“Ray has a proven track record of national and international leadership in the application of digital technology to promote effective approaches to higher education,” said Robert Hansen, UPCEA chief executive officer. “His vision and experience span the strategic, operational and pedagogical aspects of the field.”
As the Innovation Fellow for Digital Learning, Schroeder will serve UPCEA and its members with a combination of articles, white papers, webinars and consulting services through the Center for Research and Consulting. He is also the author of UPCEA’s daily “Online, Continuing, and Professional Education Update,” and is a frequent contributor to UPCEA’s quarterly newsletter, InFocus.
UPCEA is the nation’s leading professional association for deans and directors of adult, continuing, and online education. Its nearly 400 member institutions include most of the best public and private universities in North America. The group’s conferences and publications provide members with strategies that respond to the growing population of adults and non-traditional students seeking continuous learning opportunities.
Schroeder will be honored during UPCEA’s 97th annual conference in Portland, Oregon, which runs March 28-30, 2012.
In addition to the UPCEA honor, the Illinois Council of Continuing Education recently awarded UIS the Innovation 2012 Award for a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) held during the summer of 2011. The MOOC, organized by Schroeder, focused on the topic “Online Learning Today...and Tomorrow” and attracted more than 2,600 participants from 70 countries.
"We are particularly honored to receive this recognition from our colleagues at colleges and universities around the state of Illinois,” said Schroeder. “This award is especially meaningful because it recognizes our leadership in innovation in learning in higher education in Illinois."
Dochterman comes to UIS from Louisiana State University (LSU) where he served as director of student activities for the Honors College. He was born in Chicago and grew up in Marengo, Ill. He attended Illinois College in Jacksonville where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He earned his master’s degree in Communication Studies from Ball State University and is currently awaiting his Ph.D. confirmation in Higher Education Administration from LSU.
“My wife and I have always wanted to return to the Midwest, and while I have a very deep appreciation for my time at LSU, I have long wanted to work at a smaller school where one individual can have a broad impact. I hope to do exactly that at UIS,” said Docterman.
He hopes to capitalize on the past successes of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, build new initiatives, and in the process provide a clear mission for the office.
“More than any of that, I want to be a part of making UIS be a place where students develop an understanding that as educated citizens they have a responsibility to balance the actions they take for their own advancement with service to the greater communities and society that structurally and functionally allows for such individual advancement,” he said.
Weaver comes to UIS from Auburn University where she served as Director of Disability Services. She has previously held Director of Disability Services positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Missouri-Columbia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from West Virginia University. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.
“I’m happy to be here and excited about being a part of the UIS team,” said Weaver. “My goal as it’s been everywhere as the Director of Disability Services is to make this program for students with disabilities one of the best in the country. It takes commitment from the administration and it’s apparent to me that they are committed and with their support and the resources needed we will succeed to make this goal possible.”
Weaver brings her 20 years of experience at three different institutions to her new role at UIS and looks forward to working with everyone to best serve students with disabilities.
“The campus is smaller, which is very appealing to me and its part of the University of Illinois system which is a great University,” said Weaver.
The University of Illinois Springfield celebrated the accomplishments of the University of Illinois Foundation’s Brilliant Futures fundraising campaign with an evening gala celebrating the difference donors have made on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011.
The evening began with a reception, followed by an “Appreciation and Accolades” ceremony in the Sangamon Auditorium where donors were celebrated for the difference their gifts have made to the university’s growing success. In addition, several awards and honors were presented.
The four-year Brilliant Futures Campaign helped raise $26.7 million to date to support students and programs at UIS. The donations came from graduates, corporations and the university’s many friends and supporters in the Springfield area. The resources generated through this campaign will ensure that UIS continues to create a better world through our teaching, research, and public engagement.
While the Brilliant Futures Campaign will soon be ending, U of I President Michael Hogan has launched Access Illinois: The Presidential Scholarship Initiative, a crucial initiative for the campuses of the University of Illinois. The initiative is to help ease the financial burden of a growing number of students and their families. The goal is to raise $100 million or more over the next three years.
“Many students do everything right to prepare for college,” said UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. “The greatest barrier to their enrollment is the cost. With more scholarships, we can make the valuable UIS experience available to all students who deserve that opportunity.”
Award Recipients
As part of the evening gala, four awards were presented, one by the University of Illinois Foundation (UIF) and three by the University of Illinois Alumni Association (UIAA).
The UIF honored Leonard Branson, chair and professor in the UIS Accountancy Department with the William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership. In 1998, Branson headed a fundraising drive for the UIS Donald Stanhope Scholarship fund. His personal gift, energy and commitment to the fund were inspiring to his peers and alumni and raised over $100,000 for the scholarship. As part of that fundraising effort, Branson developed a campaign committee of alumni, which identified alumni interested in further engagement. Now, Branson has launched a new campaign, to raise money to endow the Donald O’Neal Scholarship for UIS Management students. “I’m honored to receive the William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership,” said Branson. “It’s important that students have the financial support they need to attend college and achieve their dreams.”
Don Johnson,’82, retired Chairman of the Board from ATC Technology Corporation recieved the Alumni Achievement Award from UIAA. The award is the highest honor bestowed upon graduates of the University. It is given to those who have attained distinction and success in one’s profession or life work. Johnson earned most of the credits toward his bachelor’s degree by attending courses at the UIS Peoria Center. “The convenience and format was great for someone who was working full time,” he said. He joined ATC in early 2004 and held the position of President, CEO and Chairman through 2008. ATC is a publicly traded corporation that provides supply-chain solutions through both logistics and refurbishment services to the consumer electronics and automotive markets. Prior to ATC, Johnson held global executive positions with Ford Motor Company (5 years), and with Caterpillar and CAT Logistics.
The Distinguished Service Award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment and service to the University. Ray Schroeder, professor emeritus of communication was the recipient of the 2011 Distinguished Service Award from UIAA. UIS is recognized as a leader in online education and that is due, in large part, to the work Schroeder. He founded the Office of Technology-Enhanced Learning (OTEL) and the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS, is a beloved member of the UIS community, and has been part of it since 1977. His work in online education has brought the University a number of accolades and grants for him and his colleagues to continue pursuing their work, but he is quick to spread the praise: “Our success in online [education] is really due, first, to the faculty, second, to the staff members who support those faculty, and then, of course, the students and their dedication as online students,” he said.
Suzanne Brown received the Alumni Humanitarian Award from UIAA, which recognizes alumni who have made great contributions of leadership and service to improve the lives of others. After earning her M.A. in Legal Studies, she worked as a Board of Immigration Appeals accredited representative, which allowed her to represent people during legal proceedings in front of the Immigration Service. Having been involved in the Central America solidarity movement, Brown was “interested in the plight of Salvadoran and Guatemalan refugees arriving in the United States.” During this time “I was interested in helping refugees adjust to life in the U.S.,” she said. Eventually she was offered an opportunity to help the Illinois Conference of Churches (ICC) set up its Legalization Program, which over the years, evolved into the Immigration Project.
In addition, two alumni loyalty awards were presented, one to Grace Wenz ’73 during the alumni association lunch held earlier on October 28 and one to Victor Juarez ’87 during a special celebration in Washington, D.C.
Wenz is one of the Alumni Association’s most reliable volunteers, and attends nearly every event sponsored by the UIAA or UIS. Wenz is a founding member of the UIS Alumni SAGE Society Coordinating Committee, and has served in leadership roles with the SAGE Society. She says she enjoys staying involved with the University because it serves as the center of her and her husband’s cultural and intellectual interests. She said the two of them drive to UIS often for meetings and events. “I just feel compelled to give to UIS because it is helping me fulfill my intellectual and cultural goals,” she said. “[Volunteering is] my way of giving back.”
Juarez, who works as a taxpayer advocate for the Internal Revenue Service, was voted the Best Dressed Fed in 2010 through a poll conducted nationally with federal employees. However, more important than his keen sense of style is his loyalty to UIS and his interest in reaching out to the Hispanic community. Juarez earned a degree in accountancy from UIS and as an alumnus, he has answered the call to serve as leader in alumni affairs. He served more than eight years as a member of the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board and served on the National Commission for the Future of Alumni Relations in 2006. “If it wasn’t for the campus, I wouldn’t be where I am now,” he said.
For more information on the Brilliant Futures Campaign or on the Access Illinois Presidential Scholarship Initiative, contact Vicki Megginson, associate chancellor for development, UIS, and senior vice president, University of Illinois Foundation at 217/206-6058 or email vhens1@uis.edu. For information on the alumni awards, contact Chuck Schrage, UIS Office of Alumni Relations at 217/206-7395 or email cschr1@uis.edu.
The Blue Crew, the student cheering section at Illinois Springfield, is growing and ready to cheer the Prairie Stars onto victory.
A dedicated group of students, led by President Tony Vetter, are in charge of the group this year. The crew plans to attend the majority of UIS home sporting events, including men’s and women’s soccer and basketball games. They also hope to make it to volleyball matches, tennis tournaments and baseball games.
“I love coming to the games. I love screaming and yelling at the stands. I would love to have 100-125 people behind me yelling with me,” said Vetter.
So far, Blue Crew attendance this year is up, as more students get involved. Crew leaders are happy to paint your face, give you a megaphone or even a pompom to cheer on the Stars!
“It’s a lot more fun and I think the teams really like it,” said Alex Kinzinger, junior legal studies and political science major.
So how do you get involved? The best way is to follow the UIS Blue Crew Facebook page and show up to the games with your game face on!
“The louder we can get, the better off we are,” said Tyler Scherer, junior political science and communication major.
Mohammed Shahidullah, an adjunct faculty member of Sociology and Environmental Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield, has received a Fulbright Specialist grant in Sociology to teach and offer seminars at Mawlana Bhashani Science & Technology University, Bangladesh.
Shahidullah, who also works as a state demographer for the Illinois Department of Public Health, will spend six weeks in the country starting Oct. 1, 2011. During the trip, he will teach students and faculty members, lead workshops, and assist in developing a new population/demography course in the Department of Criminology and Police Science. He will also offer talks in Dhaka on public health informatics and health needs assessment.
“Part of the trip will involve training faculty and graduate students in using online methods to conduct population studies,” said Shahidullah. “I will also be organizing workshops for faculty members on social research methods.”
Shahidullah was previously awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to teach and do research with BRAC University in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2006. He spent six months teaching biostatistics face-to-face and an online course in marriage and families as a collaborative course on global learning between UIS and BRAC University.
The Fulbright Specialist grant is sponsored by the United States Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and is managed by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars. For further information on the program, visit the CIES website at www.cies.org.
Dr. Keith Miller, University of Illinois Springfield professor of computer science, has been named a finalist for a prestigious World Technology Award for Ethics, presented by The World Technology Network (WTN) in association with TIME, Fortune, CNN, Science/AAAS, and Technology Review.
He joins a roster of organizations and individuals from over 60 countries around the world deemed to be doing the most innovative and impactful work. The awards have been presented by the WTN since 2000, as a way to honor those in 20 different categories of science and technology and related fields doing “the innovative work of the greatest likely long-term significance.”
Miller’s research focuses on robot ethics and professional ethics for computing professionals. He is currently the principal investigator for a National Science Foundation award to study the effect of ethics instruction on the technical skills of computer science undergraduates. During his career, Miller has authored or co-authored over 300 papers and presentations.
Nominees for the 2011 World Technology Awards were selected through an intense global process by the WTN Fellows lasting many months. Winners will be announced during a ceremony at the United Nations on October 26, 2011 at the close of the World Technology Summit, a two-day “thought leadership” conference held at the TIME & LIFE Building and presented by the World Technology Network in association with TIME magazine, Fortune, CNN, Science/AAAS, Technology Review, and others.
The WTN is a curated membership community comprised of the world’s most innovative individuals and organizations in science, technology, and related fields. The WTN and its members – those creating the 21st century -- are focused on exploring what is imminent, possible, and important in and around emerging technologies.
Miller has been teaching in the UIS Computer Science Department since 1993. He earned a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Iowa, his M.S. in Mathematics from the College of William and Mary, and his B.S. in Education from Concordia Teachers College.
Rance Carpenter has been selected to become the Director of the Graduate Public Service Internship (GPSI) program in the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield effective September 1.
“Mr. Carpenter brings the right blend of experience to the leadership of the GPSI program,” said Dr. David Racine, interim executive director of the Center for State Policy and Leadership. “He is familiar with state and local government in Illinois, knows the program first-hand, as both a former intern and a supervisor of interns, and has an extensive management background.”
Carpenter comes to the position from a career in the field of services for the aging. Starting in the local area agency on aging based in Springfield, he subsequently moved to the Illinois Department on Aging and rose through the ranks there to chief of its community operations bureau. The bureau administers federal grants to Illinois’ 13 area agencies, manages the state program that employs seniors in community service work, and the state’s community care program. Carpenter has direct experience with the GPSI program, having been one of its interns and a supervisor of interns during his time with the Illinois Department on Aging. Carpenter holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Illinois State University and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Illinois Springfield.
For nearly four decades, GPSI has partnered with state and local government agencies and major nonprofit organizations to provide part-time internships for UIS graduate students. The internships allow students to gain practical, professional experience while earning a master’s degree in their chosen field. GPSI is regarded as one of the premier graduate internship programs in Illinois. In fiscal year 2011, the program placed 152 graduate students in internships with 18 different agencies.
Carpenter succeeds Kim Hayden, who retired in 2010 after serving as director of GPSI since 2001. For more information, contact David Racine at 217/206-8417 or email draci2@uis.edu.
Four faculty members from the University of Illinois Springfield attended the “Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research for State Systems and Consortia” conference at the University of North Carolina – Asheville on June 28-30, 2011. Teams from 22 other Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) member institutions participated in the workshop. The collaboration was made possible by a National Science Foundation grant awarded to COPLAC, and administered by the Council on Undergraduate Research.
Prior to attending the meeting, the faculty from UIS – Hei-Chi Chan (Mathematics), Rebecca Landsberg (Biology), Dennis Ruez (Team Leader; Environmental Studies), and Carrie Switzer (Psychology) – completed an institutional assessment on the extent, culture, and campus support of undergraduate research efforts, scholarly products, and creative works. While the conference was focused specifically on undergraduate research in STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), the UIS team approached the task with a broader perspective to include undergraduate students of all majors as well as graduate students.
“The conference provided much information on the transformative potential of incorporating student research within curricula, student assessment, faculty evaluations, and campus marketing,” said Ruez.
The UIS team has created a set of goals and strategies along those lines, and will initiate efforts at informing the campus community about the benefits of student research, not only to students, but to faculty, alumni, and our community.
There are 26 COPLAC colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada. UIS is the only one in Illinois. COPLAC institutions have several core values in common:
Faculty are dedicated to teaching undergraduates
Classes are small and students receive personal attention and mentoring
Students work with professors, not graduate assistants
Leadership and co-curricular opportunities abound
Emphasis is on civic engagement and service learning
The University Professional & Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) has named Ray Schroeder, associate vice chancellor for online learning at the University of Illinois Springfield as its first Innovation Fellow.
