The following story was published by the Illinios Times on June 3, 2026.

Chancellor Janet L. Gooch: A few weeks ago, I stood on the stage of the Bank of Springfield Center, shaking the hands of more than 1,000 University of Illinois Springfield students who earned their degrees this year.

Each graduate represents a story of perseverance, growth and achievement. It is a privilege to celebrate those journeys and to see the impact a UIS education has on students and their families.

I hope many of those graduates will return to campus as alumni and see firsthand how UIS continues to grow, evolve and invest in the next generation of Prairie Stars.

Read the story online.