UIS Emeritus Professor Donald Morris writes a new book exploring “Taxation in Utopia”

Donald Morris, a University of Illinois Springfield emeritus professor of accountancy, has written a new book, “Taxation in Utopia: Required Sacrifice and the General Welfare.” 

At its core, taxation is an ethical question. It requires people to sacrifice for the benefit of others, whether or not they also benefit themselves. Morris’ book is an interdisciplinary exploration of utopian taxation and how it provides a novel approach to examining relations between a state's view of the general welfare and the sacrifices this view requires of its citizens. 

“I chose utopias for the same reasons that investigators exploring other problems control variables, adopt simplifying assumptions, and develop conceptual models,” Morris said. “And while moral concerns permeating taxation are illustrated in the context of utopian literature, this is not an argument for a stand-alone tax utopia or a practical treatise on tax reform. Most utopians devote little time to describing their pecuniary tax systems.” 

The book traces the moral dimensions of taxation through the utopian writings of political theorists and novelists including Henry David Thoreau, H.G. Wells, Thomas More, Leo Tolstoy, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, George Orwell, B. F. Skinner, Jonathan Swift, Plato, Karl Marx and many more. 

“This is an extremely well researched and thorough exploration of utopian literature, effectively back to the beginning of the written word,” said Jennifer Bird-Pollan of the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law in reviewing the book. “Morris covers every major work of literature with a utopian element, and works through the tax (both pecuniary and constructive) present in all of these works. His explanation and analysis of economics and doctrine of tax laws is of the highest order.” 

Morris is the author of several books, including “Tax Cheating: Illegal—But Is It Immoral?” He was a Silver Award Winner in the 2012 ForeWord Book of the Year in the Political Science Category, and a Category Finalist in the 2013 Eric Hoffer Book Awards, presented by Hopewell Publications. 

“Taxation in Utopia: Required Sacrifice and the General Welfare” was published by the State University of New York System (SUNY) Press in September 2020 and is available for purchase as a hardcover or electronic book from Amazon, Google and other retailers. For more information on the book, visit taxationutopia.com.

Collaboration Success

The moment the Illinois “stay at home” order went into effect on March 21, the wheels were turning in Bruce Sommer’s head. Sommer, UIS’ Director of Economic Development and Innovation knew businesses would have questions on how to handle the temporary shutdown, so he gathered a team of experts to field those questions online.

“In the beginning, there were so many questions and so many things going on,” Sommer said. “People were concerned, so our first webinars were about the relief programs for businesses, how to take your business online and the economic impact of a shutdown. No one was providing them that information.”

Sommer used his own personal Zoom account for the first free webinar which limited his capacity to 100 attendees. Those spots filled within the first minute. The next week he used a UIS Zoom account, and attendance surpassed 100.

Since that time, Sommer and his rotating team of experts have hosted nearly 1,500 attendees with weekly webinars on business, education, health and the economy. Some topics came about as suggestions from frequent flier attendees.

“The amazing thing is that, for many of the panelists, I’ve asked them to participate on very short notice and no one has turned me down. We typically have five panelists each week. The collective collaboration around this has been my greatest reward,” Sommer said.

The weekly webinars are a collaboration between the UIS Office of Economic Development and Innovation, Innovate Springfield, and the UIS colleges of Business and Management and Public Affairs and Administration. Community partners include The Community Health Round Table, SIU School of Medicine, local businesses and state and local government officials.

“When I moved back to Springfield, people in social impact circles within the community felt like UIS was an underutilized resource,” Sommer said. “Through these webinars, we have inserted UIS into the conversations. We have incredible researchers and teachers and the community is craving that leadership."

Sommer said the success of the webinars is directly attributable to the layers of knowledge around the Springfield community and UIS campus. That is what Innovate Springfield, the first hub in the Illinois Innovation Network is about, bringing local resources and collaboration together.

“People came together in a time of crisis,” Sommer said. “It’s a great example of IIN’s goal of working collaboratively at all times.”

Moving forward, webinars will alternate between a business and health focus. Older webinars can be accessed on the UIS Academic Affairs website.

UIS business students win big at International Collegiate Business Skills Championship

The University of Illinois Springfield Society for the Advancement of Management (SAM) chapter took home eight awards from the International Collegiate Business Skills Championship 2020, including first place for Campus Chapter Performance in the small chapter division.

Nineteen university chapters competed in the annual skills competition, which was held remotely this year.

The following UIS students received awards: Adam Shaw, first place Extemporaneous Speech; Sruthi Puranapanda, Animesh Pawar, K. Sneha Shenoy and Srinjoy Meta, second place in Case Competition; Nikhil Aatrei, Abhishek Sheshagiri, Adam Shaw and Manasa Nagamalla, second place Written Case, K. Sneha Shenoy received the third place Overall Individual Award and Nikhil Aatrei was named Outstanding Student.

Besides placing first in Campus Chapter Performance in the small chapter division, the team took home second place Overall Performance Award and Hasan Kartal was named Outstanding Adviser.

The International Collegiate Business Skills Competition provides students with an exciting learning experience in which they compete directly with other college teams running a simulated company.

Two UIS faculty to present their work at the “Night of Ideas Chicago 2020”

Two University of Illinois Springfield faculty will present their work at the “Night of Ideas Chicago 2020” event on Jan. 30, 2020 at the Chicago Field Museum. The event is being sponsored by the Consulate General of France in Chicago and is one of many being held around the world.

UIS Assistant Professor of Management Carolee Rigsbee will be discussing benefit corporations and UIS Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Anne-Marie Hanson will present on plastic pollution and environmental justice.

According to the invitation, the event is free and open to the public and will include bright minds from academic, artistic, scientific and civic communities for a six-hour marathon of ideas on this year’s theme “Alive!”

The two UIS faculty members will present along with professors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago. They’ll be joined by presenters from Northwestern University, Indiana University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Purdue University, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Fermilab, Argonne National Laboratory, Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Lincoln Park Zoo, Black Thread Agency, Science Riot, WBEZ, ADA25 Advancing Leadership, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Core Power Yoga, Poems While You Wait and more.

According to the Consulate General, the “Night of Ideas Chicago 2020” is part of La Nuit des Idées, a global series of intellectual marathons coordinated worldwide by the Institut Français, which will take place this year (Jan. 25-Feb. 2) at more than 120 locations around the world, including seven major cities in the United States.

Tickets for the free public event may be obtained online at eventbrite.com/e/night-of-ideas-alive-tickets-85271554515.

Leadership lived: Internship helps student get hands on experience in the accounting field

Ashlee Knapik is learning hands on at the University of Illinois Springfield. She recently completed an internship at accounting firm Eck, Schafer and Punke in Springfield before graduating with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy and business administration on May 11.

Knapik will be returning to UIS in Fall Semester 2019 as a student in the MBA Program. She will also be working for the Illinois Auditor General’s Office as part of the UIS Graduate Public Service Internship Program.

During her internship with Eck, Schafer and Punke, she was able to help with an onsite audit and helped in the preparation of tax returns.

“I've learned a lot obviously about that, but I've also just learning a lot about, you know, how to work in a firm like this and how to be more professional to as well,” she said.

On campus, Knapik has been active as a member of the Tri Sigma Sorority. She also studied abroad for a semester at the University of Hull in England.

“While I was over there I got the opportunity to visit 11 different countries, so that was a lot of fun,” she said. “My favorites were Iceland and Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.”

The Decatur native says she chose UIS because “it was close enough to home, but it was also far away enough from home that I could have my own space.”

Knapik is thankful for the opportunities she’s had at UIS and the friends she’s made.

“I'm very glad I came to UIS,” she said. “I feel like I would not have had many opportunities if I went to another school. I like the close-knit of UIS and the ability to connect with a bunch of different people. I like UIS so much that I'm coming back in the fall.”

UIS team places second in statewide Society for Human Resource Management competition

The University of Illinois Springfield Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) chapter recently finished second out of eight teams in the Illinois SHRM Student Conference Human Resources (HR) Case Competition held at Illinois State University in Normal March 29-30, 2019.

UIS students competed against students from other Illinois colleges and universities during the annual event.

The second place HR Case Competition team was made up of undergraduate students Alexis Eddings of Jacksonville (team captain), Tracy Cessna of Pana and Marina Gendek of Lake Bluff. The team also included graduate students Cuong Nguyen of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Trinh Tran and Le Tran of Springfield.

UIS students also competed in the HR Jeopardy Games where they were placed into 18 random teams with students from other universities. Eddings finished on the second place HR Jeopardy team.

Students say they benefited from the conference because they learned valuable information about their future career field.

“We were able to network with popular and reputable HR professionals, listen to speakers discuss current issues and change in HR regarding disabilities, women's empowerment, veterans, and other organizational change, and connect with peers like us who are going into HR, which is helpful because we will most likely meet again in the workforce,” said Eddings.

The SHRM chapter at UIS is advised by UIS Management Instructor Donna Rogers Skowronski.

Leadership lived: International student finds her career path thanks to a unique UIS internship program

When international student Madhuri Podipireddy started searching for a college in the United States she discovered the University of Illinois Springfield’s Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI), a governmental internship program that allows students to work for a state agency while earning their master’s degree.

“My main thing was the GPSI Program, which really attracted me to UIS,” she said. “It’s a very unique program. You don’t find this everywhere in the United States.”

Podipireddy is now a leader in the GPSI program, serving as secretary of the student organization. The graduate Management Information Systems major just started her second semester interning for the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services as a business analyst in the Department of Innovation and Technology.

“This internship has actually helped me to understand what I’m good at and what field I need to choose after my education,” she said.

On campus, Podipireddy is president of the Indian Student Organization and YesPlus Yoga, a program that teaches students stress management techniques and other skills. She is also the treasurer for International Student Friendships, an organization that helps international students adjust to the culture in the United States.

“Being an international student is not really a difficult task at UIS because you always have something happening on campus that will remind you of home and you will not feel alone, never, on this campus and you will always feel at home on this campus,” she said.

Podipireddy, who is from Visakhapatnam, India, says she would like to continue her career as a business analyst following graduation from UIS.

She says she’ll never forget what she’s learned at UIS.

“Leadership lived is the concept of UIS and I think because of so many organizations, I’ve been given so many opportunities to bring out the leader in me.”

Feng-Shun “Leo” Bin named the PNC Distinguished Professor at UIS

Business Administration Professor Feng-Shun “Leo” Bin has been named the PNC Distinguished Professor in Banking & Finance at the University of Illinois Springfield. The endowed professorship will provide Bin significant financial support to conduct research and other scholarly activities.

“Dr. Bin brings both skill and enthusiasm to his teaching in financial management and analysis at UIS, and his research is robust, some of it first in his field,” said James Ermatinger, interim dean of the UIS College of Business and Management. “We are pleased to have him represent the academic excellence available in the College of Business and Management at UIS.”

As part of the professorship, Bin plans to further outreach activities to build close connections with local bankers and financial practitioners; gather more information helpful for the development of the UIS finance curriculum, student enrollment and employment; and obtain additional data helpful for influential research in banking and finance.

“Investment requires a return, and support demands professionalism,” said Bin. “In response to this honor, therefore, I will work hard to repay my supporting colleagues and my banking and finance community.”

Bin came from China to the United States in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in economics from Zhongshan University. In 2000, having earned a master’s degree in economics at the University of Mississippi, he completed a Ph.D. from the same university in finance with two minors, in accounting theories and quantitative methods. He joined the UIS Business Administration Department in 2001 and teaches classes on corporate financial management, investment analysis, financial institution management, and capital budgeting. He became a full professor in 2016.

Bin’s published scholarship focuses on financial analysis and international investment, especially related to risks. Some of his research is first in its field, such as investment group decision efficiency and risk-return effectiveness as simulated in the StockTrak portfolio management program and the risk-return association for U.S. gaming industry stocks.

Thanks in large part to Bin, who earned his professional Chartered Risk Analyst (CRA) certificate in 2015, the UIS College of Business and Management now has an undergraduate concentration in finance and a graduate certificate in applied finance. While at UIS, Bin has also been actively involved in serving the business community locally by building ties to China. In November 2002, he invited executive officials from China’s Agricultural Bank to Springfield. He has also arranged for Chinese bankers to meet with UIS College of Business and Management faculty and the local banking community regarding U.S. banking practices and Chinese banking reforms.

PNC Bank and the PNC Foundation have long histories of strengthening and enriching the lives of communities in which they live and work. They provide resources to seed ideas, foster development initiatives and encourage leadership. The Foundation makes it a priority to partner with local nonprofit organizations to enhance educational opportunities and promote economic growth. Their continued support of a Distinguished Professor in Banking and Finance at UIS exemplifies this commitment.

UIS MBA student helps the U of I System team finish second in a Chicago business pitch competition

Matt Hutchison, a Metamora resident and MBA student at the University of Illinois Springfield, helped the University of Illinois System's Discovery Partners Institute team finish in second place during the Final Four Pitch Competition hosted by Chicago-based 1871, a non-profit digital startup incubator, on July 31, 2018.

Teams from the University of Illinois System's Discovery Partners Institute, DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center along with Michigan State University and Purdue University gathered to pitch their best business startup ideas in a competition similar to the television show Shark Tank.

Each university selected five student teams and each team had a display table to talk about their business idea. Attendees then voted for their favorite business idea from each university. The top team receiving the most votes from each university then competed in a live 5-minute pitch with Q&A from 1871 judges.

Hutchison’s team pitched a company called AddIT, which would match the supply of specialized additive manufacturers around the world with its growing demand. The company would serve as a conduit to both consumers and enterprise in need of unique replacement parts—for old machinery, old buildings, or even new prototypes —with a large, diversified networks of additive manufacturers seeking to timely capitalize on spare capacity.

Hutchison is currently earning his MBA at the UIS Peoria Center while working full-time as a supply chain manager for Caterpillar, Inc.

This is the first time that a UIS student has competed in the Final Four Pitch Competition.

Leadership lived: Undergraduate student benefits from research opportunities at UIS

Senior business administration major Turner Clark says he feels fortunate for the undergraduate research opportunities he’s had at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Since the start of Spring Semester 2018, Clark has been working with Associate Professor of Management Nathan Steele and Assistant Professor of Management Sudeep Sharma to investigate “The Role of Personality Traits in Predicting Negotiation Effectiveness.”

“I think that every student benefits from the close working relationship that we have with our professors and I think that will benefit us for the rest of our lives,” he said.

Clark recently presented his research at the University of Illinois Undergraduate Research Day at the Illinois State Capitol. He also had the opportunity to present research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in April 2017.

“At some universities it’s really hard to get research positions, even if you’re a grad student,” he said. “Here it’s really easy to get research positions, even as an undergrad, which is extremely rewarding.”

On campus, Clark is the outgoing senator for the College of Business and Management on the Student Government Association. He’s also treasurer for the UIS Rotaract Club, an economics tutor at the UIS Learning Hub and a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program (CAP).

“I decided to come to UIS because I really liked the campus culture,” he said. “I also very much liked the CAP Honors Program, that I saw when I visited and it was the perfect distance from home.”

Clark, who is from Belleville, Illinois, says he likes the right-sized community at UIS because it makes him feel like his leadership efforts are shaping the university.

“Being a good leader isn’t necessarily always about leading,” he said. “It’s about knowing when not to lead and understanding what your strengths are and what your strengths aren’t and I think because of the close relationship we have with the professors and our fellow students we get to know each other a lot better than we might at some other universities.”

Following graduation, Clark plans to earn his master’s degree and find a job in the business world. However, he also has a larger goal in mind.

“Ultimately, I’ve always wanted to work for the FBI, that’s a very long-term goal, I don’t know when or even if that will happen, but I would also definitely like to go to grad school somewhere,” he said.

Leadership lived: UIS student Navie Fields wants to be a role model for the next generation of young men

Growing up in the Chicago-area Navie Fields says he didn’t have many male role models. Now, he’s trying to change that for the next generation of young men by volunteering and serving as president of the Black Male Collegiate Society at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Every other Friday, Fields spends an hour mentoring with his “little brother” at Springfield’s Matheny-Withrow Elementary School through the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. They talk about school work and he teaches important life lessons, like how to tie a tie.

“It’s very big for me to be able to go and reach another young man and make sure that he knows there’s somebody out there who wants him to succeed,” he said.

Fields, a business administration major, also volunteers as a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Upsilon Xi Chapter where he serves as secretary. He works as a student orientation coordinator and is a member of the Necessary Steps Mentoring Program, which is designed to help first-generation college students adapt to the university environment.

“When I first came to college, I wasn’t really seeking out any leadership opportunities,” he said. “After I witnessed so much leadership, have been mentored by so many great people, I felt like it was my time to step up and do the same thing.”

Fields, who attended Evanston Township High School, plans to obtain his master’s degree following graduation from UIS and work in the human resources field.

“UIS has taught me that activity leads to success,” he said. “If you’re as active as possible on a college campus, you can navigate yourself anywhere in the world. I think that’s the biggest thing that I’ve learned here at UIS and that’s what’s pushing me to become a leader.”

Fields says he’ll take with him the lessons he’s learned at UIS, as he plans to continue to be a role model for the next generation of young men.

“I want to continue to be great, so they can be great as well,” he said.

Leadership lived: Sophomore excels in planning major events on campus

As president of the Student Activities Committee (SAC), Ahja Howard, a sophomore accountancy and business administration major, is responsible for planning two of the biggest and longest-running student life events at the University of Illinois Springfield each year.

Planning UIS Homecoming and Springfest, a week-long competition where students face off in fun and educational games, is almost a full-time job for Howard.

“Springfest is a lot of work,” said Howard. “Springfest basically takes between 4 to 6 months to plan it. It’s really a lot of work and a lot of dedication and it’s a lot of commitment.”

Howard says she wanted to become SAC president in order to have a positive impact on the entertainment brought to campus for students.

“I love the opportunities that I have here,” she said. “I get so many opportunities every time I put myself out there.”

Outside of SAC, Howard also spends her time mentoring elementary school students in Springfield as a volunteer for the 4-H Mentoring Program. She was also recently inducted into the National Society of Leadership and Success and is a member of the Necessary Steps program, which is designed to help first-generation college students adapt to the university environment.

“I decided to come to UIS because I wanted to get away from home and I wanted to get a real campus college life,” she said. “I like the smallness of UIS, the class sizes and I like how diverse UIS is.”

The Chicago native plans to obtain a job at an accounting or business firm following graduation from UIS. She eventually wants to start a non-profit organization that would help minorities in applying for college or finding jobs after high school.

“You have to challenge yourself and know that it’s okay to fall and make mistakes,” she said. “UIS made me realize that I can do anything that I put my mind to, even the mentors and friends that I gained here helped me to understand its ok to fall, but always get back up and try again.”

Howard says she’s made many new friends at UIS and feels confident in her decision to attend the school.

“I gained so much being here,” she said. “If I could recommend a school to anyone, it would be this school. I love it.”

Leadership lived: UIS senior helps raise thousands of dollars for children fighting illnesses at a local hospital

Hannah Warden has a passion for helping children who are fighting illnesses at HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield. The senior University of Illinois Springfield business administration major recently helped to organize a Dance Marathon fundraiser on campus that raised more than $9,000 for the Children’s Miracle Network.

“I’ve met a lot of the kids. I personally know them and they’ve had an impact on my life,” she said. “There are some kids who have spent days, weeks, and years in the hospital, so anything I can do to give back to them is amazing and it brings a lot of joy to my life.”

Before the Dance Marathon, students spent a year raising funds and awareness for the children’s hospital. The Dance Marathon event was the culmination of that efforts where students got a chance to meet patients and families treated at St. John’s.

“I actually interned with the Children’s Miracle Network this summer, so I kind of started (planning the Dance Marathon) this summer,” said Warden. “I went to a conference in Maryland and we’ve have meetings once a week this school year.”

Outside her role as director of the UIS Dance Marathon, Warden is also involved on campus as a summer orientation leader for the UIS Office of New Student Orientation and Parent Relations. For the past two summers she’s helped to welcome incoming students to campus.

Warden is also a facilitator for the UIS Campus Recreation Challenge Course where she brings teams of students in and teaches them leadership skills through different physical activities.

“I’ve gotten involved,” she said. “If you don’t get involved it’s hard to enjoy college, honestly, but for me I came here, I got involved right away, held quite a few jobs here on campus, been a part of quite a few organizations, so I love that.”

Warden transferred to UIS from a private university at the beginning of her sophomore year. She feels that she made the right decision in coming to UIS.

“My brother came here and he really loved it here. He had tons of friends and enjoyed his four years, so I thought it would be an awesome school. Once I came here, I absolutely loved it,” she said.

Following graduation from UIS, Warden plans to start a career the healthcare field. She leaves UIS knowing she’s grown as a leader and a person.

“You’re not just coming here for school, but you can really come here to figure out who you want to be and get involved in tons of different things,” she said. “For me, I think UIS has really changed me.”

UIS students finish in first place at a national Society for Advancement of Management competition

A group of four University of Illinois Springfield students, who are members of the Society for Advancement of Management (SAM) student chapter at UIS, finished in first place at the Thomas Greensmith Open Division Collegiate Management Case Competition held on March 23, 2018, in Arlington, Virginia.

During the national competition, UIS students competed against 22 other colleges and universities. UIS students presented solutions related to a business case involving Ryder, a fortune 500 company. Students analyzed some specific problems Ryder is currently facing (more specifically “low wages” and “demand for more drivers”) and presented short and long-term recommendations to solve these problems for the company.

“This award is special in so many ways, it's the first time UIS participated, and with our presentation and hard work, we were confident of winning something at the competition,” said Prashant Bidhuri, a UIS student on the team. “Our team had never worked together before and as much fun winning the competition was, getting to know the other members of the team and becoming great friends with them was an unforgettable experience.”

UIS students Prashant Bidhuri, a graduate Management Information Systems (MIS) major from New Delhi, India; Apoorva Kanthwal a graduate MIS major from Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India; Michael Kirchgesner, an undergraduate business administration major from Springfield, Illinois; and Adella Nguyen, a graduate MBA student from Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam made up the team. The team was advised by Sundeep Sharma, Ph.D., UIS assistant professor of management.

“Winning this award shows that teamwork and working together pays off,” said student Michael Kirchgesner. “Each group member contributed in their own way to make this one of the best presentation experiences available for college students. This award has motivated me to work at my best level until my good becomes my better, and my better becomes my best.”

For more information on the Society for Advancement of Management student competitions, contact Assistant Professor Sudeep Sharma at 217/206-8275 or sshar5@uis.edu.

Leadership lived: Student helps to shape the future of Greek Life at UIS

Colleen McMahon came to the University of Illinois Springfield as a freshman with no plans of joining a Greek Life organization. However, that all changed when she and fifteen friends founded the Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority, Inc. Captivating Chi Chapter.

“I love Gamma Phi Omega because it’s the support network that I didn’t necessarily think I needed at first,” she said. “It wasn’t something that I saw myself being a part of, but once I got interested and became a member, I realized it was a network beyond my undergraduate career.”

Now a senior business administration and communication major, McMahon is president of Gamma Phi Omega’s Chi Chapter and is helping to shape the future of Greek Life at UIS as the president of the UIS Greek Life Council.

“As the president of the Greek Life Council, I’m in charge of making sure that the different Greek organizations here work together and they get along and they follow the rules that the university has set for Greek Life,” she said.

McMahon also plays a role in advising the university about the expansion of Greek Life on campus. She recently led a talk on the “Dos and Don’ts of Greek Life” where she advised prospective groups of students who wanted to start their own Greek organization.

“We wanted to make sure they understood what goes into being a member of Greek Life on this campus and what it’s like to be member of a Greek Organization in general,” she said.

As a founding member of the UIS Gamma Phi Omega Chapter, McMahon knows how much work it takes to start a new sorority or fraternity chapter.

“My role as a founder was to really bring together our sisters and to get this organization ready for when we would start recruiting other people,” she said. “We had to create governing documents, create events and the things that would create a legacy that other people would want to be a part of in the future.”

McMahon, a native of Flora, Illinois, is also a peer mentor for the Capital Scholars Honors Program on campus, a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma National Business Honor Society and the Organization of Latin American Students at UIS.

Following graduation from UIS, McMahon plans to earn a master’s degree in multicultural communication and later hopes to work in higher education. She says she’s learned many lessons about leadership during her time at UIS.

“At UIS, I’ve had all these experiences in leadership and I’ve grown as an individual in ways that I never would have guessed before I came to college,” she said.

Leadership lived: Student makes service part of her life and future career

University of Illinois Springfield sophomore business administration and accountancy major Abbie Varble loves to give back to her community. She enjoys helping others who are in need and has made volunteering a big part of her life.

At UIS, Varble is co-president of the Habitat for Humanity Club, a resident assistant and member of the Leadership for Life Service Program. She is also a peer mentor for the Capital Scholars Honors Program, a member of the Christian Student Fellowship and plays in the UIS Concert Band.

“I have such a passion for service and doing things for other people, so Habitat and Leadership for Life are a way of showing that to my community,” she said. “Not only talking about it, but actually doing something. It’s just great. I love it.”

The Habitat for Humanity Club recently spent a Saturday volunteering at the Habitat for Humanity of Sangamon County ReStore where they helped move donated items to the floor and sold items to the back, so people could pick them up.

“The ReStore is great because people donate items and when those donated items are sold, that money goes towards building a home for someone who can’t necessarily afford it,” she said. “It’s just a great mission that all comes together.”

Varble grew up in the small town of Marengo, Illinois. She says she chose UIS because she loved the environment and it felt like home.

“I think that being able to go to UIS, where it’s a small environment, you get to know everybody and I love that,” she said. “I love that community we can build with each other.”

Following graduation from UIS, she would like to become an accountant or executive director of a non-profit organization.

“UIS taught me that leadership is something you should not take for granted,” she said. “You have these amazing opportunities in such a small school, that you can reach out to somebody by doing something small. That makes a really big impact, a really big difference.”

Associate Professor of Management Benjamin Walsh named the 2017 University Scholar at UIS

Benjamin Walsh, associate professor of management at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been named University Scholar for 2017. The award, considered the university system’s highest faculty honor, recognizes outstanding teaching and scholarship. Only one faculty member receives the annual award at UIS.

“Dr. Walsh’s achievements in both scholarship and teaching are impressive,” said one of his nominators. “In the six years since completing his doctorate, he has shown documented promise of becoming the very best in his field.”

The majority of Walsh’s research focuses on interpersonal relationships in the workplace, with a particular focus on civility and mistreatment in the workplace. His research examines how work places have treated cases of incivility, with a focus on understanding the history and outcomes of incivility and sexual harassment, as well as the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent workplace mistreatment.

As a published researcher, Walsh has had 17 peer-reviewed journal articles in applied psychology and management journals, such as the Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, Applied Psychology: An International Review, Stress and Health, and Journal of Business and Psychology. His scale measuring incivility in the workplace has also been published.

“The impact of Dr. Walsh’s work is reflected in the 300+ citations his published research has obtained thus far,” said a nominator.

In the classroom, Walsh is known as a true teacher-scholar who incorporates his own research interests, where appropriate, into his classes, encouraging students to develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of the research process.

Walsh teaches courses in organizational behavior and human resource management, teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and via face-to-face and online modes of delivery. Walsh has been successful in motivating and engaging students in his research projects, including two collaborative community projects.

“Student perceptions of Professor Walsh’s teaching demonstrate that he is highly regarded, exceeding university, college, and department averages in every category,” said a nominator.

Walsch received his Ph.D. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2011. In 2015, Walsh was named the 2015 Outstanding Faculty Member at the UIS Peoria Center.

As University Scholar, Walsh will receive $15,000 a year for three years to support research and other scholarly activities. Faculty do not apply for this award; they are nominated by their peers. A committee of senior faculty makes the final selection.

Leadership lived: Student jumpstarts her marketing career at UIS

Melissa Van is getting a jumpstart on her future career at the University of Illinois Springfield where she helps promote student events on campus as the marketing chair for the Student Activities Committee (SAC).

“I make flyers, distribute flyers, do word of mouth and social media advertising,” she said. “This year, since we have more people, I actually created a marketing team.”

The business administration major is also the marketing coordinator for the Asian Student Organization, the vice president of the UIS Community Garden Club and a Capital Scholars Honors Program peer mentor. She says her involvement on campus has taught her many lessons about leadership.

“If there’s anything you ever want to try, you can’t just wait and expect someone to give it to you,” she said. “You need to go out there and say at least you tried, even if you do fail, but in the end you’ll find your people, you’ll find your place.”

Following graduation from UIS, she plans to use the knowledge she’s obtained in the classroom and by marketing events at UIS to launch her career.

“I really want to do something with marketing. I’m not sure yet, but I’m thinking advertisements, maybe something with movies.”

The Lincoln, Illinois native says she chose UIS because “it wasn’t small, but it wasn’t big either.” She says she’s glad she made the decision to come to UIS.

“If you’re the type of student who needs one-on-one time to actually find yourself, I would come to a place like UIS,” she said. “It’s a great place to learn.” 

Leadership lived: Student Government Association president serves as voice for his fellow students

 
Garrett Nimmo enjoys being a voice for his fellow students. He was recently elected president of the University of Illinois Springfield Student Government Association (SGA) in a campus-wide race.

As SGA president, Nimmo often meets with university leaders to express student positions on important issues. He also runs SGA meetings, making sure that senators have reports ready and are listening to student concerns.

“I think the SGA is important because it gives students a certain level of reassurance when they can come to students, opposed to going to their teachers,” he said. “Knowing they can rely on fellow students or come to fellow students with their issues can sometimes seem less intimidating than going directly to an administrator.”

Nimmo, a sophomore economics major, was first elected to the SGA as a senator-at-large his freshman year. He found it easy to get quickly involved on campus.

“From the moment you set foot on campus with the Kick Start Orientation, you’re actively given roles to participate in,” he said.

One of Nimmo’s other leadership roles is a mentor for Leadership for Life, a service and leadership program where students complete 40 hours of service each semester.

As part of Leadership for Life, he traveled to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to clean up flood damage in 2016. He also went on the 2017 Alternative Spring Break trip and helped with outdoor eco-restoration projects along the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast.

Following graduation from UIS, Nimmo would like to attend law school and become a public servant or tax lawyer.

“I’m very happy that I chose UIS. It’s been very fruitful,” he said. “I think one of the unique opportunities at UIS is that you can get a lot of one-on-one help from your professors. Here you’re in a classroom with 30 people and it makes getting help very accessible.”

Nimmo says he’s grateful for the confidence students have placed in him and hopes to represent them to the best of his ability.

“I’m honored to be in the role that I am,” he said. “I definitely look forward to this upcoming year and seeing what all we can get done.”

Leadership lived: Resident assistant helps students feel at home

Da Zhane' Sinclair says the University of Illinois Springfield “feels like home” and the friends she’s made on campus are like family.

Sinclair, a senior accountancy major, is a resident assistant (RA) on campus and mentors fellow first-generation college students as part of the Necessary Steps Mentoring Program.

“I enjoy being an RA because I am a people person, so communicating with people and helping them is why I became an RA,” she said.

As an RA, Sinclair regularly plans social events to help her fellow students feel welcome. She recently hosted the “Sip and Craft” event where students living on campus over the summer and Summer Bridge Program students came together to make crafts using boards, nails and yarn.

Sinclair, who is from Chicago, attended a charter high school where she got individual attention from teachers on a smaller campus. At UIS, she feels she’s getting the same level attention.

“Like my charter school, I can communicate with my professors here and build relationships. It’s like a family,” she said.

Being an RA has taught her many lessons about communicating with others, crisis mediation, event planning and budgeting for events.

“UIS taught me that you have to jump outside the box,” she said. “You have to stand out and be the first person to raise your hand, even if at times you don’t want to.”

Following graduation from UIS, Sinclair would like to open her own non-profit that helps women and children. She feels well-prepared by her UIS education.

“I’ve been able to do things that I didn’t think I was going to be able to do,” she said. “I never pictured myself being an RA. I never pictured myself actually doing things that I’ve done so far.”