The University of Illinois Springfield will host five Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series events during fall 2025. The series presents events that promote and adhere to the value of engaged citizenship, cultural awareness and respect for diversity.
All ECCE Speaker Series events are free and open to the public.
The University of Illinois Springfield invites alumni and the community to take part in its annual Homecoming celebration Sept. 14-20, 2025. This year’s theme, “Written in the Stars,” highlights the traditions and connections that unite Prairie Stars past and present.
UIS Homecoming has been a campus tradition since 1996, offering a week of events designed to foster pride and spirit. The celebration is hosted by UIS Athletics, the UIS Alumni Association, Student Affairs, the Student Activities Committee and Student Life.
WHAT: University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Janet L. Gooch will discuss the enduring legacy of President Abraham Lincoln during a Thinkers Series event featuring Jacob Friefeld, director of the UIS Center for Lincoln Studies. Friefeld was recently featured as a historical expert on the HBO Max and Magnolia Network series “Back to the Frontier.”
WHEN: 5 p.m. Sept. 15
WHERE: Brookens Auditorium, lower level of Brookens Library at UIS (visitor parking available in Lot B)
The University of Illinois Springfield Center for State Policy and Leadership will host a series of Constitution Day events Sept. 16-17. The programs are free and open to the public, but registration is required.
The University of Illinois Springfield’s popular Friday Night Star Parties will resume the Friday after Labor Day and run through the end of October. The dates are Sept. 5, 12, 19, 26, and Oct. 3, 10, 17 and 24. Friday Night Star Parties are held from 8 to 10 p.m., weather permitting, at the UIS Observatory on the roof of Brookens Library.
The University of Illinois Springfield is partnering with Southern Illinois University School of Medicine to present “COVID Stories,” a monthlong series of exhibits, staged readings and a lecture reflecting on the human impact of the pandemic. The exhibit will be on display Sept. 26–Oct. 23 in the SIU School of Medicine library.
The University of Illinois Springfield will host four Lunch & Learn Series events this fall, presented by the UIS Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society.
WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies, in partnership with Juneteenth Inc. and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, will host Dan Duster, the great-grandson of American civil rights activist Ida B. Wells.
WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17
WHERE: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, 212 N. Sixth St., Springfield
The University of Illinois Springfield Astronomy-Physics Program will host two astronomy events the weekend of May 3-4, offering the public an opportunity to explore the night sky. The first event will be held in celebration of National Astronomy Day. The second is an accessible star party designed for individuals with limited mobility.
WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Department of Campus Recreation will host its annual Health and Wellness Fair. The event is free and open to the public, including UIS students, faculty, staff and alumni.
WHEN: 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 22
WHERE: UIS Quad
DETAILS: The event will feature chair massages, outdoor yard games, health and wellness giveaways and a BeaverFit fitness trailer—a “gym on wheels.”