5.10.22

Dear UIS Students, Faculty and Staff —

For two years and counting, we have been United in Safety at UIS. I am so proud of the efforts we each have contributed to stay united and weather the COVID-19 pandemic together, all with the shared purpose of providing the best educational experience possible with safety as a top priority.

As the 2021-22 academic year nears completion and we turn our focus toward summer and fall, the UIS COVID-19 response team has recommended, and I have approved, the following changes to our COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

University of Illinois Springfield Police officers are helping people in Ukraine.

In a social media post, officials said they are donating eight used body armor vests. Those vests will first be sent to the Illinois State Police, who will then send them to the US/Ukrainian Resistance Foundation.

Armor vests are replaced by UISPD every five years, according to officials. “The vests are usually surplussed, but this year they decided to help Ukraine.”

Catherine Anderson of McHenry, a senior at McHenry High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2022 and awarded a $4,000 Lincoln Merit Scholarship for tuition over four years. At UIS, she will major in communication.

The scholarship is awarded based on high school GPA and can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

At McHenry High School, she is a member of the Key Club.

Skyler Leichsenring of Springfield, a senior at Rochester High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2022 and awarded a $16,000 Lincoln Merit Scholarship for tuition over four years. At UIS, she will major in exercise science.

The scholarship is awarded based on high school GPA and can be renewed for a total of four years if the student maintains college GPA requirements.

At Rochester High School, she was a part of the track and cross county teams.

Phillip (Matthew) Machino of Woodson, a senior at Jacksonville High School, has been admitted to the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2022 and awarded a $32,000 Capital Scholars Honors Program scholarship and a $40,000 Camerata Music Scholarship totaling $72,000 over four years. The scholarships are renewed annually if the student maintains GPA and other requirements.

At UIS, Machino plans to major in business administration with a concentration in economics and a minor in music.