexual community and gay rights.

"I think this is the first time a politician has really gone out there to include our community," she said. "He has always supported our community, and he even had a specific part of his campaign of "Obama Pride."

CNN's reporter discussed the phenomenon that occurred during Obama's election in which he inspired thousands of Americans to register to vote and become involved in politics.

"As an African-American male, I feel like Barack Obama is really (representative of) the American dream; that's what really mobilized me and inspired me to donate money to his campaign," Olivier said. "All of us contributed to phone banking and reaching out to donors in any way we could."

Ahern echoed his sentiments and commended Obama's campaign.

"The way that he mobilized donors that have never donated to a campaign before was just remarkable," she said. "Calling your college students and your other grassroots organizations - it was just astonishing at how he was able to make it work."

UIS receives national honor for service-learning and civic engagement

The University of Illinois at Springfield has been placed on the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts to the local community. The honor was announced Monday by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

“This high honor is evidence that UIS is succeeding in its efforts to make community service a priority,” said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. “We at UIS believe that our students gain a greater sense of responsibility when they serve the community as part of their education.”

Launched in 2006, the Community Service Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service-learning and civic engagement. UIS was selected because of the scope and innovation of its service projects, percentage of student participation in service activities, incentives for service, and academic service-learning courses.

UIS student service projects include the Girl to Girl DreamSpeakers Program in which UIS female athletes serve as mentors to about 120 female students in grades 8 through 10 in the Springfield public schools. A mentoring program with Jefferson Middle School matches 20 UIS students with about 30 middle school students, and a service project that involves storm drain stenciling raises environmental awareness of what not to dump in storm drains.

“We don’t just pay lip service to community service, we strongly encourage service to others,” said Kelly Thompson, director of UIS’ Center for Volunteer and Civic Engagement. “Right here on campus we have a unique housing arrangement called the living-learning community in Lincoln Residence Hall. During 2008, those students who live on that wing served our local community through about 950 hours of service,” she said.

Thompson also noted that 2,400 hours of service were carried out in the community last year by UIS students involved in the Midwest Campus Compact Citizen-Scholar Fellows AmeriCorps Program. UIS is one of only seven universities in the state that participates in the AmeriCorps Education Award Program.

Other projects are the annual UIS Cares day during which students volunteer their time to bettering the community. Last year, students and several staff members spent time at Jefferson Middle School pulling weeds, planting flowers and taking part in other beautification efforts. UIS also sponsors the annual campus-wide Holiday Stars Project during which students, faculty, staff and community members donated several thousand pounds of canned goods to the Central Illinois Food Bank last year.

UIS also offers service-learning courses that combine academic learning and community service at the undergraduate level. Students earn college credit while providing community service to local non-profit agencies.

The Honor Roll is a program of the Corporation, in collaboration with the Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

UIS experiences increase in spring enrollment

The University of Illinois at Springfield has experienced an increase in enrollment this spring. A total of 4,535 students are attending UIS, 105 more than last spring, or 2.3%. Most of the growth is due to a larger 2008 freshman class and more new students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

According to Marya Leatherwood, Director of Enrollment Management, more students tend to enroll at the university when the economy is struggling. “During times like these, they think about investing in an advanced degree, earning a certificate, or even pursuing another area of study in order to make a career change,” she said. “Our online degrees and evening and weekend formats make it easy for working adults to consider coming back to school.”

Leatherwood noted that UIS is seeing a “steady level of students enrolling who are not currently seeking degrees.” Many of those students, particularly at the graduate level, are pursuing certificates in professional areas of study, she said.

A total of 2,785 undergraduates are enrolled at UIS this spring, up 5.7% compared to last spring. However, the number of graduate students – 1,750 – is down 2.5% over last year. The 2008 freshman class comprised of 309 students, as well as 352 new transfer students and 342 new graduate students, are reasons why enrollment is up over last year.

Undergraduate programs with the highest enrollments are Business Administration, Psychology, Liberal Studies, Computer Science, and Accountancy. At the graduate level, Teacher Leadership, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Public Administration, and Business Administration have the highest enrollments.

Online enrollments climbing
Students majoring in degree programs at UIS that are fully online are at an all-time high for a spring semester, said Ray Schroeder, Director of the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning. There are 1,177 online degree majors this spring, an increase of 98 students over last spring, or 9%. UIS offers 16 degrees programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels that are fully online. And enrollments in online classes at UIS have set a new all-time record of 4,058, an increase of 128 students over last spring.

“The continued growth of online learning at UIS is a reflection of the quality and reputation of the online undergraduate and graduate-degree programs,” Schroeder said. “In this time of economic and job insecurity, many students appreciate knowing that their online classes are portable; that is, they can follow the student wherever he/she lives and whatever work schedule comes their way.”

Schroeder said UIS has begun to offer more blended learning classes (where some of the class meetings are on campus and some are online). The initiative, funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, has resulted in a significant increase in blended class enrollments. A total of 237 students are enrolled in blended classes this spring compared to last spring’s total of 88.
Schroeder said a total of 155 UIS faculty members are teaching at least one online class this semester.

Looking ahead to fall, Leatherwood said applications for the freshman class are up by 25% compared to last year at this time. “More of our applicants are deciding earlier to make their enrollment deposits to ensure a place in the freshman class,” she said. Deposits are up slightly more than 50% compared to last year at this time.

UIS faculty-student team publishes videos in national science collection

Two UIS faculty members and a former UIS student have published videos in the American Society for Microbiology's MicrobeLibrary Visual Collection.

"Mud and Microbes: a Time-Lapse Photographic Exploration of a Sediment Bacterial Community" is the work of Michael Lemke, associate professor of Biology; Keith Miller, professor of Computer Science; and Roza George, a former Capital Scholar at UIS now at the University of Georgia.

Lemke explained that the video is a time-lapse series that examines 40 days of experimental change of light using microbes that live in mud.

The ASM Visual Collection is a clearinghouse of high-quality, peer-reviewed images, animations, and videos about the microbial world for educators, primarily at the undergraduate level. The collection is part of the MicrobeLibrary, an online, searchable collection of more than 2,000 resources.

Susan Bagley, editor-in-chief of the Visual Collection, notes that the UIS videos are "important additions. We owe the success of the MicrobeLibrary to the high quality resources submitted by authors who are committed to sharing their scholarship of teaching and learning with a broader community of educators."

The American Society for Microbiology, the oldest and largest single life science membership organization in the world, has as its mission the promotion of research and training in the microbiological sciences and the facilitation of communication between scientists, policy makers, and the public.

MicrobeLibrary is a founding partner of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences BiosciEdNet Collaborative, a portal sponsored by the National Science Foundation's National Science Digital Library.

Access the UIS video.

UIS Theatre's production of Cloud 9 chosen for regional program

Play will represent Illinois at Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival

The 2008 fall production of the Theatre Program at the University of Illinois at Springfield -- Cloud 9, by British playwright Caryl Churchill -- has been selected to represent the state at the Region III Festival for the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, to be held January 7 through 10 in Saginaw, Michigan.

"This is quite a coup for a program that has no majors or minors as yet," observed Margot Duley, dean of UIS' College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Described by the New York Times as "intelligent, inventive, and funny," Cloud 9 explores the politics of sexuality and sexual identity through the use of cross-gender casting and role-doubling.

Assistant Professor of Theatre Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson, who directed the production, explained that it was originally nominated for the festival's "Evening of Scenes" by Professor John T. Oertling, chair of the Theatre Arts Department at Eastern Illinois University, who served as the KCACTF respondent to the production. She said the regional executive committee subsequently selected UIS' entry from all nominated productions in Illinois to represent the state at the Festival's "Evening of Scenes," in which each state presents 5 to 10 minutes of scenes from its nominated production.

KCACTF Region III includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

"Right now, we hope to present at least one short scene with students Dwight Langford (Betty, Act I), and Roger Boyd (Harry, Act I), and perhaps also a second scene with Roger and Colleen Kabbes (Edward, Act I)," said Thibodeaux-Thompson.

She and her husband, Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson, who is associate professor and director of Theatre at UIS, are accompanying a number of students to the Festival. Some of the students will take part in the Irene Ryan acting scholarship competition; all of them will attend various workshops and performances from colleges and universities in Region III. Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson will also serve as one of three judges from Illinois for the Irene Ryan preliminary rounds. (Judges do not judge students from their home states.)

UIS Computer Science student among winners in international contest

Tejesh Morla (left), a graduate student in Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Springfield, is among the recent winners in the MySQL and GlassFish Contest sponsored by SUN MicroSystems.

Morla won second place in the General Students category of the contest, which challenged participants to create a web application using MySQL and Glassfish along with Java. His winning project was a basic web application that responds to customers' needs to register on a site to place and view orders, as well as administrators' needs to view and list all registered customers. He then created an in-depth blog entry that detailed the steps he took to develop his application and how he used MySQL and GlassFish in the process. Second-place winners in each contest category received $250.

Morla said he first heard about the global contest through an e-mail sent by UIS Computer Science Department chair Dr. Ted Mims, adding, "One of my friends always says there should be something in your resume that sets you apart from the others, so I thought I should participate to get some experience."

He said that the project took a lot of time and research. "At one point, I thought I would never make it," he said. “But I am very excited and can't believe that I happened to win."

UIS' graduate program in Computer Science is oriented toward students interested in the design, analysis, and implementation of software programs. Graduate students must complete a comprehensive closure exercise to demonstrate the ability to formulate, investigate, and analyze a problem and to report results in writing and orally.

Founded in 1982, Sun Microsystems, Inc. is a multinational vendor of computers, computer components, computer software, and information technology services.

For more information, contact Mims at 206-7326.

UIS partners with Bonner Leader's Program

The University of Illinois at Springfield has been chosen to partner with the Bonner Foundation to offer service-based scholarships through the Bonner Leader's Program. UIS is the first campus in the state of Illinois to engage in partnership with the Bonner Foundation.

The UIS Bonner Leader's Program will select up to eight students who attain unconditional admission to UIS for scholarships through the program. To be chosen, students must submit an application to the UIS Diversity Center, demonstrate an interest in community service, apply for need-based financial assistance through the UIS Office of Financial Assistance, and represent diversity.

"The UIS Bonner Leader's Program promotes the development of student leaders while advancing active and engaged learning by connecting students with community service opportunities," said Dr. Clarice Ford, executive director of the Diversity Center.

Students are eligible to receive up to $4,000 annually for tuition and education expenses such as books, living expenses, and fees. Bonner Leaders are also encouraged to enroll in a two-year term with the Bonner AmeriCorps program and complete 900 hours of service during that time period. Upon successful completion of the term of service, the students will receive the AmeriCorps Education Award from the National Service Trust, which can be used to repay student loans, pay current educational expenses, or pay for future education at an institution of higher learning.

"It is an honor for UIS to be selected as one of the Bonner Foundation's partners," said Dr. Marya Leatherwood, interim assistant chancellor and associate vice chancellor for Student Affairs at UIS. "The Bonner Leader's Program is an excellent fit with UIS' vision for enriching individual lives and making a difference in the world."

The Bonner Foundation is based in Princeton, New Jersey. Its purpose includes supporting college students to use their energy, talent, and leadership to engage in local communities. The program goals are focused on the student, the campus, and the community.

The Bonner Leader's Program is an outgrowth of the Bonner Scholars Program that began in 1990. Currently the Bonner Leader's Program exists at 49 campuses in 22 states.

Students gives campus a Kenyan experience

By Courtney Westlake



A tiny, one-room hut with a cot sat in the lobby of the Public Affairs Center on Wednesday, giving passerby a glimpse into the lives of people living in the slums in Kenya, Africa.

The hut was part of an all-day exhibit set up by members of Jump for Joel, an organization started by UIS student Shana Stine after she volunteered for a month at a Kenyan orphanage called the Gathiga Children's Hope Home in July 2007. In July 2008, she returned again with five additional UIS students to work at the orphanage.

"This is an exhibit from our trip to Kenya this past July," Stine said. "We're coming and showing videos and pictures, and we have a model shanty up, which is something you would see in the slum areas for housing."

The exhibit was in coordination with National Hunger and Homelessness Week this week. Members of Jump for Joel had seen a local church do a similar demonstration and liked the idea of setting up a model of a Kenyan shanty to raise awareness of global poverty.

"So we thought we'd combine it with the gallery of photos that Shana had done last year," said Lindsey Lasley, who accompanied Stine to Kenya this past summer. "As we see people walk in the door, they stop and wonder why this hut is placed in the middle of lobby. Then they have been reading the signs that explain what is going on."

Stine said she hopes the display will help to create an understanding that poverty is a real issue, not simply a collection of statistics.

"There really are kids that are hungry in this world," she said. "And the pictures - the kids are absolutely beautiful. A lot of times when we talk about Africa, we talk about just poverty, but their joy is something you don't always see here in the U.S. They're so happy, so we wanted to show that."

The Kenyan experience is also hoped to raise awareness about Jump for Joel. The group passed out information about the various ways students, staff and faculty can get involved with the effort.

"We are a group of students here at UIS and at Lincoln Land who think we don't have to be apathetic. Our generation sometimes gets a bad rap for being indifferent and unconcerned, so this is our way of helping the kids who we met," Stine said. "We're not just taking a trip; we're following up on that with action."

U of I students may apply for Avery Brundage scholarships

Applications for the 36th annual Avery Brundage Scholarship competition for University of Illinois students who excel in both academics and athletics are being accepted now through Saturday, January 31, 2009. Applications can be submitted only online at www.usp.uillinois.edu/brundage.

Full-time students, including incoming freshmen, graduate, and transfer students, may apply for Brundage scholarships. Grant-in-aid recipients may be eligible under specified conditions. Academic and athletic competence will be considered over financial need.

Undergraduate and transfer applicants must rank in the top 25 percent of their college, while incoming freshmen must rank in the top 25 percent of their incoming class. Graduate and professional students must be in good academic standing.

Students must also demonstrate "special athletic ability" in an amateur sport, and their participation must have been for personal development rather than as preparation for professional athletics. Previous winners represent a wide variety of sports from archery and tennis to swimming and wheelchair basketball. Last year, 19 winners were awarded $2,500 each.

Avery Brundage was a 1909 graduate of the U of I who competed in the 1912 Olympics and later served as president of both the U.S. and International Olympic committees. Before his death in 1975, he maintained his interest in the University through service as a member of the University of Illinois Foundation, President's Council, and Citizen's Committee.

Brundage established the scholarship in 1974 with an endowment to the U of I Foundation of $343,000. Over the past 35 years, 732 scholarships with a total value of $858,000 have been awarded.

Holiday Stars Project original goal surpassed

The 10 teams that took part in the campus' first Trick or Treat for Canned Goods competition on Halloween collected 2049 pounds of food, surpassing the original Holiday Stars Project goal of 2008 pounds of food for the Central Illinois Foodbank.

Sponsored by Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, the Holiday Stars Project is a campus-wide service initiative giving focus to UIS' efforts to make a difference in the local community during the upcoming holiday season.

Kelly Thompson, director of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, said, "Given the students' enthusiasm and energy for this project and the wonderful response they received, the Project Committee challenges the campus community to help us double our first goal and collect 4016 pounds of food by December 4."

Members of the campus community can place donations of non-perishable food items in specially marked bins around campus, now through December 3. Everything collected during the project will be presented to the Foodbank on December 4.

For more information, contact the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at 6-7716.

UIS Brookens Library to hold student art exhibit and competition

Brookens Library at the University of Illinois at Springfield will host a juried student art exhibit and competition, based on themes from the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. The event is part of the library's participation in the Big Read program and is open to all currently registered students at UIS.

Entries must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, November 3. The grand prize winner will have an opportunity to display his or her work at jimiArt gallery in downtown Springfield.

An opening night reception and awards ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, November 7, in Mary Jane's Café, located in Brookens' lower level. To accommodate the event, which is free and open to the public, the library will remain open until 7 p.m. that evening.

Artwork will remain on display on the second level of Brookens Library through Saturday, December 20, which is the end of UIS' 2008 fall semester.

Sponsors of the event are Bevande's, The Friends of Brookens Library, jimiArt, Jeffrey Alans, Walmart, and the UIS Bookstore.

Additional information, including a downloadable entry form

AmeriCorps volunteers participate in Opening Day Ceremonies

By Courtney Westlake

A group of sixteen UIS students joined dozens of people from around the state at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in downtown Springfield to participate in the Illinois AmeriCorps Opening Day Ceremonies at the Capitol and celebrate the opportunity to make a difference.

"Today has been really amazing," said UIS sophomore Josephine Marquez, an AmeriCorps member. "I have seen people from all the way back home in the Chicago area."

The 2008-2009 Midwest Campus Compact Citizen-Scholar Fellows AmeriCorps Program is an initiative that creates opportunities for students to work together as agents of civic change in their local communities and on their campuses. UIS is one of only seven universities in the state that participates in this AmeriCorps Education Award program.

Students selected to be in the AmeriCorps program have demonstrated academic potential as well as an interest in service and civic engagement activities.

"I love volunteering; I started in high school," said Jackson Kern, a freshman. "When I got to UIS, I found out I could get a grant for $1,000 for being in AmeriCorps and doing 300 hours of service. It's well worth it; you get to meet a lot of new people."

Marquez said she has been volunteering for years as well and jumped at the chance to live in the Leadership for Life wing in Lincoln Residence Hall and volunteer through AmeriCorps.

"When applying for college, UIS had a service wing, and to me, I thought it was a great idea to be living with people who did service," she said. "This year, Kelly Thompson (director of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center) has come in and revamped everything. I figured it'd be great to be with people who love to do service."

The UIS students who participated in Thursday's events were thrilled with the opportunity to meet others in the AmeriCorps program and participate in the Opening Day Ceremonies.

"I find it amazing that you can find so many people who are also interested in service and are doing something to impact their community," Marquez said.

Poll finds UIS students favor Obama

If the election were held today, an overwhelming majority of University of Illinois at Springfield students would vote for Barack Obama, according to a campus poll taken between September 25 – October 4, 2008. Pollsters found that most students are not swayed by the vice presidential candidate, and the economy and gas prices are the major influences on their vote. The poll was part of a class project for the Interviewing 465 class in the Communication Department at UIS.

A total of 384 students were interviewed on campus, giving the poll a 95% confidence level +/- 5%.

Of those polled, 289 were registered to vote. If they had to vote today, 257 said they would choose Obama, and 96 said they would vote for John McCain. Only 31 said they would choose a third party.

More than two-thirds of those polled said the vice presidential candidate did not affect their decision on who should be president. More than 60% of those polled said age is not an important factor in their choice for presidential candidates.

When reviewing election issues that have the most influence on their votes as students, 40% of respondents said the economy had the most influence on their vote, followed by gas prices, the war, healthcare, and finally homeland security.

Nearly 62% of those polled believe their vote matters. And three-fourths of those polled were registered to vote.

The poll was conducted on the UIS campus as part of a class project. The Interviewing class researched polls, election issues, and the candidates and then spent considerable time formulating the seven questions that were asked of students. The questions and the results are listed below.

1. Are you a UIS student?
Yes – 384

2. Are you registered to vote?
Yes – 289
No – 95

3. If the election were today and you had to choose between McCain, Obama, or a third party, who would you vote for?
McCain - 96
Obama - 257
Third party - 31

4. Did the presidential candidates' choice for vice president affect your decision on who should be president?
Yes - 117
No - 267

5. Do you believe age is an important factor for presidential candidates?
Yes - 141
No - 243

6. Which election issue from this list has the most influence on your vote?
a. economy - 152
b. gas prices - 95
c. the war - 73
d. healthcare - 47
e. homeland security - 17

7. Do you think your vote matters?
Yes - 237
No – 147

For more information about the poll, please contact Lana Kains at 414-5956 or Mary Bohlen at 206-7362.

Flag raised for National Coming Out Week

By Courtney Westlake

In celebration of National Coming Out Week, a group of students, staff and faculty gathered in front of the Public Affairs Center to raise a rainbow-colored flag that will hang directly under the UIS flag for the entire week.

"Flags are critical symbols," said Jim Korte, assistant dean of students at UIS. "People fight and die over flags; people live for flags. We salute them, we put our hands over our hearts, and we respect what they symbolize. For those of us at the university, having it fly on the staff with our UIS flag is very important. It is a symbol of how far we have come institutionally and as a university in our acceptance, tolerance, respect and celebration of who we are as a community."

Universities are important communities, Korte said, UIS boasts a "great multitude" of diverse students.

"We've come a long way," he said. "We now have a Diversity Center existing on this campus that was barely a dream a year ago. We have a resource office that is in a very public area on our campus, and we have students stopping by on a daily basis."

Through celebrating diversity and respect of different races, sexual orientations, ethnicities and backgrounds, the university and community are beginning to "layer" their resources and ensure the services provided today will be available tomorrow, Korte said.

"We have come to the point of tolerance, the point of acceptance and the point of respect, and hopefully today it is the beginning of a celebration of our future," he said.

Potato sculpting held as part of homecoming activities

By Courtney Westlake



Castles, construction hammers and flowers filled the tables of the Public Affairs Center Food Emporium Patio on Wednesday afternoon.

Students and other campus community members stopped by the patio area on Wednesday to create mashed potato sculptures as part of the Homecoming Week activities.

"It's just a fun activity to add into the Homecoming schedule," said Beth Hoag, assistant director of Student Life. "Our theme for Homecoming this year is 'Pardon our Dust' so we're 'constructing' out of mashed potatoes."

The idea for the event came out of nowhere, Hoag laughed.

"I just thought it would be fun, and who doesn't love playing with their food?" she said.

Campus members were recruited from the Food Emporium to join in the activity during lunchtime.

"We've had pretty good showing," Hoag said. "We have feathers and wobbly eyes and food coloring, and you can just make whatever you want. We try to make it around the theme of 'Pardon our Dust' or UIS-related, but we're flexible. You can make whatever you want."

Participants constructed a wide variety of creations, from a pretty rose to a pumpkin to funny-looking characters to a Colonnade.

"It's something completely different that helps to make people aware of Homecoming," Hoag said. "It's a fun things to do in between classes."

For more information on Homecoming, go here.

SGA election results

The Fall 2008 Student Government Association Elections were certified on September 19.

Results:

• Senator – Capital Scholars Program: Kendra Chislom
• Senator – Transfer Students: Whitney Kampwerth
• Senator – Graduate Students: Sista Gautham
• Senators at Large: Kalpesh Patel and Vanessa Sekardi

Many other leadership opportunities exist on SGA committees and all interested student are encouraged to become involved.

For information about election results or about student government, contact Cynthia Thompson, director of Student Life, at 6-6665.

Fall enrollment shows transition taking place at UIS

The University of Illinois at Springfield has announced another increase in the number of freshmen this fall (311), and more students are living on campus than ever before (1,050).

While more undergraduates have enrolled at UIS this fall – a total of 2,889 compared to 2,861 last year – the number of graduate students, mostly part-time, has decreased, from 1,990 last year to 1,822 this fall. The total number of students enrolled at UIS is 4,711.

UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen said it is pretty clear that a transition is taking place. "We are beginning to see a change in our student body -- there are more full-time students," he said. "Historically, the university has had a much larger part-time student population, but now we are seeing more students taking larger course loads."

Ringeisen said UIS anticipated the change by building additional townhouses and a new residence hall that just opened this fall. There are 132 freshmen living in Founders Hall even as work to finish the building continues. A total of 218 freshmen and sophomores are living in Lincoln Residence Hall, completed in fall 2001 for the first class of freshmen at UIS.

The drop in graduate students is likely a phenomenon that is related to the struggling economy, according to Marya Leatherwood, Director of Enrollment Management. "Graduate students tend to study on a part-time basis and are more apt to be affected by what's happening with the economy. We can only assume that is true in this case," she said.

Ringeisen said UIS is approaching a time when "we'll be talking about having an ideal number of students, although we certainly want to bring our graduate student numbers back up to a higher level," he said. "Let's be very clear. We have an excellent number and variety of graduate programs and internships. We want to serve graduate students, and we do so very well in small classes and a caring atmosphere of excellence."

Online/blended learning grows in popularity

Online and blended learning enrollments are both up at UIS this fall. There are 1,200 students majoring in online degree and certificate programs, an increase of 11% compared to the 1,082 students enrolled online last fall.

According to Ray Schroeder, Director of UIS' Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning, online students represent just over 25% of the total number of students at UIS this fall.

He said that enrollments in blended learning classes, where the number of visits to the campus are reduced by students taking some of the regular semester class sessions online, total 232, up nearly 54% from last fall's blended class enrollment of 151.

UIS recently began offering a number of its degree programs in blended format where the number of on-campus sessions is reduced by half over the completion of the degree. Half of the sessions among the courses required for the degree are held online, reducing the need to commute to campus and cutting child care expenses by 50%.

"The growth in online and blended programs is consistent with national trends. Students are seeking to reduce the costs, in terms of both time and money, of commuting to classes on campus," Schroeder said. He noted that more than 135 UIS faculty members are teaching at least one online class this fall.

Slightly more than 38% of online majors have mailing addresses outside of Illinois, and nearly 85% of the Illinois online students live outside of Sangamon County.

The new blended learning program at UIS was funded in part by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Freshmen move-in at UIS goes smoothly

By Courtney Westlake

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It's been a flurry of activity as construction has been wrapping up on Founders Hall that all culminated in a day of frenzy during freshmen move-in at UIS on Wednesday, August 20. But despite so much activity, everything progressed smoothly as the campus came back to life after the summer months.

"If there are relatively few problems, to me it's a great move in day," laughed John Ringle, director of housing.

This year brings an all-time record size class of about 312 freshmen, with 170 moving in to both Lincoln Residence Hall and Founders Hall. The construction on Founders is still finishing up, but freshmen were able to move right in and make it home on Wednesday.

"It's ready in the sense that there's work going to be going on around people after they move in, so it's still a work in progress. But it's the type of work they can do with students in building, and it won't compromise their safety and security," Ringle said. "It was touch and go for while in terms of finding out whether or not we were going to have the building in a state where people could move in, but all came together. It's good that we've got good builders and contractors who have been putting in extra hours to make sure our students were accommodated today."

This year is the first time in two years that the honors community - freshmen and upperclassmen alike - is able to be housed together in LRH thanks to the opening of Founders Hall, Ringle said. While Wednesday was move-in day for freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors will move back to campus on Friday to either the residence halls, apartments or townhouses.

Ringle said he and the rest of the housing office is optimistic about the upcoming school year.

"It snuck up on us, even though we've been planning for it all summer and anticipating that students were arriving today," he said. "We're looking forward to great year. It's going to be very key to see how all of new residents coming into Founders are going to set tone and history for Founders. After all, you only get to move in to a new building once."

UIS Clinical Lab Science team places second in state meeting

By Courtney Westlake

Woolly mammoths that existed hundreds of thousands of years ago were tough and tenacious, and the Woolly Mammoths at UIS are carrying on those characteristics.

The UIS Clinical Laboratory Science student team, named the Woolly Mammoths, took second place at the Illinois state meeting of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science held April 29 through May 1 in Lisle, Illinois. The team included students Gillian Grasher, Lindsey Rolando, Sarah McGee and Lauren Hefer.

“Congratulations to these students who studied hard for this competition,” said Linda McCown, chair and program director of clinical laboratory science at UIS and one of three advisers for the team, along with Dr. Jim Veselenak and Dr. Wayne Gade.

The competition is the annual state meeting of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science-Illinois and includes two days of continuing education sessions, exhibitors and business meetings. UIS’ team also had success last year at the meet, placing first in the state.

In the Student Bowl competition, teams must answer questions about medical laboratory topics such as immunohematology, clinical chemistry, medical microbiology and hematology.

The team from UIS practices once a week during the spring semester as preparation for the competition, McCown said.

“Preparation for the competition is not only fun - we use practice games - but it helps the students review material that they have learned during the past two years,” she said. “And the state meeting, the students get to meet and network with other students and professionals from around the state and see how important it is to be active in their professional organization.”

Receiving such top honors in this state meeting is a true testament to the success and dedication of the clinical laboratory science program at UIS and its students.

“The alternate, Nicole Schupp, is currently a senior in our program, and the other team members all have jobs as clinical laboratory scientists and passed their national certification examination. Two are working here in Springfield, and the other two are in Missouri and Michigan,” McCown said.

UIS hosts New Century Learning Consortium July 21-23

Representatives from six universities from throughout the nation will attend the first meeting of the New Century Learning Consortium on July 21-23 at the University of Illinois at Springfield. The Consortium is designed to assist the universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

Founded by Ray Schroeder, Director of UIS' Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning (OTEL), and Burks Oakley, Founding Director of the University of Illinois Online, the Consortium is being funded with a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

"This is an exciting initiative that brings together state universities spread across the U.S.," said Schroeder. "Our organizational meeting will enable us to formalize our relationships and begin collaborations in the development of online and blended learning initiatives that will span the country."

Schroeder said the recent rise in gas prices has significantly increased student demand for the delivery of classes in online and blended learning formats. "The leaders of these institutions who will gather at UIS are committed to responding to student needs in reducing the commuting expenses required for degree and certificate programs," he said.

Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels.

The institutions taking part in the Consortium are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments. They are California State University Easy Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; and Louisiana Tech University, Ruston.

UIS was recognized with the prestigious 2007 award for excellence in institution-wide online teaching and learning from the Sloan Consortium, the premiere national organization dedicated to advancing quality in online education.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Ray Schroeder at 206-7531.

UIS Innocence Project cited in Appellate Court opinion ordering hearing in Slover Case

New evidence developed by the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project at the University of Illinois at Springfield was cited as the basis for the 4th District Appellate Court's recent reversal of a lower court ruling and subsequent order that an evidentiary hearing be held in the Karyn Slover murder case.

Slover disappeared on September 27, 1996, after leaving work. Two days later, sealed garbage bags containing her dismembered body washed ashore at Lake Shelbyville. Her former in-laws and ex-husband were convicted of the crime by a Macon County jury in 2002 and sentenced to 60 years in prison.

In its decision, the Appellate Court ruled that at the original trial prosecutors presented misleading evidence in an effort to discredit a key defense witness, who testified she had seen the vehicle Karyn Slover was driving the night she disappeared. According to the witness, the car had tinted windows. During the trial, prosecutors elicited testimony from the vehicle's owner, a man whom Karyn Slover was dating at the time of her murder, that the vehicle did not have tinted windows.

Innocence Project Director of Investigations Bill Clutter credited the work of Mark Camper, one of his students, for developing new evidence that proved that the vehicle in question did in fact have factory-tinted windows, which corroborated the witness' testimony.

Camper was a student in a Wrongful Convictions class at UIS in the 2006 spring semester. "If the jury had believed the witness I'm convinced they would have found the Slovers not guilty," he said.

John McCarthy of the Office of the State Appellate Defender's office in Springfield represented the Slovers in their appeal. The case will be remanded to Macon County for an evidentiary hearing.

The Downstate Illinois Innocence Project is affiliated with the Institute for Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies at UIS and has been involved in the cases of several individuals, including Julie Rea Harper and Herb Whitlock, who have been wrongfully convicted. Students working with the project assist Clutter in the investigation of cases that may involve actual innocence.

For more information about the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, contact Clutter at 899-4353.

Download a pdf file summarizing evidence about the tinted car windows

SummaryofTintedWindowEvidence.pdf

UIS announces spring semester deans' list

A total of 444 students were named to the University of Illinois at Springfield Deans' List for the 2008 spring semester. Of the students listed, 56 are majoring in programs within the College of Business and Management, 61 are in the College of Education and Human Services, 282 are in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, 38 are in the College of Public Affairs and Administration, and 7 have not declared a major or are non-degree students.

To qualify for the designation, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded semester hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

Download a pdf file of students' names, arranged alphabetically by hometown

Spring08DeansList.pdf

Management Department announces award winners

Three students majoring in Management at the University of Illinois at Springfield have received awards for excellence.

Jacqueline W. Ripper, of Edelstein, Illinois, is the recipient of the department's 2008 Highest Academic Achievement Award. This honor, which includes a monetary award, recognizes Ripper for academic excellence.

Timothy R. Mulvihill, of Orland Hills, Illinois, is the recipient of The Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award, presented annually to a student who best exemplifies managerial competence, both in the classroom and professionally. Mulvihill is a staff sergeant in the Illinois Air National Guard (Peoria Air National Guard Base). He received a year's subscription to The Wall Street Journal.

Rachel L. Dasenbrock, of Greenville, Illinois, has been awarded the 2008 James C. Worthy Award for writing the best senior paper in the program. This honor, which includes a monetary award, pays tribute to the late James C. Worthy, a charter member of the management faculty. Each year's winner is selected by the faculty who teach the course Strategic Management and Leadership.

Housed within UIS' College of Business and Management, the baccalaureate Management program prepares students to become leaders in all types of organizations through a curriculum designed to develop critical conceptual and interpersonal skills.

Vice Chancellor Miller to leave UIS

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From UIS Chancellor Richard D. Ringeisen:

It is with regret but also with sincere best wishes that I announce that Dr. Chris Miller, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Administrative Services, will leave UIS this summer to become Vice President for Student Affairs at Marquette University in Milwaukee. He is expected to leave in early July.

I consider Chris' departure a great professional loss for UIS, but I also have a strong sense of personal loss because he has been a wonderful colleague to me and, indeed, to all of us.

Chris leaves an important legacy that will benefit this university well into the future. He came to UIS in 2002 as Associate Vice Chancellor/Dean of Students during a critical juncture in our history and was ultimately promoted twice to his current position. In just six years, he met unprecedented needs for new student services and rapidly expanded student life even as UIS suffered budgetary downturns. Under his leadership, the residential campus grew significantly, enrollment reached record-breaking levels, the Recreation and Athletic Center opened, the university began the move to NCAA Division II status, and new traditions such as Homecoming and Springfest were established.

Chris was appointed Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs in spring 2003 and took on additional responsibilities in fall 2006 for administrative services. In that capacity, he supervised nearly half of all UIS employees in 18 units, including Enrollment Management, Housing and Residential Life, Athletics and Recreational Sports, Business and Financial Management, and Facilities and Services.

In his new position at Marquette, he will oversee almost all aspects of student life outside the classroom. Marquette is a premier Catholic, Jesuit doctoral university enrolling approximately 11,500 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 100 degree programs.

It is no surprise and certainly a compliment to UIS that a university of Marquette's stature would want Dr. Miller in its top ranks.

Please join me in wishing Chris all the best in his new venture.

A campus announcement will follow later about interim leadership while a search is conducted for Chris' successor.

UIS graduate student receives FMC Fellowship Award

Sarah Dill, a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Springfield, has received a Graduate Fellowship from Chicago-based FMC Technologies, Inc. Dill, who is pursuing a master’s degree in Business Administration in the program offered by UIS in Peoria, will receive $9,000 for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Established in 1971, the fellowship program honors outstanding graduate students in business administration, economics, engineering, finance or related fields. Final selections are made by representatives from FMC Technologies, the University of Illinois, and the U of I Foundation.

Dill is currently employed as Senior Director of Administration and Business Development with Children's Hospital of Illinois, the largest children's hospital in the state outside Chicago, and expects to receive her MBA in May 2009. She was nominated for the fellowship award by Paul McDevitt, director of the MBA Program at UIS.

McDevitt noted that Dill is a "high-performing MBA student" who has "built a successful career around interests in children and healthcare." In her current position, she is part of the hospital's top management team and has responsibilities for strategic direction, collaborative leadership, and oversight.

"Sara is one of those dream candidates for the MBA," said McDevitt, "a successful career executive who has decided that her formal education must catch up with her professional accomplishments. She is a smart and dedicated individual with strong communication and people skills. We believe that she will be a leader, that she will make a difference in health care."

Dill's ultimate goal is to manage a business of her own. "By the time I'm 40, I would like to be CEO of a substantial business and have around me a wildly diverse and intelligent group of people to collaborate and be part of my team," she said.

The UIS Peoria MBA format is designed to meet the needs of students who are employed full-time but wish to complete degree requirements in a timely manner. Courses are offered so that it is possible for students to complete degree requirements in less than two years.

The FMC Educational Fund (formerly the Link-Belt Educational Fund) was established in 1963 by U of I alumnus Bert Gayman, who donated a large block of company stock to the U of I Foundation. Designed to provide education and research opportunities, the fund now provides more than $135,000 annually for undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships at the University of Illinois.

See more information about the programs offered by UIS' College of Business and Management

UIS students receive Avery Brundage scholarships

Five students at the University of Illinois at Springfield -- Kimberly Bartosiak, Priyanka Deo, Alexandria Janezic, Matt Reynolds, and Sarah Wellard -- were among 19 recipients of Avery Brundage Scholarships, made to U of I students who excel in both academics and athletics. Each will receive $2,500 for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Bartosiak is a freshman from Bethalto. She is majoring in Chemistry and is a member of the women's volleyball team.

Deo is a sophomore from Chicago. She is majoring in Political Science and is a member of the women's tennis team.

Janezic is a junior from Barrington. She is majoring in Psychology and is a member of the women's volleyball team.

Reynolds is a sophomore from Peoria. He is majoring in Business and is a member of the men's basketball team.

Wellard is a senior from Springfield. She is majoring in Legal Studies and is a member of UIS' cheerleading/spirit squad.

Brundage scholarship recipients are selected by a committee representing the faculties and student bodies of the three U of I campuses. Students chosen must engage in athletics for personal development, not as preparation for professional sports; must be working toward bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees at the U of I; and must be in the upper 25 percent of their undergraduate class or in good academic standing in their graduate program.

The scholarships were established in 1974 by an endowment from Avery Brundage, University of Illinois alumnus and former president of the International and U.S. Olympic committees. Since 1974, 776 scholarships have been awarded, totaling $956,200.

See more information about intercollegiate and intramural athletics and recreational sports at UIS.

Get details about the Brundage scholarship program.

UIS holds first Lavender Graduation

The University of Illinois at Springfield hosted its first Lavender Graduation ceremony for graduating LGBTQ students, their families, friends, and allies, on Sunday, May 4, in the Public Affairs Center restaurant on the UIS campus.

Lavender Graduation is a cultural celebration that recognizes lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and questioning students and their allies and acknowledges their achievements and contributions. The event was organized by UIS' LGBTQ Resource Office Student Advisory Board and was sponsored by the LGBTQ Resource Office, Student Life, Division of Student Affairs. Beth Hoag, UIS assistant director of Student Life, noted, "We hope this is a start of a great tradition."

Graduating students recognized for their leadership and achievements were (pictured above) Rich Sullivan, Ben Owen, Jimmy Brower, Chad Eversgerd, Heidi Fisher, and Daniel McCarthy. Online student Lucy Silva is not pictured.

Three awards were also presented. The LGBTQ Faculty/Staff Advocate of the Year award was presented to Ryan Prosser, resident director of east campus apartments. Rich Sullivan was named Ally of the Year, and Jimmy Brower received the LGBTQ Student Leader Award.

Lynne Price, director of the UIS Campus Health Service, was the keynote speaker. "I am pleased and very honored to be the inaugural speaker for Lavender Graduation," said Price. "This graduating class is reminiscent of the energy and enthusiasm for social justice that was present at the formation of our university. Those graduates we honor today have brought LGBTQ issues to the forefront. From your commitment and dedication, a new and positive climate emerges for those who follow."

Price observed that some recent campus initiatives achieved through student efforts, most notably by the student organization Queer Straight Alliance, include creation of the Safe Zone Program, which in the past two years has trained more than 200 people to become allies for LGBTQ students, staff, and faculty; the opening of the LGBTQ Resource Office; campuswide observances of National Coming out Day, National Day of Silence, and Day of Dialogue; campus display of the national AIDS Quilt project; an LGBTQ presence at campus Preview Days and Orientation; hosting such events as the annual Alternative Prom and Wig Out!, a festival that showcased nationally known drag performers, allied musical groups, and community organizations; and the installation of gender neutral bathrooms on campus.

The lavender triangle as a symbol of LGBTQ pride grew from two separate symbols used in Nazi Germany: pink triangles marked gay men in concentration camps and black triangles identified lesbian political prisoners. During the LGBTQ Civil Rights Movement, these symbols of hatred were combined to produce a symbol of pride and community.

Related links: Queer Straight Alliance, more info about Lavender Graduations