It's one of the most celebrated days of many people's lives, but as COVID-19 has forced large events to be put on hold, graduation ceremonies across the country have been canceled, as well.
University of Illinois Springfield said they're still honoring their students, but now in a safer way.
"It's really impossible to replace that moment with all their families cheering, and I’m going to miss that and they're going to miss that, and that's a shame, but we have to keep everybody safe and healthy," UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said.
There were no tassels and gowns, no cheering families, and no handshakes on stage. Yet, there were still tears of joy on graduation day. For the 1,179 graduates from UIS this year, it wasn't how they imagined their graduation.
However, despite a global pandemic, the Class of 2020 was still honored in a special, virtual way.
The university created a virtual graduation ceremony that features faculty and students celebrating their achievements.
Killeen ended the ceremony with an official naming of each college and the presentation of the degrees.
Koch said the university plans to resume on-campus instruction in the fall and hold a physical graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 later in the year.
"What led us to deciding that it's important to have a face-to-face event -- even if it's much smaller, even if a much smaller number of students can come -- is that it's important to our students, and they told us that it was important," Koch said.
This story aired on WICS Newschannel 20 on May 9, 2020..
Read the entire article online.
Showing posts with label Graduation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Graduation. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Sunday, May 13, 2018
Blind UIS graduate opens people’s eyes to possibilities
Raven Wilson has had the help of her service dog, Dana, for the four years she’s been a student at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Wilson, who is blind, has used her 5-year-old black Labrador/golden retriever to help her navigate a journey that’s taken her from her freshman year at UIS to her participation as a marshal for the English department on Saturday during the 47th annual commencement for UIS.
Wilson, 22, received a bachelor of arts degree in English.
She will be missed “very much,” said Sarah Weaver, director of the Office of Disability Services at UIS. “We have only one student right now who is blind who actually uses a guide dog, and that’s Raven. The other student, who is blind, she uses a guide cane,” said Weaver, who added that Wilson has used the Office of Disability Services for test taking and for receiving alternate formats for books.
”(Raven) has added so much to this campus in the way of educating people about disability, especially a student being blind. She has participated in everything.” Weaver said, for example, Wilson has participated in a student panel that included students with different types of disabilities. "Raven was one of the first ones to jump on board when I suggested that. She has added so much to this campus. I don’t think there’s probably anybody on this campus that doesn’t know Raven, and it’s always a positive thing, too,” Weaver said.
Wilson said professors at UIS have been “really great” in working with her in figuring out alternatives to assignments that are primarily visual.
Wilson tried something new when taking a recent history final. “The professor put the final on a thumb drive, and I was able to put it in my machine (BrailleNote Touch) and complete the final, and they give him back the thumb drive. ... That worked out really, really well,” Wilson said. “That was something new that I tried out, and it really worked out because usually, I’ll go to the office of disabilities to take the tests because I’m usually allotted time and a half, but honestly, I’ve never really needed to use the time and a half except for a few occasions. I normally can finish up in the same time as the rest of the class.”
Among her many activities, Wilson helped start the student organization Awareness Respect Education Ability for disability awareness.
Wilson will be a camp counselor this summer in upstate New York and will travel to England. She hopes to move to North Carolina, searching for permanent work.
“Raven has opened the door and opened the eyes of a lot of people to see that just because someone has a disability that doesn’t mean they can’t accomplish their goals and live a really fulfilling, productive life.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 12, 2018.
Read the entire article online.
Wilson, who is blind, has used her 5-year-old black Labrador/golden retriever to help her navigate a journey that’s taken her from her freshman year at UIS to her participation as a marshal for the English department on Saturday during the 47th annual commencement for UIS.
Wilson, 22, received a bachelor of arts degree in English.
She will be missed “very much,” said Sarah Weaver, director of the Office of Disability Services at UIS. “We have only one student right now who is blind who actually uses a guide dog, and that’s Raven. The other student, who is blind, she uses a guide cane,” said Weaver, who added that Wilson has used the Office of Disability Services for test taking and for receiving alternate formats for books.
”(Raven) has added so much to this campus in the way of educating people about disability, especially a student being blind. She has participated in everything.” Weaver said, for example, Wilson has participated in a student panel that included students with different types of disabilities. "Raven was one of the first ones to jump on board when I suggested that. She has added so much to this campus. I don’t think there’s probably anybody on this campus that doesn’t know Raven, and it’s always a positive thing, too,” Weaver said.
Wilson said professors at UIS have been “really great” in working with her in figuring out alternatives to assignments that are primarily visual.
Wilson tried something new when taking a recent history final. “The professor put the final on a thumb drive, and I was able to put it in my machine (BrailleNote Touch) and complete the final, and they give him back the thumb drive. ... That worked out really, really well,” Wilson said. “That was something new that I tried out, and it really worked out because usually, I’ll go to the office of disabilities to take the tests because I’m usually allotted time and a half, but honestly, I’ve never really needed to use the time and a half except for a few occasions. I normally can finish up in the same time as the rest of the class.”
Among her many activities, Wilson helped start the student organization Awareness Respect Education Ability for disability awareness.
Wilson will be a camp counselor this summer in upstate New York and will travel to England. She hopes to move to North Carolina, searching for permanent work.
“Raven has opened the door and opened the eyes of a lot of people to see that just because someone has a disability that doesn’t mean they can’t accomplish their goals and live a really fulfilling, productive life.”
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 12, 2018.
Read the entire article online.
Monday, May 15, 2017
UIS graduates set example by getting degree
More than a dozen family members cheered Saturday as Duane Willingham, 21, walked across the stage at the Prairie Capital Convention Center and became the first person in his family to earn a college degree.
Willingham was one of 1,270 University of Illinois Springfield graduates to participate in commencement ceremonies at the convention center. He majored in sociology and anthropology and hopes to have a career in higher education.
Already, Willingham’s trailblazing role as the first in his family to graduate from college has turned him into a role model for family members and people in his south Chicago neighborhood.
Speaking just before the commencement ceremony, Willingham said he appreciates the opportunity to talk other people about the advantages of a college education. “The things you learn in college, you can’t get anywhere else,” Willingham said. “I talk to old high school friends, people in my community and church. A lot of them haven’t seen people go to college and come back with a degree. I’ve had the awesome opportunity of telling them they can do it.”
Denise Sagendorph, 25, of Palatine also is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She took online courses from UIS and never actually stepped foot on the campus. She earned a degree in computer science in 4 1/2 years while working and raising her daughter, now 7.
While Sagendorph took classes online, Willingham attended classes in Springfield. He said he liked the small campus atmosphere of UIS.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said she was especially proud of students like Willingham and Sagendorph. “My final message, to all of the graduating students, is that I’m proud of you. Every single student has a story to tell,” Koch said. “There has been a moment of adversity somewhere along the line and there has been a great challenge somewhere along the line. Every one of these students, some more than others, have really been determined.”
Out of 1,700 students eligible to graduate at UIS, the 1,270 students who participated in commencement marked the largest in UIS’ history. To accommodate the large number, the university opted for two separate ceremonies instead of one large event.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 13, 2017.
Read the entire article online.
View commencement photographs from The State Journal-Register online.
Willingham was one of 1,270 University of Illinois Springfield graduates to participate in commencement ceremonies at the convention center. He majored in sociology and anthropology and hopes to have a career in higher education.
Already, Willingham’s trailblazing role as the first in his family to graduate from college has turned him into a role model for family members and people in his south Chicago neighborhood.
Speaking just before the commencement ceremony, Willingham said he appreciates the opportunity to talk other people about the advantages of a college education. “The things you learn in college, you can’t get anywhere else,” Willingham said. “I talk to old high school friends, people in my community and church. A lot of them haven’t seen people go to college and come back with a degree. I’ve had the awesome opportunity of telling them they can do it.”
Denise Sagendorph, 25, of Palatine also is the first person in her family to earn a college degree. She took online courses from UIS and never actually stepped foot on the campus. She earned a degree in computer science in 4 1/2 years while working and raising her daughter, now 7.
While Sagendorph took classes online, Willingham attended classes in Springfield. He said he liked the small campus atmosphere of UIS.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said she was especially proud of students like Willingham and Sagendorph. “My final message, to all of the graduating students, is that I’m proud of you. Every single student has a story to tell,” Koch said. “There has been a moment of adversity somewhere along the line and there has been a great challenge somewhere along the line. Every one of these students, some more than others, have really been determined.”
Out of 1,700 students eligible to graduate at UIS, the 1,270 students who participated in commencement marked the largest in UIS’ history. To accommodate the large number, the university opted for two separate ceremonies instead of one large event.
This story appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 13, 2017.
Read the entire article online.
View commencement photographs from The State Journal-Register online.
Susan Koch: Lives transformed by UIS experience
The following is an excerpt from a column by University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch. This column appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 13, 2017.
"Today’s UIS Perspectives column appears just hours after the 2017 University of Illinois Springfield commencement. With 1,250 students crossing the stage at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in two separate ceremonies, UIS’ 46th commencement celebrated the largest graduating class in school history, and it was a memorable day for graduates and their families. Like every other faculty and staff member, I’m proud of our graduates — each of whom has worked with such determination to earn his or her University of Illinois degree.
Among the many smiling graduates shaking my hand on the commencement stage was Jeremy Embalabala, who is now a two-time UIS graduate in computer science. Jeremy completed his master’s degree online at the same time he was employed at Horace Mann as a member of the corporate security team.
“I decided to pursue my master’s degree because I wanted to challenge myself from a technical perspective,” says Jeremy. “The flexibility of online was key for me. I appreciated being able to take courses from professors with real-world experience who are on the cutting edge of implementation and execution. Thanks to the online program, I could go to work, come home and play with my kids, and then work on my online coursework.”
Jeremy recently accepted a new position at HUB International in Chicago (a global insurance broker) where he is director of security architecture.
Nathan Hoffman, a political science major from Springfield, and Noah Sisson, a business management major from Virden, may not know each other, but they have more in common than being in the same graduating class. Both came to UIS looking for opportunities to pursue their passions — Nathan for public service and Noah for business entrepreneurship. “I owe much of what I’ve learned at UIS to several outstanding professors, including Dr. Adriana Crocker and Dr. Richard Gilman-Opalsky,” says Nathan. Noah echoes that same sentiment. “Professors Nathan Steele and Bruce Sommer are both great teachers,” he reports. “Dr. Steele’s class on negotiations helped me successfully negotiate the purchase of a piece of land, and I’ve worked with Bruce to develop the concept for a firefighter accountability system — new technology to track a firefighter’s location inside a burning building.” Besides being a full-time student, Noah is a farmer, small business owner and EMT/firefighter.
The mission of the University of Illinois is to “transform lives and serve society.” I am confident the lives of Jeremy, Nathan and Noah have, indeed, been transformed by their UIS experience. I’m also confident they, like the thousands of other 2017 graduates of all three University of Illinois campuses, will serve society in productive ways across Illinois and around the world for many years to come.
Congratulations, graduates. We’re proud of you."
Read the entire column online.
"Today’s UIS Perspectives column appears just hours after the 2017 University of Illinois Springfield commencement. With 1,250 students crossing the stage at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in two separate ceremonies, UIS’ 46th commencement celebrated the largest graduating class in school history, and it was a memorable day for graduates and their families. Like every other faculty and staff member, I’m proud of our graduates — each of whom has worked with such determination to earn his or her University of Illinois degree.
Among the many smiling graduates shaking my hand on the commencement stage was Jeremy Embalabala, who is now a two-time UIS graduate in computer science. Jeremy completed his master’s degree online at the same time he was employed at Horace Mann as a member of the corporate security team.
“I decided to pursue my master’s degree because I wanted to challenge myself from a technical perspective,” says Jeremy. “The flexibility of online was key for me. I appreciated being able to take courses from professors with real-world experience who are on the cutting edge of implementation and execution. Thanks to the online program, I could go to work, come home and play with my kids, and then work on my online coursework.”
Jeremy recently accepted a new position at HUB International in Chicago (a global insurance broker) where he is director of security architecture.
Nathan Hoffman, a political science major from Springfield, and Noah Sisson, a business management major from Virden, may not know each other, but they have more in common than being in the same graduating class. Both came to UIS looking for opportunities to pursue their passions — Nathan for public service and Noah for business entrepreneurship. “I owe much of what I’ve learned at UIS to several outstanding professors, including Dr. Adriana Crocker and Dr. Richard Gilman-Opalsky,” says Nathan. Noah echoes that same sentiment. “Professors Nathan Steele and Bruce Sommer are both great teachers,” he reports. “Dr. Steele’s class on negotiations helped me successfully negotiate the purchase of a piece of land, and I’ve worked with Bruce to develop the concept for a firefighter accountability system — new technology to track a firefighter’s location inside a burning building.” Besides being a full-time student, Noah is a farmer, small business owner and EMT/firefighter.
The mission of the University of Illinois is to “transform lives and serve society.” I am confident the lives of Jeremy, Nathan and Noah have, indeed, been transformed by their UIS experience. I’m also confident they, like the thousands of other 2017 graduates of all three University of Illinois campuses, will serve society in productive ways across Illinois and around the world for many years to come.
Congratulations, graduates. We’re proud of you."
Read the entire column online.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
UIS holds largest commencement ceremony in school's history
Blake Hudson, the student speaker at the University of Illinois Springfield's Saturday commencement ceremony, said people should stop seeing barriers as obstacles and instead view them as opportunities.
"The opportunities we are looking for in life — to serve, to be involved, to be great as individuals and a generation — they really come to us as obstacles," Hudson said prior to delivering his speech. "Sometimes it's a messy river you have to clean up. When you do that, you pursue something that is bigger than yourself."
Hudson, 24, of Zion, was one of more than 950 undergraduate and graduate students who participated in UIS' commencement ceremony at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
More than 1,600 students were eligible to participate. UIS had 740 students participate in last year's commencement ceremony, and 777 students took part in 2013.
Chancellor Susan J. Koch said Saturday's ceremony was the biggest in the history of the university, and it also marked the largest graduating class. "We've had an emphasis on growth for the last four years," Koch said. "What that means is the strategies we are using to grow the campus, such as implementing new majors and various recruitment efforts, are really working. I think that as the reputation of the campus increases, that brings more people … both at the undergraduate and graduate level."
Hudson earned his bachelor's degree in communication and political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After graduation, he came to Springfield through the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program and worked with the Senate Republican staff. He liked the Springfield area, and decided to enroll at UIS to pursue a master's degree in public administration.
As for the obstacles he had to overcome, Hudson talked about his early years growing up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. His father wasn't around, his school wasn't that great, and other kids made fun of him because he "talked too smart." "Before Zion, I grew up in North Chicago. It was a dangerous environment. My house got broken into. I could have made one wrong turn and ended up on a very different path in life," Hudson said. "But it was understanding that the situation I lived in, it didn't have to define me. It may explain me, but it didn't have to define me."
Hudson said that one thing he's learned is that no matter where you are in life, you are always in charge of your attitude. He pointed to a quote from Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
In addition to containing a lot of accomplished graduates, Koch said this year's senior class has been a lot of fun. "When I think about them, I think about our Springfest event, which is our biggest social event of the year," Koch said. "It was spectacular this year. We had more students than ever participating. "It really shows that the life of the campus continues to grow," she said. "That is very exciting because students come to the university to earn their University of Illinois degree, but they also come looking to have a comprehensive student experience."
Online students part of ceremony Saturday's ceremony included 64 students who graduated from the university's online program. The online students came from 16 states, including California and New York.
This story appeared online in The State Journal-Register on May 16, 2015.
Read the entire article here.
Photo Gallery from The State Journal-Register
"The opportunities we are looking for in life — to serve, to be involved, to be great as individuals and a generation — they really come to us as obstacles," Hudson said prior to delivering his speech. "Sometimes it's a messy river you have to clean up. When you do that, you pursue something that is bigger than yourself."
Hudson, 24, of Zion, was one of more than 950 undergraduate and graduate students who participated in UIS' commencement ceremony at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
More than 1,600 students were eligible to participate. UIS had 740 students participate in last year's commencement ceremony, and 777 students took part in 2013.
Chancellor Susan J. Koch said Saturday's ceremony was the biggest in the history of the university, and it also marked the largest graduating class. "We've had an emphasis on growth for the last four years," Koch said. "What that means is the strategies we are using to grow the campus, such as implementing new majors and various recruitment efforts, are really working. I think that as the reputation of the campus increases, that brings more people … both at the undergraduate and graduate level."
Hudson earned his bachelor's degree in communication and political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After graduation, he came to Springfield through the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program and worked with the Senate Republican staff. He liked the Springfield area, and decided to enroll at UIS to pursue a master's degree in public administration.
As for the obstacles he had to overcome, Hudson talked about his early years growing up in the northern suburbs of Chicago. His father wasn't around, his school wasn't that great, and other kids made fun of him because he "talked too smart." "Before Zion, I grew up in North Chicago. It was a dangerous environment. My house got broken into. I could have made one wrong turn and ended up on a very different path in life," Hudson said. "But it was understanding that the situation I lived in, it didn't have to define me. It may explain me, but it didn't have to define me."
Hudson said that one thing he's learned is that no matter where you are in life, you are always in charge of your attitude. He pointed to a quote from Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl: "Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."
In addition to containing a lot of accomplished graduates, Koch said this year's senior class has been a lot of fun. "When I think about them, I think about our Springfest event, which is our biggest social event of the year," Koch said. "It was spectacular this year. We had more students than ever participating. "It really shows that the life of the campus continues to grow," she said. "That is very exciting because students come to the university to earn their University of Illinois degree, but they also come looking to have a comprehensive student experience."
Online students part of ceremony Saturday's ceremony included 64 students who graduated from the university's online program. The online students came from 16 states, including California and New York.
This story appeared online in The State Journal-Register on May 16, 2015.
Read the entire article here.
Photo Gallery from The State Journal-Register
Friday, May 15, 2015
UIS drawing in record breaking numbers of international students
For some students graduating from college means gaining a sense of independence while preparing to enter the working world.
For others like UIS student, Rabeena Iqbal, this milestone has a deeper significance. "I'm graduating in computer science and this is like the one time opportunity which I get".
Rabeena was born and raised near Hyderabad, India. After receiving her bachelor's degree in her bachelor's degree in her home city, she decided it was time to travel abroad and earn her Masters degree in computer science at the University of Illinois Springfield. Her parents traveled 21 hours to be with her for her big day.
Rabeena is the first in her family to leave her country for higher education in the United States. She's not alone.
UIS Spokesperson Derek Schnapp says the University has become a big draw for international students. "We have over 800 international students this past academic year which is our record year of international students to be quite honest it's over 15 percent of our enrollment," Schnapp said. He adds it's their computer science and business schools that bring in the most international students because of what the programs offer.
As for Rabeena's future plans: "If there is a good job opportunity I would like to experience it here I could like to gain some more experience in the us before I land up in India".
This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on May 15, 2015.
Watch the story online.
For others like UIS student, Rabeena Iqbal, this milestone has a deeper significance. "I'm graduating in computer science and this is like the one time opportunity which I get".
Rabeena was born and raised near Hyderabad, India. After receiving her bachelor's degree in her bachelor's degree in her home city, she decided it was time to travel abroad and earn her Masters degree in computer science at the University of Illinois Springfield. Her parents traveled 21 hours to be with her for her big day.
Rabeena is the first in her family to leave her country for higher education in the United States. She's not alone.
UIS Spokesperson Derek Schnapp says the University has become a big draw for international students. "We have over 800 international students this past academic year which is our record year of international students to be quite honest it's over 15 percent of our enrollment," Schnapp said. He adds it's their computer science and business schools that bring in the most international students because of what the programs offer.
As for Rabeena's future plans: "If there is a good job opportunity I would like to experience it here I could like to gain some more experience in the us before I land up in India".
This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on May 15, 2015.
Watch the story online.
Thursday, May 7, 2015
Serafin to speak at May 16 UIS commencement
The founder and CEO of a leading Chicago public relations firm will be the featured speaker at the University of Illinois Springfield’s spring commencement ceremonies later this month.
Thom Serafin, a UIS alum and head of Serafin & Associates Inc., will deliver the address at ceremonies beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
Of the 1,606 students eligible to graduate, more than 950 are expected to participate in the ceremony. The number of graduates is the most in the history of the university.
Before establishing Serafin and Associates in the late 1980s, Serafin enjoyed a successful career as a political/legislative correspondent, which began when he covered the Illinois General Assembly for network radio. He has advised numerous high-profile national and state policymakers. Serafin served as press secretary for U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon and U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski and was the Illinois campaign manager for U.S. Sen. Gary Hart’s 1988 presidential bid.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said she's delighted that Serafin will address the graduates. “His outstanding record of achievement in public affairs and communications is a testament, not only to Thom’s exceptional abilities, but also to the great value that his two UIS degrees have brought to his career and his community,” she said.
Serafin received a bachelor’s degree in communication from UIS in 1973 and a master’s degree in public affairs reporting in 1993. As an undergraduate, he assisted his professor and mentor, future U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, in launching the UIS Public Affairs Reporting program (PAR).
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 5, 2015.
Read the entire article here.
Thom Serafin, a UIS alum and head of Serafin & Associates Inc., will deliver the address at ceremonies beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 16, at the Prairie Capital Convention Center.
Of the 1,606 students eligible to graduate, more than 950 are expected to participate in the ceremony. The number of graduates is the most in the history of the university.
Before establishing Serafin and Associates in the late 1980s, Serafin enjoyed a successful career as a political/legislative correspondent, which began when he covered the Illinois General Assembly for network radio. He has advised numerous high-profile national and state policymakers. Serafin served as press secretary for U.S. Sen. Alan Dixon and U.S. Rep. Dan Rostenkowski and was the Illinois campaign manager for U.S. Sen. Gary Hart’s 1988 presidential bid.
UIS Chancellor Susan Koch said she's delighted that Serafin will address the graduates. “His outstanding record of achievement in public affairs and communications is a testament, not only to Thom’s exceptional abilities, but also to the great value that his two UIS degrees have brought to his career and his community,” she said.
Serafin received a bachelor’s degree in communication from UIS in 1973 and a master’s degree in public affairs reporting in 1993. As an undergraduate, he assisted his professor and mentor, future U.S. Sen. Paul Simon, in launching the UIS Public Affairs Reporting program (PAR).
This article appeared in The State Journal-Register on May 5, 2015.
Read the entire article here.
Friday, December 19, 2014
UIS Intensive English Program Graduation
In September WICS brought you the story of the Intensive English Program at the University of Illinois Springfield that's attracting students from all over the world.
The program's goal is to teach foreign students English, and then have them get degrees at UIS.
Thursday, the students featured in our story graduated from the program and are ready to take classes at UIS.
The celebration afterwards was a mix of culture and honors.
"I will go to try some traditional classes and make some new friends and of course go back and see my old friends," Yawen Li, graduate, UIS Intensive English Program.
UIS administrators say the number of students attending the program has doubled over the years and they hope, it continues to grow.
This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on Thursday, December 18, 2014.
Read the story online.
The program's goal is to teach foreign students English, and then have them get degrees at UIS.
Thursday, the students featured in our story graduated from the program and are ready to take classes at UIS.
The celebration afterwards was a mix of culture and honors.
"I will go to try some traditional classes and make some new friends and of course go back and see my old friends," Yawen Li, graduate, UIS Intensive English Program.
UIS administrators say the number of students attending the program has doubled over the years and they hope, it continues to grow.
This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on Thursday, December 18, 2014.
Read the story online.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
University grad fees often exceed actual costs
Thousands of students graduated from Illinois' public universities this spring - the culmination of years of work, countless hours and often sizable expenses, all spent in the name of furthering education.
But a final round of tuition payment isn't the only expense many graduates faced before collecting their diplomas: Roughly half of Illinois' public universities charged students for caps, gowns, tassels and other apparel at higher rates than the original cost to the schools.
Frequently, public and private universities charge several other fees per academic term. University of Illinois at Springfield, for example, charged students taking on-campus classes fulfilling the minimum full-time credit requirements almost $1,700 over two semesters for various fees.
The fees were featured in a June 8, 2010, article in the Chicago Daily Herald.
Download a PDF of the article
But a final round of tuition payment isn't the only expense many graduates faced before collecting their diplomas: Roughly half of Illinois' public universities charged students for caps, gowns, tassels and other apparel at higher rates than the original cost to the schools.
Frequently, public and private universities charge several other fees per academic term. University of Illinois at Springfield, for example, charged students taking on-campus classes fulfilling the minimum full-time credit requirements almost $1,700 over two semesters for various fees.
The fees were featured in a June 8, 2010, article in the Chicago Daily Herald.
Download a PDF of the article
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Lynn urges new grads to be inspired by their alma mater
Calling her address not just a graduation speech but also a tribute to her alma mater, Dr. Naomi Burgos Lynn, chancellor emerita of the University of Illinois at Springfield, urged members of Maryville College's Class of 2010 to draw courage from the traditions and history of the 191-year-old institution and do what is just, right and fair.
She entitled her address to approximately 225 graduates who participated in the ceremony “Proudly Stands Our Alma Mater,” drawing inspiration from the first stanza of the college's 69-year-old song.
Lynn, who graduated from the college in 1954 and currently serves on its Board of Directors, was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the ceremony.
Lynn was featured in a Maryville, TN Daily Times article on May 17, 2010.
Download a PDF of the article
She entitled her address to approximately 225 graduates who participated in the ceremony “Proudly Stands Our Alma Mater,” drawing inspiration from the first stanza of the college's 69-year-old song.
Lynn, who graduated from the college in 1954 and currently serves on its Board of Directors, was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree during the ceremony.
Lynn was featured in a Maryville, TN Daily Times article on May 17, 2010.
Download a PDF of the article
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Student overcomes many obstacles to earn degree
The serious injuries that Veronica Schulz-Lehr suffered in a motorcycle accident nearly three years ago were just the latest setbacks on her path toward a college diploma, but on May 10 she graduated from UIS with a bachelor's degree in Social Work.
An article in the May 10 State Journal-Register profiles Schulz-Lehr's determination.
Download a pdf of the article
20080510-SJR-ManyDetours.pdf
An article in the May 10 State Journal-Register profiles Schulz-Lehr's determination.
Download a pdf of the article
20080510-SJR-ManyDetours.pdf
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