The following story was published by Block Club Chicago on Feb. 13, 2024.

Brian Beals was visiting home in fall 1988 when his life changed forever. 

Beals, then 22, was majoring in administrative justice and law enforcement at Southern Illinois University. He wanted to become a police officer modeled after the coaches who taught his Englewood sports teams. A lifelong athlete, he played college football in Carbondale. 

The following story was published by The State Journal-Register on Feb. 9, 2024.

A new Sangamon Experience exhibit at the University of Illinois Springfield focuses on central Illinois stories and history that are often overlooked.

The following story was published by BNN Breaking on March 25, 2024.

High school students in Springfield, Illinois, are about to embark on a transformative educational journey. The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) and Innovate Springfield have joined forces to create a high-tech lab and course designed to ignite the innovative spirit in young minds. This collaboration aims to bridge the chasm between academia and real-world application, offering students a unique opportunity to translate their ideas into tangible products.

The following story was published by NPR Illinois on Jan. 18, 2024.

Tuition at the University of Illinois Springfield will remain unchanged for incoming students this fall. The latest action maintains the rate for both in-state and out-of-state students.

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees Thursday approved a rate freeze for in-state students at the Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses and hikes of about 2% for non-resident undergraduates.

The following story was published by WCIA- TV 3 on Jan. 17, 2024.

All projects were judged on a 60-point scale with criteria like Novelty, Feasibility and Scalability/Replicability.

The students won a $2,000 grand prize for their presentation.Using acetaminophen while pregnant may lead to less focus in children: U of I study

The following story was published by Heartland Newsfeed on Jan. 9, 2024.

The following story was published by Illinois Times on Jan. 4, 2024.

Two new high-tech research laboratories are helping to turn students’ ideas into reality at the University of Illinois Springfield and downtown at Innovate Springfield—and the skills these students are acquiring will help them produce prototypes or new products that could revolutionize the marketplace.

The following story was reported by WMAY radio on Dec. 18, 2023.

"The University of Illinois Springfield has enhanced its Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program to better meet the needs of adult learners who aspire to complete their college degree.

These updates will make it easier for adult learners, particularly those with some previously earned college credit but no degree, to realize their educational and career aspirations."

The following story was published by CNN on Dec. 13, 2023.

"A man wrongfully convicted in the 1988 murder of a 6-year-old boy in Illinois is free after 35 years behind bars, the Cook County State’s Attorney Office said.

Brian Beals, who was a college athlete studying to be a police officer when he was arrested, was released after a Cook County court granted a petition to vacate the conviction, according to a statement from the state’s attorney’s office.

The story was published by The State Journal-Register on Dec. 6, 2023.

"The University of Illinois Springfield men's soccer team earned the NCAA D-II Midwest Staff of the Year award, the United Soccer Coaches announced on Monday.

The Prairie Stars, led by Adam Hall in his eighth season as head coach, won the Great Lakes Valley Conference regular season title in 2023. Hall was named the GLVC's Coach of the Year for that effort, which culminated in the third straight NCAA D-II tournament appearance for UIS."