The University of Illinois Springfield is taking a look back at 2025 and our Seven Star Successes of the year.

1. Strengthening Illinois’ Economy

UIS continued to be a major economic engine for the region and the state.

• Powering statewide growth: UIS added $943.2 million to the Illinois economy in fiscal year 2023, according to an economic impact study conducted by Lightcast in 2025. The findings highlighted UIS’ essential role in creating jobs, supporting local industries and driving opportunity across central Illinois.
  

• Expanding innovation downtown: Innovate Springfield expanded its footprint in downtown Springfield with its move to the third floor of Horace Mann. The relocation added nearly 3,000 square feet for new partnerships, entrepreneurship training, co-working and incubation space, and larger venues for workforce development and community events.

2. Enrollment Growth and Expanding Access

Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the top public regional university in Illinois for the seventh consecutive year, UIS strengthened pathways that make higher education more accessible and affordable for students across the region.

• Growing the freshman class: The freshman class increased by 19 percent in fall 2025, with more students choosing UIS as the place to begin their college journey.
• Prairie Promise expansion: UIS announced that the Prairie Promise, its tuition-and-fee guarantee program, would extend to eligible transfer students beginning in fall 2026.
• Reaching new regions: UIS broadened its in-state tuition pilot program to include additional counties in Missouri, Iowa and Indiana, opening affordable pathways for more Midwestern students.

3. Leading the Way for First-Generation Students

UIS enhanced resources for first-generation students and earned national recognition for its efforts.

• A growing first-gen community: This fall, 129 first-generation freshmen joined the university. More than 22 percent of UIS students—990 total—identify as first-generation.
• National designation: UIS was selected as one of 60 new members of the 2025-26 FirstGen Forward Network, recognizing the university’s commitment to first-generation student success.

4. A Year of Growth, Momentum and Campus Transformation

UIS achieved a historic year of institutional growth, strengthened by record-setting philanthropic support and major State of Illinois investment in buildings that will enhance the campus for students and the Springfield community.

• Record-setting philanthropy: The UIS Division of Advancement reached historic milestones in FY24, fueling new opportunities for students and academic programs. Overall fundraising rose 143 percent, increasing from $2.8 million to $6.9 million. For the first time, UIS awarded more than $1 million in scholarships, benefiting 314 students. The university also saw growth in the number of donors, annual fund contributions and faculty and staff giving.
• Transforming the academic core: Construction began on the new Library Commons, a three-story student hub scheduled to open in 2027. When completed, the state-funded building will unite library services, academic advising, career development, tutoring and technology support in a single student-centered location.
• Revitalizing the Public Affairs Center: The UIS Performing Arts Center is leveraging a necessary plumbing infrastructure project in the Public Affairs Center as an opportunity to modernize the venue. Through the 2nd Act Campaign, UIS is raising funds for new seats, updated interior surfaces and improved performance equipment. When the curtain rises again in 2026, patrons will return to a refreshed and modernized venue for the performances they love.

5. Research Advancing Illinois and Beyond

UIS faculty secured more than $18 million in research funding in 2025 and produced work that advanced science, health and environmental sustainability.

• Advancing health science: A new study co-authored by Assistant Professor of Biology Natalya Zinkevich and two students found that sitagliptin, a diabetes medication, may help protect blood vessels and promote long-term heart health.
• Understanding hemp production: Associate Professor of Environmental Studies Megan Styles published a study examining the challenges facing CBD hemp farmers in Illinois as federal changes reshaped the regulatory landscape. Her work provided timely insight into the uncertainty farmers faced and the potential economic implications for the state’s growing hemp industry.
• Predicting urban heat: Assistant Professor of Ecohydrology Kyle Blount co-authored a study demonstrating that cities can use simple, low-cost methods to predict and reduce urban heat. By analyzing surface temperatures and shade patterns, the research offered communities a practical tool for designing safer, more climate-resilient neighborhoods.

6. Growing and Excelling in Athletics

UIS expanded athletic opportunities and celebrated exceptional achievements as student-athletes represented the university on regional and national stages.

• Competing nationally: Senior Madelyn Miller-Ross competed in the NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championship, marking her first appearance in the national meet and the third NCAA championship event of her collegiate career.
• Expanding athletic opportunities: UIS added women’s flag football as the university’s 18th varsity sport, becoming one of the first NCAA Division II institutions in Illinois to sponsor the sport, and expanded its track and field program to support additional sprint and jump events. The flag football program began recruiting student-athletes for fall 2026 ahead of its inaugural spring 2027 season, offering new opportunities for women to compete at the collegiate level.
• Competing for championships: Prairie Stars continued pursuing greatness, highlighted by appearances in the GLVC Championship games at both the GLVC Baseball and Softball Tournaments in spring 2025.

7. National Spotlight and Storytelling

UIS faculty and programs earned national attention through scholarship, media and creative work.

• Lincoln Studies in the national spotlight: Jacob Friefeld, director of the UIS Center for Lincoln Studies, was featured as a historical expert on the HBO Max and Magnolia Network series Back to the Frontier, offering insight into 1880s homesteading and frontier life.
• Award-winning documentary: The UIS-supported film Soil and Soul: Farming in the Sangamon River Valley won Best Documentary Film at the 2025 Route 66 Film Festival. Produced with support from the UIS Sangamon Experience, the documentary highlighted the stories of farmers throughout the Sangamon River Valley.