The Public Affairs Reporting program is looking for former students to assist with two events happening at and around UIS in the months to come.

1. On April 20 at 3 p.m., the UIS School of Communication and Media (the academic unit that includes PAR) is hosting an alumni panel discussion to highlight what alumni are doing with their degrees. This opportunity is open to PAR alums who are journalists OR have related careers, like PR or lobbying. The event is at UIS.

Each month, UIS has a guest column spot in The State Journal-Register. I was given the opportunity to write this month’s entry about the Public Affairs Reporting program's 50-year anniversary.

⁦Aside from getting to see my byline again in the newspaper where I spent 21 years of my life, I was happy that Mike Kienzler, a member of the first PAR class in 1972-1973, shared some memories from his days as a student and reporting intern at the Capitol.

Doug Shaw has been an I.T. professional for Caterpillar, beginning his career as a program analyst in 1997, and is currently a Business Process Specialist in I.T. risk management.  Mr. Shaw has also taught management information systems as an adjunct lecturer at the University of Illinois at Springfield-Peoria Center for 20 years.  He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Western Illinois University. He also serves as Board President for Solvera Healthcare and is the immediate past President of the Board of Education for Peoria Public Schools.  Mr.

Jean-Pierre Lucas was born in Lima, Peru, but since a young age his family moved to Champaign, Illinois.

Mark Danenhauer, a 2005 graduate, received a Special Merit award for his thesis entitled ”Determining the Optimal Degree of Local Involvement in the Management of a National Park”. Before coming to UIS, Mark spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Madagascar. He was awarded the Environmental Studies Alumni Award in 2004 in recognition of his exemplary dedication to environmental issues and demonstrated involvement in environmental projects.

I am a 2000 graduate of the ENS Masters program. After coming from a very large university, it was refreshing to be in an environment where the student-to-faculty ratio was very reasonable. What also attracted me was the diversity of the program. I had heard that “Sangamon State” (UIS’ former name) was progressive in nature and indeed the courses reflected this fact. I did not have the “hard-science” background yet I was encouraged to enroll in several such courses including environmental chemistry and toxicology.

Dr. Ryan Taylor received his MA in Environmental Studies from UIS in 1998 before earning a PhD from Oregon State. Now a professor at Purchase College, Dr. Taylor applies both social and natural science research methods to his public policy studies. He has enjoyed a successful career as an environmental planner, policy-maker, and manager for every level of government. This allows him to bring real-world experiences to the classroom, exposing his students to practical challenges they will face as they pursue their environmental careers.

Marc Miller was the Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  He was a policy advisor for Governor Quinn, and has extensive involvement with conservation programs throughout the state. He has served as the Lieutenant Governor’s liaison the Illinois Rivers Coordinating Council, has worked on watershed projects in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and was the watershed organizer for the Prairie Rivers Network from 1999-2004.