For five University of Illinois Springfield students, a recent service trip to Guatemala became much more than a construction project. Alongside three UIS staff members, students traveled to Antigua, Guatemala, where they partnered with ImagininGuatemala to build a home for a family in the village of Pastores.

The home was the second built through a UIS partnership and the 266th completed through ImagininGuatemala.

Can you give us a brief timeline of how my career led me to UIS?

I chose a career in higher education inspired by my own experience as a first-generation college student. That journey shaped my professional purpose: helping every student see that educational opportunities are within their reach.

Dear faculty, 

I hope your Spring semester is off to a great start! The Office of Engaged Learning (OEL) is excited to offer classroom visits to share information about our programs and the benefits they can provide to your students. These visits are a great opportunity to help students learn about experiential learning opportunities like Internships and Study Away, as well as how they can get involved. 

If you’re looking for an experience beyond the classroom, studying abroad might just be the adventure you’re looking for. At the University of Illinois Springfield, our Study Away program allows you to step outside your comfort zone, immerse yourself in new cultures, make lifelong memories and develop skills that set you up for future success. 

Eager to know more about the benefits of studying abroad during your time at UIS? Check out how our students are benefiting from the Study Away program:

The Office of Engaged Learning is hosting candidate presentations for the position of the Experiential Learning Program Coordinator. Times and locations for each candidate presentation and community Q & A can be found below:

• Candidate #1 - Tuesday, January 28th, 1:50 PM, UHB 1007
• Candidate #2 - Wednesday, January 29th, 2:30 PM, UHB1007

We appreciate your participation. This is an important role and I would like your input in the decision-making process.

Rob Weis

Associate Director of Engaged Experiences

We are pleased to announce that the 2024-2025 UIS Leadership Lived Experience (LLE) application is now available. The LLE program was launched in December 2013 with the purpose of improving undergraduate student retention by increasing employment opportunities on campus and providing professional development experiences. This year, the Leadership Lived Experience program is supported through the collective efforts of Student Employment, the Career Development Center and the Office of Engaged Learning.

Explains the benefits of GPSI and ILSIP.