The following is an excerpt from a column by University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor of Astronomy-Physics John Martin. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on September 12, 2021.

Everyone living in central Illinois is familiar with the beauty of a star-filled night sky split in half by the Milky Way. Even those of us living in towns and cities full of lights have just a short distance to travel to take in awe-inspiring views.

Many people feel called to public service. They want to contribute to making their communities and the world a better place. Both the Master of Public Administration and the Master of Public Policy can help to equip students with the competencies they need to help government and nonprofit organizations be more effective at providing valuable public goods and services.

The University of Illinois Springfield has been ranked the top public regional university in Illinois and the fourth best public university in the Midwest regional category for a third year in a row by U.S. News & World Report in 2022 Best Colleges rankings released today.

UIS was also the only public university in Illinois ranked as a top 20 best value school in the Midwest regional category. U.S. News looked at academic quality, the number of need-based scholarships awarded and other factors in determining the best value ranking.

Hometown: Decatur, Illinois (currently live in Springfield)Major: Social WorkFuture Plans: Earn a master’s degree in social work

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is pleased to present “AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BROWN BUFFALO II,” an exhibition by St. Louis-based artist José Guadalupe Garza. This exhibition will open on Thursday, Sept. 23, and will run through Thursday, Oct. 14. A reception will be held from 5:30 – 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 30 in the gallery.