Leadership lived: Soccer player finds perfect fit on and off the field

Manuel Gomez, a business administration and global studies major, chose the University of Illinois Springfield because of the personalized attention he receives on and off the field.

The UIS Prairie Stars men’s soccer player is a first generation college student who’s passionate about the environment. He’s a recycling advocate who is currently doing research on Hispanics and the environment.

After he graduates from UIS, he’d like to earn his master’s degree in environmental studies and eventually work for the Environmental Protection Agency.

“I picked UIS because of the size of the campus. It’s really small, which provides a one-on-one connection with my professors,” said Gomez.

Gomez has been playing soccer since he was 5 or 6 years old. For the past three years, the Collinsville, Illinois native has been a forward on the men’s soccer team. It’s taught him many lessons about leadership.

“Time management is one of the many things I learned here at UIS and just (to) be ready for everything, said Gomez.

Gomez is busy on campus, also serving as an International Student Ambassador and a member of the Organization of Latin American Students (OLAS).

“I feel like the atmosphere is good for me. It’s a great atmosphere overall (at UIS),” said Gomez.

Cliff Edwards wins the 2014 CARE Award

Cliff Edwards, a grounds worker at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been awarded the 2014 Chancellor’s Award to Recognize Excellence in Civil Service (CARE). The award is the highest honor annually awarded to a Civil Service staff member.

Chancellor Susan J. Koch presented the award during a luncheon on September 24, 2014. She also thanked all civil service staff members for their dedication to UIS.

Edwards has worked on the grounds crew for more than 9 years. His goal is to make campus even more attractive for students, faculty, staff and visitors.

“The campus itself has inspired me,” said Edwards. “I hope to inspire people by leaving the campus looking better than the way I found it.”

Edwards’ co-workers call him a hard worker. He’s taken on several major projects, including placing more than 100,000 pounds of limestone boulders on a hillside near Brookens Library to help eliminate constant erosion problems. He also recently assisted in creating a waterfall and surrounding landscape near the campus pond.

On campus, he’s known for his friendly attitude and willingness to help. He frequently answers questions from new students and visitors trying to find their way around campus.

“I believe in a smile and a hello and being friendly to the staff and students,” said Edwards. “I believe in doing the best job possible in any project I am given.”

The CARE award was handed out as part of the 8th annual Civil Service Appreciation Day, which honors the over 300 civil service employees at UIS for all of their hard work and dedication. This year’s celebration included a variety of door prize drawings.

Other Civil Service employees nominated for the award include:

• Chad Athey, Stationary Engineer, Building Maintenance
• Alice Bettis, Administrative Aide, Sangamon Auditorium
• Douglas Brackney, Customer Service Representative, Career Development Center
• Ann Cole, Administrative Clerk, COLRS
• Gwen Cribbett, Admissions and Records Officer, Admissions
• Judith Hughes, Chief Clerk, Library Administration
• Dennis Kreher, Steam & Power Plant III, Building Maintenance
• Lindsay Meece, Admissions and Records Officer, Admissions
• Sandra McGinnis, Business/Administrative Associate, Radio Station WUIS
• Randy Moss, Stores Supervisor, Building Maintenance
• Jerry Peebles, Grounds Worker, Grounds
• Patty Stoutamyer, Office Support Specialist, Mathematical Sciences
• Candy Tucker, Food Service Worker II, Food Services
• Beverly Weddle, Office Administrator, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences 

The winner of the CARE award receives $500, plus a $500 donation made to the campus organization of his or her choice.

UIS Professor Carolyn Peck honored for her outstanding accomplishments in the field of aging

University of Illinois Springfield associate professor and Human Services Department Chair Carolyn Peck, Ph.D., will be honored for her work in the field of aging with the Dorothy S. Kimball Award. 

The award from the Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland will be presented at its annual meeting at noon on Thursday, September 25, 2014 at Southwind Park. 

The award has been established to honor individuals in 12 central Illinois counties for outstanding accomplishment in the field of aging or on behalf of older adults and/or family caregivers. 

Peck joined the UIS College of Education and Human Service in 2002 as an assistant professor. Her areas of teaching focus on Gerontology and end of life issues. She has conducted and published research on compassion fatigue in geriatric case managers with the Illinois Department of Aging. In 2010, she was the recipient of the UIS Faculty Excellence Award. 

“Being selected to be the recipient of the Dorothy S. Kimball Award by the Area Agency on Aging for Lincolnland is an honor and also a career highlight,” said Peck “To be recognized by direct service providers for the work that I do is very affirming.” 

For more information, please contact Angela Try in the UIS Office of Campus Relations at atry2@uis.edu or 217/206-6716.

Leadership lived: Music is a passion for Kylie Gilmore

Music has always been a part of Kylie Gilmore’s life. Now that she’s in college, singing helps relieve some of the daily pressures she faces as a business administration major at the University of Illinois Springfield.

“It’s a stress reliever,” said Gilmore. “Whenever I come into choir, I feel all of the stress lifted away… because I can just sing and pay attention to music.”

Gilmore is a member of the UIS Choir and a Camerata Scholarship recipient, a $10,000 performance scholarship for non-music majors that is renewable for 4 years.

As a business administration major, she’s often asked why she didn’t major in music. She dreams about landing a job as a marketing consultant for a theatre company or music label, which would allow her to combine her love of business and the fine arts.

For now, she’s busy performing on campus and learning from every minute.

“Performing gives you a sense of leadership,” said Gilmore. “You have to take leadership of yourself when you’re performing with a big group and make sure you’re doing your part. It may not seem like every single one of us are leaders, but in reality we are because we take charge of our part, we make sure that we are on pitch and on tone and everything.”

Outside of choir, Gilmore is vice chair of finance and co-sponsorship for the Student Activities Committee, which plans events on campus. This past summer she was a student orientation leader and a Summer Bridge Program mentor.

“Every single thing that I do is giving me experience for the future and is helping me become a better leader,” said Gilmore.

She knows she’ll need more than a degree to land a job following graduation.

“We’re going to need experience, so that is why I love absolutely everything I do,” she said.