Men's Basketball: Wendling lights it up from downtown to lead UIS over Lewis

Matt Wendling went six for seven from three point range and finished with 20 points to help UIS beat Lewis 69-54 on Tuesday evening.

Chase Robinson led the Prairie Stars with 21 points while Keymonta Johnson chipped in 16 points and 13 rebounds.

This story aired on Sports Radio 1450 on January 12, 2021.

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Elijah Jones: It takes hard work to bring people together

My name is Elijah Jones and I am a 22-year-old senior at the University of Illinois Springfield studying communication. I plan on finishing my education at UIS on Dec. 16. I am a first-generation college student and the oldest of eight siblings.

I have been in Springfield since 2016 and the growth I have experienced is like nothing I could have ever imagined. I helped establish my university’s first modeling organization which I was president of for two of the three years since its foundation. Our organization was built on uplifting and pushing college men to succeed plus offering a support system of brotherhood. After college I plan to stay in Springfield to save up some money in order to move to Nevada and begin working with Habitat for Humanity while working toward my goal of becoming an event planner.

During this fall semester, I have worked as an intern for the Faith Coalition for the Common Good. I have learned a lot about what goes into community organizing to bring about systemic change. I have also learned that organizing an event is more than just “event planning.” It takes hard work to bring people together and for them to understand why it is in their self-interest to work together to build power for change. These are skills I will be able to use in the future."

This profile was published in The State Journal-Register on December 13, 2020.

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Lincoln Academy of Illinois honors UIS student Kodi Smith with Student Laureate Award

Kodi Smith, a University of Illinois Springfield student, has been selected as the winner of the Student Laureate Award. The Lincoln Academy of Illinois honors one student with this prestigious award each year.

Smith said that she was surprised with she received the nomination letter. She began researching the award and knew how big it was. “It feels good to have my hard work be acknowledged by others,” said Smith. Smith of Taylorville graduated from Taylorville High School. She joined UIS to attain a bachelor’s degree in biology. She wants to become a trauma surgeon after completing her degree by attending a medical school.

Smith is a member of several student organizations including the National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi) and the pre-Health Society. The pre-Health Society is a group of students who pursue a career in the medical field. She packaged unused medical equipment several times at Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach as a volunteer. The purpose of this Mission is to send unused medical equipment to countries that are in need.

This story appeared in the Chicago Morning Star on November 5, 2020.

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UIS club donates feminine hygiene products for local residents in need

Food insecurity is on the rise right now in central Illinois, but the Period Club at the University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) says getting access to products like tampons and pads can be just as challenging.

Kassie Mruk is president of the Period Club, which is just one chapter of a larger international movement.

Founded in 2017, the club has distributed thousands of products across different states and even countries to those who experience menstruation.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Mruk said the number of local residents who struggle to purchase these products has grown.

"They don't even have the money for food sometimes, so knowing that they don't have the money for this product — it's not right,” Mruk said, “This shouldn't be a struggle. Period poverty shouldn't be a struggle."

The Period Club has already donated to several Springfield shelters and micropantries, and plans to keep expanding.

This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on October 27, 2020.

Watch the story online.

Volume 90%

Cross Country: UIS’ Blake Jones captures GLVC title

Junior Blake Jones of the University of Illinois at Springfield blitzed the field and won the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Cross Country Championship by more than 10 seconds on Saturday.

Jones finished the 8,000-meter run in 24 minutes 41.30 seconds and became the school’s record-holder at the GLVC championship and first-ever to win the individual title in program history. 

As a team, UIS took third place with 69 points. Lewis won the conference championship with 51 points and Southern Indiana was second with 57.

Senior Tyler Pasley came in fourth place and freshman Cortland Ross was eighth for UIS.

UIS’ Taryn Christy took third place for the second straight season as the women’s team finished fourth in the season-ending GLVC meet.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 25, 2020.

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UIS releases basketball schedules

The University of Illinois Springfield Prairie Stars released their basketball schedule Thursday.

The Prairie Stars will play 22 games starting on November 27th with a home game against Quincy. The conference-only schedule will split home and road contest with 11 each. UIS will play each conference team at least once. No fans are allowed at the games this season. The regular season will conclude on February 27th with a home contest against Missour S&T.

This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on October 10, 2020.

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Basking in cross country glory: UIS’ Gloria Esarco surges on women’s team while Blake Jones leads men’s side

University of Illinois Springfield senior Gloria Esarco never tried cross country until setting foot on campus.

Although she flourished in track and field where she garnered an offer from the Prairie Stars, she could only participate on the high school volleyball team during the fall in Wisconsin.

She has enjoyed every bit of the new opportunity, so much that she will gladly accept an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic and compete in cross country for a fifth season.

“Personally it’s something I didn’t expect to happen but I take it day by day and I’m excited to have this bonus season in cross country and to be able to get back at it next year and really excel even more,” Esarco said. “In a way, it’s a blessing in disguise and you kind of just have to take it one day at a time.”

Esarco has recently emerged as the Stars’ No. 2 runner on the women’s cross country program and certainly impressed UIS coach Tyler Pence this weekend.

Esarco and Co. finished second place in the 6,000-meter Great Lakes Valley Conference East Divisional women’s race on the UIS course Saturday with a score of 45 behind Southern Indiana’s 41.

The UIS men’s team will also compete in the GLVC meet later this month after taking third place in Saturday’s 8,000-meter competition. Lewis won Saturday’s event with a score of 40, followed by Southern Indiana (47), UIS (68), Indy (71) and Missouri St. Louis (155).

UIS junior and Lincoln High School graduate Blake Jones earned first place in 24 minutes 6.30 seconds and won comfortably ahead of the rest of the field.

“He’s incredibly fit right now,” Pence said of Jones. “He’s one of the top runners in this conference, so he definitely had high expectations coming into the season and I think in two weeks he’ll definitely be a favorite to win the conference championship.”

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 10, 2020.

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Petersburg’s Davis named Illinois Ms. Agriculture USA Queen

Jennifer Davis of Petersburg was recently named the 2021 Illinois Ms. Agriculture USA Queen.

Davis is a senior at the University of Illinois Springfield majoring in environmental studies with a minor in biology.

Davis will be competing at the National Miss Agriculture USA Competition to be held in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in June 2021.

Miss Agriculture USA is a national nonprofit organization that focuses on promoting positive aspects of agriculture featuring queens of all ages who celebrate and educate about all the diverse aspects of agriculture.

Davis’ agricultural interests include animal science and nutrition, water quality issues, renewable energy, pollinator gardens and biotechnology. Davis also has conducted research on Asian carp.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on October 11, 2020.

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UIS student picked for Illinois Board of Higher Education

A senior from the University of Illinois Springfield now represents her peers on the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Mackenzi Matthews participated in her first meeting as a member on Tuesday.

Now, the political science major hopes to bring a collective student voice to the table. Matthews wants to help board members understand the struggles students face around financial aid and access to resources.

"It's really important to me to be able to show them everything that goes into getting the education to go into the workforce because there's so many steps to get there, and it varies for people," Matthews said.

She also wants to help students gain more access to internships.

"It's important to make sure that internships are paid because they want to talk about inclusivity and diversity," Matthews added. "But if you don't pay the people that are going to come in, that really limits the field you can draw from because many students need to work to get through college."

Matthews previously served on the board's student advisory committee and is the current parliamentarian for the UIS Student Government Association.

"We should really take a look at universities and why they're so expensive to begin with, and figure out how we got here. From there, we can figure out if there's any way to cut costs and try to take it from students having to scrap around for money to try to pay for it, to making it affordable to begin with."

Mackenzi plans on pursuing a master's degree after graduation this spring. And if you were wondering, she hopes to have a career in politics one day.

This story aired on WGEM on September, 28, 2020.

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COVID-19 and college: UIS on-campus students and faculty are getting tested weekly

The University of Illinois is aiming to have its saliva tests used throughout the nation and world. The so-called Shield tests provide rapid results and were developed by researchers in Urbana-Champaign at UIUC. "Direct saliva testing can address bottlenecks of time, cost and supplies," said Martin Burke in a release. "Our test also has unique features that enable fast and frequent testing on a large scale, and we are now working together with many partners to make our testing method broadly available as soon as possible." Burke is a chemistry professor at UIUC and helped develop the tests, which are under FDA emergency authorization.

The tests are being used at all three U of I campuses, including in Springfield. The aim at UIS is to test weekly those who learn, live and work on campus. Testing, combined with contact tracing, provides a picture of where outbreaks are occurring and how to mitigate further spread. Interim UIS chancellor Karen Whitney has repeatedly described the coming school year as a roller coaster, and it's already proven to be true.

"The lab is slammed in Urbana, and we've had bumps in the road," Whitney said during an Aug. 27 UIS virtual meeting about COVID-19.

"UIS is not closing unless the governor or the system head directs me to. The question gets into how will we operate," Whitney told Illinois Times. Students and faculty who become ill will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. Pauses in on-campus activity and a temporary shift to online learning for all are included as potential mitigation efforts. Meanwhile, about 80% of students are learning purely online according to Whitney. Those who attend in-person classes must wear masks and keep a distance from others.

In-person learning is a privilege, said Whitney. There could be discipline for faculty and students who don't abide by rules. So far though, "I'm impressed with how conscientious people have been, how thoughtful they've been," Whitney said. "I'm very optimistic."

This story appeared in the Illinois Times on September 3, 2020.

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Thoughts on Creating an Inclusive Environment in Online Classes

The following article was written by Ray Schroeder, Associate Vice Chancellor or Online Learning at the University of Illinois Springfield.

In preparing for the fall term, most colleges and universities are responding to the renewed public consciousness about equality, inclusiveness and fairness for all students.

As we reflect on American history and, in particular, the history of our institutions of higher education, we see that in so many conscious and unconscious ways we have failed in our responsibility to promote the core values we express as a society, most notably inclusion and equity. The country has been reminded that Black lives matter -- not that all lives don’t matter -- but, that despite the Civil War, despite Emancipation, despite the civil rights legislation over the years, we still are not equally united across racial, cultural and gender lines. This is abundantly clear in widely reported horrifying acts of racial violence against minorities, but is also evident in the disparity of salaries for the same work, disparity of diversity in positions of prominence and disparity in preparedness and success of youth entering higher education. Polls show that most Americans agree that we must do better. And the time to renew our commitment is today.

The opportunities to begin to make a difference are endless through the online platform, where that platform is equitably available. Not limited to students recruited to the campus, not limited to students who can relocate and come to campus, online programs reach across cultures and locations to serve students where they are. And yet, minority and low-income students do not thrive at the same rates as others in the current system. So where can we begin in developing more successful diverse and inclusive online programs?

This article appeared in Inside Higher Ed on August 26, 2020.

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UIS, LLCC welcome back students to a different kind of school year

Raeann Sherada of Riverton is the senior lead at the University of Illinois Springfield’s Student Union welcome desk.

Sherada, a communications major, greets students, hands out TV remotes, dispenses masks for those who forget them and oversees reservations for the Student Union’s conference rooms.

One day last week, Sherada, sitting behind free standing plexiglass and wearing a UIS mask, was making signs reminding students not to move furniture.

“We’re doing our best to make sure it is safe for everyone,” Sherada said. “I think it will be OK as long as people wear face coverings and maintain their distance. We’re cleaning a lot more around here.”

Three of her classes are now online, plus one class meets in-person periodically, a notion Sherada doesn’t mind.

“I’d be OK with going all-remote, too,” Sherada said. “I’m pretty adaptable. Moving online in the spring was a difficult transition, but we all got through it. We’re more prepared for that than ever, so I think it’ll be good.”

UIS and Lincoln Land Community College began classes at full throttle Monday, but the campuses had a different buzz to them under the COVID-19 pandemic.

About three-quarters of both schools’ course offerings this semester are either online or remote.

Online courses have no scheduled class times. Students can watch a professor’s lecture at their leisure. Remote classes are face-to-face via Zoom or other web sites that meet on regular days and at regular times.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on August 24, 2020.

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See photos from UIS' first day of class.

More paid internship opportunities for UIS students

The University of Illinois Springfield will now be able to offer more paid internships to its students.

A nearly $45,000 grant for the Illinois Cooperative Work Study Program will help increase the internship opportunities. The funds will provide for approximately 40 paid internship opportunities.

“During these challenging times, we are particularly thankful that UIS has been named as a grant recipient to administer this competitive internship program,” said Tammy Craig, director of the UIS Office of Engaged Learning. “Eligible students who might have postponed an internship over the summer due to extenuating pandemic circumstances, or were not able to participate in unpaid internships, will now have additional options to explore.”

Students will receive a wage of $12/hour for their work.

This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on August 3, 2020..

Watch the entire story online.

GLVC postpones soccer, volleyball seasons

The University of Illinois Springfield’s soccer and volleyball seasons have been postponed until the second semester due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Great Lakes Valley Conference’s Council of Presidents voted to postpone the majority of its fall sports “based on guidance from the league’s athletics directors and an extensive review of the recommended testing and safety measures developed by the NCAA Sports Science Institute,” according to the GLVC’s announcement on Monday.

Football was also postponed in the GLVC. Each of the fall sports affected — football, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball — were determined high risk by the NCAA Sport Science Institute, based on a consensus by the NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel and the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine COVID-19 Working Group.

Student-athletes may still train outside of the playing season beginning Sept. 7 or on the fourth day of classes for the fall term under the NCAA’s countable athletic related activities (CARA) rules.

UIS athletic director Peyton Deterding, who started his first day on Dec. 9, said student-athletes are expected to arrive on campus with the rest of the student body on Aug. 24.

“We are looking at ways to still provide meaningful opportunities for student-athletes and one of those is they come back to campus,” Deterding said. “Obviously some have been away from their sport for a little bit of time, so we’re looking for ways to continue with practices and strength and conditioning in a safe environment. If we can do it in a safe environment, it allows us to build some team camaraderie and team unity and get them back to playing sports.”

UIS’ opening soccer games were scheduled Sept. 6, after their schedules — featuring only conference games — were released in June. The UIS volleyball team was also set to open the year Sept. 3.

Cross country, however, was determined medium risk and will still be permitted to compete this fall with the GLVC meet scheduled for Oct. 24. The UIS cross country teams are slated to begin with a home meet Sept. 4 but that may change, according to Deterding.

Golf and tennis, each judged low risk, will also be allowed to compete in their non-championship segments in the fall and continue their season into the spring when their respective championship seasons begin.

Baseball and softball — considered medium risk — will be permitted to have only intrasquad competition on campus in the fall.

The GLVC said in its press release that it has established Oct. 1 as the deadline to determine the competition start date for men’s and women’s basketball, each considered high risk.

This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 27, 2020.

Read the entire article online.

UIS Perspectives: Working together for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness

The following is an excerpt from a column by Justin Rose, University of Illinois Springfield director of diversity and inclusion. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 20, 2020.

When it was written in 1776 ”... that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” it was surely the most amazingly written expression in the Declaration of Independence. Sadly, our country’s practice of that document, the Constitution, and the Amendments to follow did not necessarily reflect that message.

Over the past 244 years, we have witnessed these words being selectively applied to uniquely advantage one group over another, as much of our history has its connection to the creation and implementation of slavery. In short, slavery in America has been a system in which property law principles are applied to people, allowing individuals to own, buy, and sell other individuals as a form of property. Over the lifespan of America’s development, we have seen this system morph due to many brave, courageous, and servant leaders who fought against the intense overt oppression and subversive suppression. Decade after decade, these Davids of our time took on the Goliath of our nation — racism.

America’s issues are vast and people want to see change, particularly our traditionally marginalized and underrepresented communities. I, myself, subscribe to that notion. As a Black male working at an institution of higher education, I have witnessed my students expressively say they feel they live in an America that does not love them.

Those words scream out to me a much louder message. To me, they place attention on what our America’s history has been and why we all need to stand up for the rights of those who are continuously scraped, cut, and gashed — left to bleed. I firmly believe, in order to begin healing, we have to stop the bleeding. With that as the chorus in mind, we need to seek to apply the doctrine the way it was so eloquently written so that we can see reflected an America that pulls people from the margins into the larger picture — thus allowing for real opportunity at Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

At UIS, we have decided to not turn a blind eye and to recommit ourselves to the alignment of the doctrine. The recent national events of racial injustice have reawakened the world and have been front and center for us. We are ensuring our students, staff, faculty, and administrators (myself included) are not ignoring the long history, practice, and ideology of systemic racism. Standing firm with the Black community and other marginalized groups who are deeply entrenched in the fight towards justice is our fight.

Listening to our campus community’s experiences has prompted the launch of our comprehensive “How Do We Heal Pathway Forward” resource guide, which can be found at uis.edu/diversitycenter/. The guide is designed to be interactive/clickable/digestible for people to learn. It has video features, web links to learn how to be anti-racist, and web links to enhance civic involvement. But equally as important, it has the framework for our “Where We Can Go” Diversity Mini-Series. The July Diversity Mini-Series is now entering its third week with programs addressing the current civil unrest on issues of Race, Police Brutality, and Allyship.

We believe that exploring these topics and helping our students, staff, faculty, and administrators through our weekly discussion opportunities is helping us move forward together. We believe it is a part of the formula to help shape a community rooted in equity, justice, and inclusion — you know, like the declaration that was so eloquently indoctrinated for our nation to follow.

Read the entire column online.

UIS offers detailed plan for students returning to campus in fall

The University of Illinois Springfield on Wednesday detailed how it hopes students might safely return to the campus for fall semester classes in the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 18-page plan, “Return to the Prairie,” addresses how the campus will offer “on-ground,” or in-person classes as well as blended classes, that combine face-to-face and remote instruction.

It also spells out plans for student living arrangement and on-campus activities.

Of note is that the university will go remote with all classes beginning Nov. 25 until the end of the semester, which is Dec. 12.

Face coverings that cover the nose and mouth will be required on campus when a six-foot physical distance from others is not possible. Face coverings are required in all common areas, which includes classrooms.

“It is our best intention to unite us in public health and safety, and we are committed to providing a high-quality experience regardless of the circumstances in which we may find ourselves,” said UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney. “Whether our Prairie Stars are learning via on-campus instruction or remotely, UIS is committed to and capable of providing a high-quality university experience to everyone who calls UIS home.”

Classrooms and laboratories, along with common, meeting and event spaces will be set up and organized to facilitate appropriate social distancing. They will be cleaned and disinfected daily by building service workers.

Students will be allowed to live on campus in single and double occupancy residence halls, townhouses and apartments, however, guests will not be allowed in residence halls.

Carry-out options will be encouraged at the UIS Student Union Food Studio and no self-service options available. Seating in dining areas will be arranged to encourage social distancing.

COVID-19 testing will be available to all students on campus through Campus Health Services.

The “Return to the Prairie” plan was created by two teams focused on academic planning, student affairs and community engagement.

Classes at UIS begin Aug. 24.

UIC, UIS announce pathway for undergraduates to earn nursing degree

The University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Illinois Springfield are announcing the creation of a joint undergraduate nursing curriculum that will guarantee a spot for incoming freshmen in UIC’s nursing program.

The agreement, which begins this fall, will allow a student who is interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree to apply to the Springfield campus as a freshman. If accepted, the student would be guaranteed admission to the UIC College of Nursing BSN program on the Springfield regional campus when they achieve junior-level standing.

“It’s an opportunity for very competitive students to have this pathway guaranteed for them,” said Kevin Browne, vice provost for academic and enrollment services at UIC. “We guarantee admission to the BSN degree, which is a major threshold to enter the health care industry.”

If students are not accepted into the program as freshmen they still could apply to UIC’s BSN program as a junior or senior without the guaranteed acceptance.

The effort is designed to help increase the number of students in the program, said Cynthia Reese, director of the Springfield regional campus of the UIC College of Nursing.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on July 2, 2020.

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Men's Baseball: Jensen gets UIS baseball sportsmanship nod

Brayden Jensen, a senior pitcher for the University of Illinois Springfield baseball team, was named that team’s Great Lakes Valley Conference James R. Spalding Sportsmanship Award honoree.

Each team in the GLVC selected one player who distinguished himself through sportsmanship and “ethical behavior” throughout the coronavirus-shortened season. The honorees must also be in “good academic standing and have demonstrated good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting,” according to the GLVC press release on Monday.

This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 13, 2020.

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"Hindsight 20/20"

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is proud to present “Hindsight 20/20,” a virtual exhibition showcasing the creativity and skill sets of senior visual arts majors at UIS.

As a result of the public health concerns regarding COVID-19, and in keeping with UIS policies in place to protect our students, faculty, staff and patrons, this special exhibition will take place online.

"Hindsight 20/20” features works by UIS Visual Arts graduating seniors that, together, explore how visual language can more clearly express those experiences that are difficult to communicate through words alone.

Exhibiting artists include Logan Baskett, Kelsey Cleary, Kailee Harris, Rachel Lewis, Dominic Miraldi and Merrick Wilderman.

This exhibition will feature animation, digital media, painting, screen printing and sculpture. Each of the student artists have created works that collectively strive to transport the viewer, inviting individuals to immerse themselves and recognize not only how our surroundings affect our emotions, but also how individuals impact the environment and the world around them.

These works are especially poignant in light of recent develops and the hardships many now face as a result of the global pandemic. “Hindsight 20/20” serves as a reflection and testament to the hard work of these students in the midst of these challenging times.

This article appeared in The Illinois Times on May 1, 2020.

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UIS extends decision date, waives enrollment fees for some incoming students

The University of Illinois Springfield is extending the decision date for incoming fall 2020 freshman. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UIS Office of Admission has extended the decision date from May 1 to June 1 to give students more time to learn about the campus and university.

Application and enrollment fees have also been waived for freshman, transfer and graduate students for summer and fall 2020.

UIS is also waiving the essay requirement for freshman and transfer students. Virtual one-on-one appointments with UIS admission counselors and weekly Wednesday webinars are being offered.

This story aired on WAND 17 on April 9, 2020.

Read the story online.