The University of Illinois Springfield continues to be recognized for the strength of its academic programs, online education, and dedication to excellence. UIS was ranked by U.S. News & World Report the top public regional university in Illinois and number four in the Midwest. UIS has been ranked among the top 15 public regional universities in the Midwest for each of the past fifteen years.

Each year, we recognize our high quality alumni, students, faculty, staff and their many individual achievements.

Students

UIS is proud of our students and their many accomplishments. Many achievement and recognition awards are given to students during our annual Commencement Ceremony.

Kodi Smith

Kodi Smith of Taylorville has been selected as the University of Illinois Springfield student recipient of the Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Only one UIS student is honored with the prestigious award each academic year.

Faculty

A university’s faculty represents one of its most precious assets. One of the ways universities can successfully attract and retain top talent is through named professorships and endowed chairs.

Sudeep Sharma

Sudeep Sharma, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, marketing and operations at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been named University Scholar for 2020. The award, considered the university system’s highest faculty honor, recognizes outstanding teaching and scholarship. Only one faculty member receives the annual award at UIS.

Staff

Employee of the Month and Year

Each month, one staff member at UIS is named the Employee of the Month. Each year, one staff member is named the Employee of the Year.

Information Technology Service’s Help Desk Manager Jason Noyes has been named the 2020 Employee of the Year at the University of Illinois Springfield. He was honored during a virtual reception on Feb. 2, 2021.

Find more Employee of the Month and Year stories

CAPE Award

The Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence (CAPE) Award honors all Academic Professionals at UIS by recognizing one outstanding Academic Professional each year.

CARE Award

The Chancellor’s Award for Recognizing Excellence in Civil Service (CARE in Civil Service) award, established jointly by the chancellor and the Civil Service Advisory Council, serves to recognize the exceptional work of all civil service employees and honors one employee each year.

Employee Recognition

Also, length of service awards acknowledge full time service to the University of Illinois Springfield beginning at five years of service, in five year increments. UIS hosts a program each spring to honor retirees and to recognize faculty and staff with service awards. Employees with ten years of service and up are presented with certificates and gifts at the event.

Alumni

Each year, the University of Illinois Alumni Association has honored outstanding UIS graduates and friends.

Dr. Janice Spears of Springfield, IL is the 2020 recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Spears has earned three degrees from the University, and had a remarkable career as a school administrator, which included national recognition for environmentally friendly school buildings. Upon retirement, Spears has focused her time and energy on the University and has become an invaluable, “go –to” alumni volunteer leader whose actions have made significant, notable impact on the institution’s overall welfare and the advancement of its mission.

Nina Burleigh of New York, NY is the 2020 recipient of the Alumni Achievement Award. A 1984 graduate of the Public Affairs Reporting program, Burleigh has covered stories on six continents and has achieved critical acclaim as an award-winning author, journalist and feminist cultural critic. She is a New York Times best-selling author of six lively, acclaimed works of creative nonfiction and has written hundreds of works on topics ranging from culture and politics to gender issues, science and the environment.

Colleges and Departments

  • The College of Business and Management is accredited by the A.A.C.S.B, a distinction earned by less than 5% of business schools worldwide.
  • The UIS Computer Science Department has been recognized by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyberdefense Education.

Online

UIS has been honored with awards and other recognition for its leadership in online education.

The University of Illinois Springfield’s online bachelor’s degree programs have been ranked 34th best in the country (out of 357 institutions) by U.S. News and World Report. The 2021 ranking put UIS among the top 10 percent of best online bachelor’s degree programs in the United States.