Welcome to Graduate Education at UIS

We are pleased that you have chosen to explore our graduate degree and certificate programs.  More than 40% of UIS students are engaged in graduate study, and most were attracted to UIS by an impressive combination of factors that include educational quality, value and campus location and setting.

Good as Gold Ceremony-April, 2027

Join us each year as we come together to honor the remarkable individuals and organizations that enrich the Springfield community through their dedication and service. The Good as Gold Ceremony, established in 2009, shines a spotlight on the tireless volunteers and nonprofit organizations that embody the spirit of giving.

If you are looking to promote a service opportunity, recruit volunteers for a semester or year-long commitment, or are seeking to define a longer term volunteer related relationship between your organization and UIS we would like the opportunity to help you be successful in connecting with the UIS Campus. Below are some resources to help in that process. We encourage you to read our brief guide on how to be effective in recruiting and working with our volunteers.

We know that it is difficult to perform in the classroom if you have unmet needs outside of the classroom. “UIS Cares” is the overarching name for a series of services offered by the Department of Student Affairs intended to support the foundational needs of students. UIS Cares includes the Stars Food Pantry and the School Supply Shop.

The Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center works with many different Student Service Organizations. Below is a list of service organizations at UIS along with the organizations leadership contact information. This is not an exhaustive list, rather these are some of the active organizations that we regularly work with on campus.

We encourage new students to consider the Leadership for Life Service program but we provide all students with several ways to get involved with service throughout their time at UIS.

Leadership for Life Service Program

The Leadership for Life Service Living Learning Community, also known as L4L, is a service and leadership community. Students admitted to L4Lhave the opportunity to live together, take a class together, and commit to doing service together.

Ongoing Service

One time service projects are great, but the Volunteer Center urges students to make a longer commitment to service. Our partnership with School District 186 allows students to serve approximately once a week for a semester or a year.