The following is a portion of a guest opinion column written by University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch. It was published in the April 1, 2018, edition of The State Journal-Register.
"Spring’s arrival at the University of Illinois Springfield brings a
collective sense of anticipation — trees and flowers coming to life
across a beautiful campus, the countdown steadily ticking toward
commencement, and (this year for the first time) Starbucks aficionados
of all sorts enjoying their favorite beverage on the outdoor plaza at
the new Student Union.
On this first day of April 2018 there may
be nowhere on campus where that sense of anticipation is more evident
(or more intense) than at The Recreation and Athletics Center. TRAC is
home to the Prairie Stars, one of about 300 NCAA Division II
intercollegiate athletic programs. The program provides more than 250
UIS student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a high level of
scholarship athletics at the same time they can earn a University of
Illinois degree and contribute in a variety of ways to campus and
community life.
At the helm of the Prairie Stars is Director of
Intercollegiate Athletics Jim Sarra who, along with talented coaches and
staff, has implemented a “BLUEprint for excellence” to advance the
young Prairie Stars program. Their mission is to center the
student-athlete experience on academic achievement, competitive
excellence and community engagement."
Read the full article online.
