UIS presents awards for service and alumni achievement during 50th anniversary celebration

Robert Moore & Naomi B. Lynn 

The University of Illinois Springfield presented awards for service and alumni achievement during the virtual 50th anniversary celebration held via Zoom webinar on Thursday, April 22, 2021. 

The 2021 Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to UIS Chancellor Emerita Naomi B. Lynn. The depth, consistency and continuum of Lynn’s leadership as a university administrator, trailblazer, community leader and volunteer has significantly impacted the welfare and advancement of the institutional mission. She is a champion of women’s rights, and leader and mentor for women and minorities in academia and the larger community.

As president of Sangamon State University (SSU), Lynn became the first Hispanic president or chancellor of a public state university in Illinois and the first female president of SSU. 

“It was important to break barriers,” Lynn said. “I live for the day when no woman will have to be introduced as the first.”

Lynn skillfully led the transition of SSU to UIS, positioning the university for growth in enrollment, on-campus residential life, infrastructure, online education and international academic agreements. Lynn retired as Chancellor in 2001. At her retirement, the Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies was created at the university, with a $1.25 million gift from the family of Dr. Richard E. Vaden.

Lynn served as president or board member of several professional public administration, higher education and political science organizations. She is a past recipient of the U of I Loyalty Award for Exceptional Alumni Service. In 2012, Governor Pat Quinn presented Lynn with the Order of Lincoln, the state’s top honor.

The 2021 Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work was presented to Robert Moore. Over a career spanning nearly 50 years, Moore has become a distinguished and nationally recognized leader in the practice of law enforcement, facilitator of community policing initiatives and historical research of African Americans in law enforcement.

With the Illinois State Police, Moore played a pivotal role in diversifying the state police force make-up to include significantly more minorities and females. He was later appointed by President Bill Clinton as U.S. Marshal for the central district of Illinois. Moore also served as deputy chief of police for Savannah, Georgia, and chief of police for Jackson, Mississippi.

A passion for documenting and presenting the history of African Americans in law enforcement led him to author and publish “The Presidents’ Men: Black United States Marshals in America.” That led to the development of a traveling exhibit on the topic that tours colleges and universities throughout the U.S., inspiring college students to careers in law enforcement and to see themselves as leaders. 

“I don’t allow myself to get frustrated,” Moore said. “I can’t afford to get bogged down in what has not happened. I focus on what I have been able to do to bring things forward.”

Moore has several community service credits to his name. He is a past recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award presented by Rotary International and the Directors Community Leadership Award presented by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He is a past recipient of the University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Award.

For more information on the awards, contact Chuck Schrage, associate vice chancellor for alumni relations, at 217-206-6058 or cschr1@uis.edu.

UIS Public Affairs Reporting Program alum Trif Alatzas leads his team to a Pulitzer Prize win

Trif Alatzas, a 1989 graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield’s Public Affairs Reporting Program (PAR), has led his team to a 2020 Pulitzer Prize win as editor-in-chief of Baltimore Sun Media.

The Baltimore Sun was honored with a Pulitzer Prize for their coverage of former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s ‘Healthy Holly’ book scandal. She was sentenced to three years in federal prison in February after being found guilty of fraud, tax and conspiracy charges.

In a May 4 story published in The Sun, Alatzas calls the award an “all-out effort,” adding he is “just glad to be a part of it.”

This is the second time the Pulitzer Board has recognized a publication led by Alatzas. In 2019, the Pulitzer Board awarded The Capital Gazette a special citation for their work in covering the June 2019 attack on their Annapolis offices that killed five employees.

Alatzas was inducted into the Bill Miller Public Affairs Reporting Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield in 2019.

The UIS Public Affairs Reporting Program now boasts three Pulitzer Prize-winning alumni, including Alatzas. Other PAR alumni who have won the prize include Kathy Best, former executive editor and managing editor for digital news at the Seattle Times, who led her staff to two Pulitzer Prizes, and Deborah Singer Peterson, a retired reporter, columnist and editorial board member of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

UIS English Department alumnus Mitch Pugh also led his newsroom at The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina to win a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2015.

Anne Moseley to lead UIS’ Sangamon Experience historic exhibition and Center for Lincoln Studies

Anne Moseley has been selected to lead the University of Illinois Springfield’s new Sangamon Experience historic exhibition and Center for Lincoln Studies. Moseley started working today as director of engagement and curator for Sangamon Experience and acting director for the Center for Lincoln Studies.

A UIS alumna, Moseley previously worked as director and curator of the Lincoln Heritage Museum at Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois. In that role, she was responsible for maintaining the museum's budget, applying for grants to further the museum's educational programs and locating and speaking with potential donors.

Sangamon Experience, a new on-campus exhibition space telling the history of the Sangamon Region of central Illinois, opened on Jan. 30, 2020 in the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS. The Center for Lincoln Studies is scheduled to open later this year and will provide new opportunities for learning about Lincoln and the impact of his contributions.

“I am excited for this opportunity to help create a new way of experiencing the local history that surrounds us here in the Sangamon Valley area,” said Moseley. “In addition, I am looking forward to engaging a new wave of historians studying here at UIS to carry on the rich legacy this campus has in studying local history and welcoming historians near and far to study the legacy of Abraham Lincoln here at the Lincoln Studies Center.”

Before serving as director and curator of the Lincoln Heritage Museum, she was the assistant director and curator for seven years and taught as an adjunct history professor at Lincoln College. She has also worked as a project administrator at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and as an intern with the Illinois Regional Archives Depository.

Moseley earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 2009 and a master’s degree in public history from the University of Illinois Springfield in 2011.

Her appointment will be presented to the Board of Trustees for formal approval at the May 2020 meeting.

Seven UIS alumnae honored for achievement, service and loyalty during annual celebration

The University of Illinois Springfield honored seven alumnae for their achievement, service and loyalty during the annual Alumni Gala on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020, at the UIS Student Union.

The 2020 Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work was presented to Nina Burleigh of New York, New York. A 1984 graduate of the Public Affairs Reporting program, Burleigh has covered stories on six continents and has achieved critical acclaim as an award-winning author, journalist and feminist cultural critic. She is a New York Times best-selling author of six lively, acclaimed works of creative nonfiction and has written hundreds of works on topics ranging from culture and politics to gender issues, science and the environment.

The 2020 Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to Springfield resident Janice Spears. She has earned three degrees from the university, and had a remarkable career as a school administrator, which included national recognition for environmentally friendly school buildings. Upon retirement, Spears has focused her time and energy on UIS and has become an invaluable, “go –to” alumni volunteer leader whose actions have made significant, notable impact on the institution’s overall welfare and the advancement of its mission.

Five Loyalty Awards for Exceptional Alumni Service were presented to Carolyn Berning, Karen Fifer, Carol Kerins, Marilyn Lawler and Lois Strom (posthumously). Established in 1957, the award honors alumni who have consistently demonstrated notable loyalty, commitment, dedication and service in support of UIS, the Alumni Association and/or related organizations. The five have donated countless hours of time via the UIS Alumni SAGE Society, which offers opportunities for enrichment to alumni and friends aged 50 and better.

Berning of Springfield earned her master’s degree from the university. She worked in consumer services for the Illinois Commerce Commission, retiring in 2002. In addition to her involvement with SAGE, she has served on the Friends of Brookens Library Board, assisted with the Springfield Marathon, volunteered for fundraisers for the public radio station and assisted with the planning of UIS’ 40th anniversary celebrations. She also was a member of the team that offered a series of technology lecture programs open to alumni of any UI campus. She and her husband, Richard, often attend public programs and lectures on campus, as well as athletic events and performances at the Sangamon Auditorium. They financially contribute to important UIS priorities through their charitable giving.

Fifer of Springfield earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the university. She spent much of her career working at UIS, including in the budget and planning office. She retired in 2009. In addition to her involvement with SAGE, Fifer frequently attends performances at the Sangamon Auditorium and UIS Prairie Stars athletics events. She is a past member of the Friends of Sangamon Auditorium Board and as a former university employee, she also volunteered for the UIS Faculty and Staff Campaign. She has financially contributed to important UIS priorities through charitable giving.

Kerins of Springfield holds two degrees and her teaching certificate from the university. She spent years with Springfield School District 186, teaching mainly second grade at Laketown Elementary School before retiring in 2006. In addition to her involvement with SAGE, on campus she has volunteered to assist at the Springfield Marathon and UIS graduation. Carol and her husband, Tom, often attend performances at Sangamon Auditorium as well as many of the public programs and lectures on campus. They financially contribute to important UIS priorities through their charitable giving.

Lawler of Springfield holds a master’s degree from the university. After teaching for 5 years in the Springfield School District as a homebound teacher, she taught in the Williamsville school district for 13 years and was a principal at the Waverly Elementary School for 12 years. She retired in 2006. In addition to her involvement with SAGE, her volunteer service on campus includes helping out at UIS graduation and the Springfield Marathon. Marilyn and her husband, Dennis, attend the many public programs and lectures on campus, as well as frequent many Sangamon Auditorium performances. They financially contribute to important UIS priorities through their charitable giving.

Strom of Springfield, who passed away in January, was honored posthumously. She earned a master’s degree from the university. She spent many years working at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, retiring in 2009 as the administrator for the chairman of the Department of Surgery. In addition to her involvement with SAGE, her volunteer work on campus included volunteering at UIS commencement, the Springfield Marathon and with the public radio station. She and her husband, Bruce, attended many Sangamon Auditorium Performances, as well as public programs and lectures on campus. The couple also gave to important UIS priorities through charitable giving.

UIS honors alumnus Matthew Wallace with the Alumni Humanitarian Award

The University of Illinois Springfield honored alumnus Matthew Wallace, a native of Trilla, Illinois, with the Alumni Humanitarian Award during a ceremony on May 2, 2019 in the Student Union Ballroom. The award recognizes alumni for their significant contributions of leadership or service to improve the lives of others and the welfare of humanity.

Wallace and his wife, Heather, moved to Myanmar in 2008 to live and work full time on poverty alleviation and job creation. He has leveraged his education into enterprise development, and was part of the conceptual design of Opportunities NOW, where he serves as executive director. Opportunities NOW is an entrepreneurship development system in Myanmar that seeks to reduce poverty by providing business training and mentoring in various stages of business startup.

Wallace was a member of the inaugural class (first four-year class) of the UIS Capitol Scholars Honors Program. He says he came to UIS because of an interest in politics, but he became disillusioned by what was happening in state politics at the time and started taking classes that focused on international politics instead. As he did classwork on Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, he became deeply interested in poverty alleviation.

That’s when Myanmar (formerly called Burma) caught his attention. “No one was talking about Myanmar,” he said. “It’s a hard country to get to and hard to get work in, but it had far and away the worst context for poverty at the time. That’s what made me want to go there.”

Upon moving to Myanmar, Wallace began consulting with local companies on their supply-chain management and marketing. It didn’t faze him that he didn’t have much of a background in business. “Compared to the people in Myanmar,” he said, “I had a lot more capacity to learn about how a business could lower costs and raise profits and deciding what products would work well.”

Consulting gave him an idea of how he could work on alleviating the poverty he saw around him. By 2010, Wallace and friend Ryan Russell had plans in place for a business called Opportunities NOW, which would include an entrepreneurship school and a source of loans for graduates. “We were especially interested in helping young people between the ages of 17 and 30,” Wallace said. “In Myanmar, people in their 20s are called the lost or forgotten generation because they have no opportunity to get jobs. Their schools have been a wreck, and there’s no real sense of them having any kind of value for society. We wanted to give them a voice.”

During the next two years, Wallace and his wife returned to the United States, so Matt could earn his master’s degree in International Commerce from the University of Kentucky Patterson School of Diplomacy. His business partner spent the time raising capital for the business.

In 2012, Opportunities NOW launched. “In the first year, we started eight to ten businesses,” Wallace said. Since then, they have trained more than 500 students, invested in more than 250 businesses, and have expanded to a second location.

Opportunities NOW is an entrepreneurship development system in Myanmar that seeks to reduce poverty by providing business training and mentoring in various stages of business startup. Opportunities NOW not only provides the educational framework to help a business grow, but also provides the capital that students need to succeed with their business through the ONOW Social Launch Fund.

For more information on the award, contact Chuck Schrage, associate vice chancellor for alumni relations, at 217/206-6058 or cschr1@uis.edu.

UIS Emeritus Professor Larry Shiner of Springfield honored for Outstanding Advocate Leadership

The University of Illinois Foundation today announces Larry Shiner of Springfield, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield, as the recipient of the 2019 William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership. The award will be presented at the UIS Celebration of Philanthropy on Wednesday, April 17 at UIS. The U of I Foundation is the fundraising arm of the University of Illinois.

Shiner began teaching at Sangamon State University in 1972 and has been an enthusiastic advocate for UIS ever since. He has especially appreciated the University's commitment to interdisciplinary teaching, educational innovation, public affairs and an emphasis on putting students first. “I loved the place from day one,” he said. Shiner retired from UIS in 2004.

An outstanding scholar who specializes in aesthetics, Shiner’s best known work is “The Invention of Art: A Cultural History” (University of Chicago Press, 2003). More recently, his scholarship has focused on olfactory art.

Shiner and his wife, Catherine Walters, generously support UIS financially, especially through the Suzanna Kay Shiner Scholarship Endowment Fund, created in 2002 in memory of their daughter, and Shiner energetically advocates for the art, music and theater programs at UIS.

Shiner has also served on committees related to fundraising. These include the UIS Development Advisory Board, the Faculty and Staff Campaign Council, and more recently the Reaching Stellar Campaign Planning Committee.

“Thanks in part to Larry Shiner, we are experiencing great success, not only with our current Reaching Stellar campaign, but with other ways that people support the University,” said UIS Chancellor Susan Koch. “I'm delighted that he is receiving the William Winter Award.”

Named for the late CEO Emeritus of the 7-Up Company and a longtime member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, the William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership celebrates individuals who play active roles in securing private support for the University of Illinois.

Past UIS recipients of the William E. Winter Award include David Farrell, Paul O’Shea, W. Robert Felker, Pamela McClelland, Cullom Davis, Bob Clary, Leonard Branson, Thom Serafin, Tom Marantz, Julie Kellner, Guerry Suggs (deceased) and Michelle Suggs (deceased); Howard Humphrey (deceased), James Lundquist (deceased) and Clifford Greenwalt.

Three journalists to be inducted into the UIS Public Affairs Reporting Hall of Fame

Three Springfield educated journalists are the newest inductees into The Bill Miller Public Affairs Reporting (PAR) Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield. Trif Alatzas of Baltimore Sun Media, Patty Culhane of Al Jazeera and Natasha Korecki of POLITICO are the 2019 inductees. The award-winning journalists’ experiences range from bridging print to digital, to reporting from the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and covering the criminal trials of two consecutive Illinois governors.

Trif Alatzas is publisher and editor-in-chief of Baltimore Sun Media. A 1989 graduate of the PAR program, he interned in the Illinois State Capitol with United Press International and Gannett News Service. Under his leadership, Baltimore Sun Media has been recognized with more than 40 national awards including being named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize three times during the past four years.

Patty Culhane joined Al Jazeera in 2009. Before joining she worked as a correspondent for MSNBC/NBC covering the Bush administration. She has been a journalist for 24 years, working in Iowa, Illinois and Norfolk, Virginia where she covered the U.S. military, travelling extensively through the Middle East covering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is a 1995 graduate of the PAR program.

Natasha Korecki is a national correspondent for POLITICO, covering the 2020 presidential race. Before that, she authored and launched POLITICO’s Illinois Playbook. She previously worked as chief political writer at the Chicago Sun-Times covering federal courts and law enforcement during a golden age of political corruption prosecutions in Chicago. Korecki reported on the criminal trials of two consecutive governors – George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich – and created the “Blago Blog,” which drew a national following. She is the author of “Only in Chicago” (Agate) based on the Blagojevich probe and trials. Korecki is a 1997 graduate of the PAR program.

An induction ceremony will be held on April 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the Conservatory Room of the Inn at 835, located at 835 S. 2nd St. in Springfield. Register online at go.uis.edu/PARHallofFame2019 or call 217-206-7163. Charles Wheeler III, the retiring director of the PAR program, will make closing remarks on the status of state government reporting.

The PAR Hall of Fame honors program graduates who have had distinguished careers in journalism and recognizes the contribution the UIS PAR program has made to journalism and to the state of Illinois. The PAR Hall of Fame is named in honor of Bill Miller, an award-winning journalist who served as the PAR program’s director for 19 years. The PAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is sponsored by NPR Illinois, the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership, Illinois Times, the Illinois Press Association and the UIS Office of Advancement.

The UIS Public Affairs Reporting program is a one-year, professionally-oriented master's degree program that prepares students to become working reporters covering public affairs in its broadest sense — informing readers, listeners and viewers about ongoing events and activities that impact the public.

For more information, contact Nichol Timms with the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership at 217-206-7163 or ntimm3@uis.edu.

UIS honors Randall F. Dunn and Larry Golden with alumni awards for achievement and service

Larry Golden (Left) and Randall F. Dunn (Right)

The University of Illinois Springfield honored the significant achievements and contributions of Randall F. Dunn and Larry Golden during the annual Alumni Gala on Friday, February 22, 2019, at the UIS Student Union.

The 2019 Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work was presented to Randall F. Dunn, a southwest Florida entrepreneur and community leader. The award is the highest honor bestowed upon alumni of the University. Dunn earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UIS, then Sangamon State University, in the 1970s.

Upon completion of his graduate degree, Dunn relocated to southwest Florida and within 18 months, partnered with a radiologist to establish the Oncology Center, a radiation therapy and medical oncology cancer treatment center. Dunn also administered Radiology Associates, a hospital-based radiology practice. Dunn and his partner sold their holdings to Navix Diagnostix (Navix Imaging), a merger which saw Dunn become senior vice president of Navix Imaging, Inc., overseeing regional growth and expansion.

Fueled by a passion for entrepreneurship and leadership, Dunn went on to found multiple organizations devoted to medical practice management; home, condominium, medical facility and hotel/motel development; and personal and business finance.

Dunn’s passion for leadership has made a significant impact on his local community in southwest Florida. Dunn is credited with leading the Punta Gorda Revitalization Committee; YMCA; American Cancer Society of Florida; United Way; and has helped found, or served as a member of, other non-profit, community focused organizations including his local Chamber of Commerce, where Dunn was awarded Pacesetter of the Year.

Dunn is a past recipient of the UI Loyalty Award for Exceptional Alumni Service; served on the Development Advisory Board and the National Commission on the Future of UIS; initiated the Capital Steps Scholarship Fund drive, financing its first scholarship; and is a former member of the UI Alumni Association board of directors. His daughter, Rebecca (Dunn) Albertini, is also a UIS graduate, having earned both a business administration and MBA from the University.

The 2019 Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to Springfield resident Larry Golden, UIS emeritus professor of political science and legal studies and founding director of the Illinois Innocence Project. The award is presented to individuals or couples whose consistent, exceptional and meritorious service has made significant impact on the University’s overall welfare and advanced its mission.

Golden is a founding faculty member of the University who earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of Minnesota, who has dedicated his life and career to teaching and activism on the issues of civil rights and liberties, and of law, inequality and justice.

When Golden first arrived to Springfield, he helped organize efforts to address school desegregation, and the form of local government and representation.

Golden helped found The Springfield Project (TSP), which seeks to unite the city as a community by working to improve the quality of life for all throughout its neighborhoods. Founded upon principles of a similar organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, a service model was implemented to help improve Springfield in areas of most need.

Golden helped found the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project, the forerunner to the Illinois Innocence Project (IIP). The IIP seeks to bring justice to the wrongfully convicted through advocacy, education and reform of the criminal justice system. UIS undergraduates work alongside law students from the state’s public law schools and attorneys to investigate and legally pursue claims of innocence. Golden has been instrumental in securing more than $3 million in grants for IIP in the past 8 years.

Golden retired from full-time teaching and continues to volunteer with IIP. In addition, Golden contributes to a course on conviction of the innocent; and presents on the topic of wrongful conviction and the work occurring across the country to free the innocent.

His distinguished service and leadership are recognized nationally. Golden is a former executive board member of the National Innocence Network, the organization linking more than 50 innocence projects around the country. Golden is also a past recipient of the Courageous Voices Award, presented by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. The award recognizes individuals who are at the forefront of pressing issues affecting the community.

UIS Master's Thesis awards presented to three Springfield residents

The University of Illinois Springfield Research Board has honored three former graduate students, all Springfield residents, with awards for their master’s thesis projects for the 2017-2018 academic year. The awards were presented during a ceremony on February 7, 2019, at the UIS Student Union.

Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award 

Sarah Lindholm of Springfield was presented with the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award. She graduated from UIS in July 2018 with a master’s degree in biology with a specialization in ecology and evolution. Her thesis study investigated long-term changes in the floristic quality of the reconstructed tallgrass prairie at the Emiquon Preserve, owned by The Nature Conservancy.

Lindholm began attending UIS to pursue a bachelor’s in biology. She says the quality of education she received from her passionate professors inspired her to double major in environmental studies, and to eventually pursue a graduate degree. Throughout her academic career, she says, the mentorship, opportunities and hands-on experiences provided by UIS professors inspired her to challenge herself, find the fields of study she was passionate about and gain direct experience in them.

While an undergraduate, she was able to volunteer in biology labs, intern at the Illinois State Museum and work for the Environmental Studies Department. During her graduate degree she worked as an aquatic biologist at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency through the Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI), and at the Illinois River Biological Station (part of the Illinois Natural History Survey).

Her thesis was chaired by Amy McEuen and Hua Chen, both associate professors of biology, and Megan Styles, assistant professor of environmental studies.

Lindholm now works as an environmental scientist and geographical information systems analyst at Northwater Consulting. She specializes in water resources, watershed planning, pollution reduction and habitat mitigation and restoration. Her future scholarly interests include publishing her thesis study and pursuing a Ph.D. in ecology.

Department Awards 

Justin Blandford of Springfield was honored with the History Department award for his master’s thesis entitled “I Write Practically to Set You an Example: Sarah Davis, Education and Civil Society.”

He earned his master’s degree in history from UIS in May 2018. His thesis was chaired by Holly Kent, associate professor of history.

In July 2018, Blandford was appointed Illinois Governor’s Mansion Curator after having served as a Historic Site Superintendent for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources since 2004. Most recently he directed operations at six nationally significant state-owned historic sites: Lincoln’s Tomb, Veterans Memorials, Old State Capitol, Lincoln Law Office, Vachel Lindsay Home and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Dana House.

As the curator of the Governor’s Mansion he is responsible for creating and implementing the mansion’s new strategic vision, which includes a greater focus on history, education, creative arts and the visitor experience. Blandford leads the development of events and marketing programs to attract visitors to the mansion, which is the third oldest Governor’s mansion in use today.

Lauren McPherson of Springfield was honored with the English and Modern Languages Department award for her master’s thesis entitled “Possibility, Engaged and Embodied: A Pedagogy.”

McPherson graduated from UIS in May 2018 with a master’s degree in English. Her thesis chair was Stephanie Hedge, UIS assistant professor of English.

Her research focused on teaching strategies foregrounding critical pedagogies, poetics, and embodiment in the classroom. She now proudly serves as an adjunct composition instructor at UIS. When she isn’t in the writing classroom, she is a registered nurse in the HSHS St. John’s Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The Outstanding Master’s Thesis/Project Award is funded primarily through an endowment established by Nancy and Charles Chapin, along with gifts from other donors. In addition to providing funding for the Outstanding Master’s Thesis/Project Award, Charles and Nancy Chapin have provided support for Brookens Library, the Chancellor’s Fund for Excellence and scholarships.

Leadership lived: Recent business administration graduate comes up with “Good News Now” app to spread positivity

Miranda Mogle was already a successful small business owner when she decided, at age 30, that she wanted to complete her bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Illinois Springfield.

“I decided since I owned a business that I should know something about it, which eventually brought me to UIS,” she said. “I’ve been attending UIS, while running a business full-time and working part-time per diem traveling, so I’ve been able to schedule my classes around my life and work on getting my degree without putting my life on hold.”

While attending UIS, she came up with the concept for a new computer application called “Good News Now”, a news content aggregator that screens out unpleasant news stories providing consumers with only positive news.

“I’m an optimistic person, a very positive person and it is hard when you’re scrolling through your feeds or you’re on the internet or whatever you’re doing you’re bombarded with negativity, so I thought why not having something that brings positivity to me on a daily basis,” she said.

Mogle is now looking for an application developer that can help make her idea a reality.

“I’ve made a lot of connections and I feel like the professors are great resources themselves and they’ve also introduced me to people in the business work who can help me further my goals,” she said.

Mogle recently presented her business model at the University of Illinois Undergraduate Research Day at the Illinois State Capitol. She was also honored in April 2018 with an “Innovator of the Year” award during the Illinois Capital Innovation Competition Awards.

“I had to really fully think out the idea, figure out how much it would cost, if it’s even viable,” she said. “Based on that, I ended up winning, so somebody liked my idea.”

Mogle officially graduated from UIS with her bachelor’s degree in business administration on May 12, 2018. She now plans to pursue her master’s degree in nursing. She previously worked in healthcare field and would like to become a healthcare administrator.

“What made UIS special to me is that it has helped me perpetuate the path that I was already going toward,” she said. “It has made me a better business person, a better manager, a better leader and probably a better person in general.”

Four inducted into the UIS Legislative Internship Hall of Fame during ceremony

The Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield honored four individuals who have served as legislative interns at the state capitol. Mark Denzler, Marcilene Dutton, DeShana Forney and David Joens were inducted during a ceremony at the Old State Capitol on Monday, March 12, 2018. Inductees are selected based on their contributions to Illinois and its citizens. The Hall of Fame is also recognition of the important role that public service internships play in developing public sector leadership.

Mark Denzler is vice president & chief operating officer for the Illinois Manufacturers' Association (IMA), a statewide advocacy organization representing nearly 4,000 member companies and facilities. Denzler assumed his current post in January 2006 and is responsible for all government affairs, membership and human resource activities. Prior to IMA, Denzler served in various posts including overseeing Illinois government affairs for State Farm Insurance, a Fortune 50 company headquartered in Bloomington. He served as director of government affairs for the IMA and was a legislative analyst in the General Assembly focusing on taxes, education and transportation. Denzler was appointed by Governor Pat Quinn and reappointed by Governor Bruce Rauner to Illinois Workers' Compensation Advisory Board. He serves on the Board of Directors for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois, Sangamo Club, and sits on the National Public Affairs Steering Committee for the National Association of Manufacturers. Denzler is a 2015 selection as an Edgar Fellow at the University of Illinois and a graduate of the inaugural class of the Crain's Chicago Business Leadership Academy. Denzler is a 1993 graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University and currently lives in Springfield with his wife and son.

Marcy Dutton serves as general counsel to the Teacher’s Retirement System of Illinois (TRS) which is a $6.4 billion pension fund providing financial security to retired public-school teachers employed in school districts outside of the City of Chicago. Prior to joining TRS, Dutton worked for eight years at the Illinois State Board of Education as its deputy general counsel although she pitched in and served as general counsel twice when called upon to do so. The majority of Dutton’s professional career has been public school and public service focused. Dutton graduated from Millikin University with degrees in political science and English. After completing the legislative internship program in 1986, she attended Louisiana State University where she earned a Juris Doctor degree. A lifelong learner, in 2010 she completed the Chief School Business Official endorsement program offered by the University of Illinois Springfield. Since 2007, she has taught school law classes at UIS on a part-time basis. Dutton and her husband live in Chatham.

DeShana Forney is senior director of government and community relations for Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, subsidiaries of WEC Energy Group. In this role, she is responsible for leading the company’s Illinois government and community relations strategy. Prior to joining Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, Forney was the associate director of governmental relations for the University of Illinois. She has more than twenty years of legislative, budgetary and management experience, which includes leading the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) as its executive director, serving as the director of public safety and house legislative liaison in the Office of the Governor, and working on Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s issues development staff. In addition to her government affairs work, Forney has held numerous senior political campaign positions in races for state legislative, constitutional, Supreme Court and countywide offices, and formerly served as the Democratic Party of Illinois’ deputy executive director. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Howard University in Washington, D.C. and a master’s degree in political studies from the University of Illinois Springfield. She was born and raised in Springfield.

David Joens, director of the Illinois State Archives, worked on the Illinois Senate Democratic staff for seven years. A U.S. Army veteran and former newspaper reporter, he was a press secretary for Democratic members of the Senate, including the Senate’s Black Caucus. In 1996, he began work as the assistant director of the Illinois Legislative Studies Center at the University of Illinois Springfield, where he authored two “Almanac of Illinois Politics” books. In 2000, he moved to the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, where he worked for four years on the policy staff. In 2004, he was picked by Secretary of State Jesse White to serve as the fifth director of the Illinois State Archives, a position he holds today. Joens has an undergraduate degree from Northern Illinois University, two master’s degrees from the University of Illinois Springfield and a doctorate in Illinois history from Southern Illinois University. In 2012, he authored the book “From Slave to State Legislator: John W. E. Thomas, Illinois First African American Lawmaker.” Joens is married to Mona Martin, who is also a former legislative staff intern and who was inducted in the Samuel K. Gove Hall of Fame in 2013. They live in Springfield.

The Hall of Fame is hosted by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Historic Preservation Division. The Hall of Fame is named for the late Samuel K. Gove, founding director of the internship program and one of the founders of Illinois Issues magazine. Established in 1990, the Hall of Fame, including this year’s inductees, now numbers 68 individuals, among them a former governor and several former and current state and federal legislators. The names of the Hall’s members are inscribed on a plaque that hangs on the fourth floor of the Illinois Statehouse.

For more information, contact Rob Fafoglia with the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership at 217/206-7163 or rfafo2@uis.edu.

UIS honors alums Kathy Best and Mary Mitchell Beaumont for achievement and service

The University of Illinois Springfield honored the significant contributions of Kathy Best and Mary Mitchell Beaumont during the university’s annual Alumni Gala on Friday, February 23, 2018, at the UIS Student Union.

The 2017 Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work was presented to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Kathy Best, who earned a master’s degree in public affairs reporting in 1990.

Best has covered news from the Statehouse to the Capitol, and from the digital domains of Seattle, Washington to the big skies of Missoula, Montana. Best grew up in a small-town Illinois newspaper family.

“Mom was editor, Dad was publisher, and my brother shot pictures,” she says. “When news happened—like on my 16th birthday when somebody set the jail on fire—everybody got up from dinner and left me sitting there.”

Best didn’t sit for long. After a false start in pre-med at Illinois, she transferred to SIU-Carbondale and graduated in 1979 at the peak of a recession. Graduate school seemed like the best bet, and her parents, who knew public affairs reporting program founder Sen. Paul Simon and Statehouse reporter Mike Lawrence, recommended the public affairs reporting program. Her degree led her to covering the Statehouse for media company Lee Enterprises and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

From there, it was a natural transition to the nation’s capital. “D.C. was a great place to work, but I missed feeling connected to a community,” Best explains. She was dating a reporter who relocated to Oregon, and on a visit, she fell in love with the state’s natural beauty. She arranged for a get acquainted cup of coffee at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer at 9 a.m., left the building at 6 p.m. and was hired an hour later.

Best made her mark at the Post-Intelligencer’s rival, the Seattle Times, where she was hired as a managing editor for digital news because the editor said Best was the only person to have ever beaten him on a story. Under her watch, the Times staff won 2010 and 2015 Pulitzer Prizes for breaking digital news, and its investigative team won a 2012 Pulitzer for investigative reporting. Best became editor of the Times in 2013 and left in 2016 because she felt Seattle’s population boom had made it unlivable. Plus, the decline of legacy media meant drastic cutbacks. “I didn’t want to be the editor who dismantled the newspaper,” she says.

Best now serves as the editor of the Missoulian and the Ravalli Republic in Missoula, Montana. She’s fallen in love with big sky country, but she hasn’t slowed down. “Between having a congressional candidate on the eve of the election beat up a reporter to having a million acres burn this summer,” she notes, “I do not lack for news.”

The 2017 Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to Mary Mitchell Beaumont. She earned a master’s degree in communication in 1989.

Beaumont came to UIS as a non-traditional student. She moved to Springfield with her journalist husband Jim and sons Mitchell and Matthew in 1972 so that Jim could cover the Statehouse for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Before his family joined him, Jim began taking classes at UIS (then Sangamon State University) and received his master’s degree in public administration in 1974. “I went back to school to keep up with the rest of my family,” Beaumont says. “My husband had three degrees, we had two children in college, and I thought, ‘Hey, they’re going to be ahead of me.’”

Jim and Mary soon became fixtures at UIS. They frequented the library, attended art openings and auditorium events, and cheered at pep rallies and sporting events. Few things happened without them. When an event called for catering, Mary cooked. When WUIS, the UIS-related NPR affiliate, held pledge drives, she answered phones. “I’m proud to say I even judged a homecoming parade,” Beaumont says, laughing.

Beaumont was a founding steering committee member of the SAGE Society, the University’s group for alumni and friends aged 50 and better. SAGE has offered “lunch and learn” events and dinners before Sangamon Auditorium events.

As a longtime member and past president of the Springfield Branch of the American Association of University Women, Beaumont has promoted UIS’s interests. In recognition of her leadership, AAUW Springfield Branch established a scholarship in her honor that benefits UIS female students returning to their education after an interruption. The Beaumonts later endowed the AAUW scholarship and also established the Jim and Mary Beaumont Endowed Scholarship for Public Affairs Reporting.

Beaumont also has been a champion for UIS causes dear to her heart. Jim—who died in 2013 due to an accident early in their marriage—negotiated the world from a wheelchair, with Mary as his primary caregiver. The couple advocated for accessibility on campus, as well as family-friendly restrooms. Mary also crusaded for the education and development of women as leaders.

For more information on the awards, contact Chuck Schrage, associate vice chancellor for alumni relations, at 217/206-7395 or cschr1@uis.edu.

Two alumni inducted into the first class of the UIS Management Information Systems Hall of Fame

The Management Information Systems (MIS) Department at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted two alumni into its inaugural Hall of Fame class on Friday, May 19, 2017. The event also celebrated the 30th anniversary of the founding of the MIS program at UIS.

The Hall of Fame honors alumni who have made significant contributions to their fields, their communities and society as a whole. The Hall of Fame recognizes MIS alumni who serve as an inspiration for the next generation of students.

The two Hall of Fame inductees were Natasha Conley, a 1994 MIS graduate, and Eugenio “Gene” Fernández, a 2007 MIS graduate.

Conley serves as the Vice President of Professional Services & Resources, Inc. (PSRI), a family owned business which was incorporated in 1987. Conley also serves as President of PSRI Technologies, LLC (PSRI Tech), which she founded in 2001. PSRI Tech’s headquarters are located in Jefferson City, Missouri and has a branch office in Metropolitan St. Louis.

Her company is a United States Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) graduate and holds a number of state minority and women owned business certifications. Her company’s core services include staff augmentation (information technology/administrative and clerical), help-desk operations and project management.

Over the years, her company has worked with a number of high profile firms which include, IBM, JP Morgan Chase, Xerox, NTT Data, TATA Consultancy Group, CGI, Deloitte, Motorola and Unisys to name a few. She has a number of state clients including the governments of Missouri, New York, Maryland and Rhode Island. Conley’s company has worked with the United States Army and currently works with the U.S. General Service Administration.

One of her most notable projects was with the American Management Systems (now CGI). They implemented the first state-wide Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for the State of Missouri. It was one of the largest IT projects ever outsourced by the State of Missouri and its contract value was approximately $100 million. Her company managed a team of 50 developers which provided systems integration support, business analysis and post implementation training.

Conley is currently a Ph.D. student at Case Western Reserve University. In addition to her UIS master’s degree, she earned a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems from Central Missouri State University. She is also a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute (PMI).

Fernández is chief technology officer (CTO) at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare (MLH) in Memphis, Tennessee. As CTO, he is responsible for developing the information technology infrastructure strategy; operational areas of responsibility include: wired/wireless infrastructure, enterprise architecture, network management, telecommunications and data center technical services, desktop support, the project management office and information security.

He is also responsible for providing leadership in the development, implementation and governance of MLH’s information systems and technology infrastructure domains.

Fernández has more than 30 years of experience as a healthcare information management bilingual executive. Prior to joining MLH, he served as chief information officer at L.A. Care Health Plan in Los Angeles where he was responsible for providing leadership in the development, implementation and governance of the organization’s information systems and technology infrastructure. His career includes information technology leadership positions with the Department of Defense, as an active duty commissioned officer in the Navy Medical Services Corps. He served as CIO at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and the Naval Medical Center in Portsmouth, Virginia. He has also worked for Sparrow Health System, Accident Fund Insurance Company of American and for PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Healthcare Consulting Practice.

He earned a bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University and a second master’s degree from Purdue University, in addition to his UIS master’s degree. He is board certified in healthcare management as a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and holds a Certified Healthcare CIO (CHCIO) designation by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).

The UIS Management Information Systems program has more than 1,000 alumni worldwide. In fall 2016, the program enrolled more than 450 graduate students in the on-campus and online degree programs.

Three journalists to be inducted into the UIS Public Affairs Reporting Hall of Fame

Three journalists whose range of experiences includes coverage of major national and international events, public health and environmental dangers, politics and local history, are the newest inductees into the Bill Miller Public Affairs Reporting (PAR) Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield.

The inductees, who will be honored March 6, include Kansas City Star reporter Scott Canon, Chicago Tribune investigative reporter Michael Hawthorne and former State Journal-Register editor and reporter Mike Kienzler. The three are all graduates of the UIS Public Affairs Reporting Program.

Canon was a member of the PAR class of 1982 and has worked for the Kansas City Star since 1989. He has covered the bombing of the Oklahoma federal building, the Columbine school shooting, the NATO occupation of Kosovo, the start of the U.S. military campaign in Afghanistan in 2001, the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003 and 2007 and tsunami recovery in Sri Lanka. He's also covered political campaigns, statehouses and periodically produced investigative work. As part of a science writing fellowship, he visited the Arctic Circle and Antarctica. He began his career at the Champaign News-Gazette and the Santa Barbara News-Press.

Michael Hawthorne is a member of the PAR class of 1989. As an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, he focuses on public health and environmental stories. In 2013, Hawthorne and two colleagues were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting. Their stories exposed a deceptive, decades-long campaign by the tobacco and chemical industries to promote the use of harmful, ineffective flame retardants in household furniture. Other stories by Hawthorne prompted new laws and health reforms at the federal and state level. Before joining the Tribune in 2004, Hawthorne wrote for the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Champaign News-Gazette and the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Mike Kienzler is a graduate of the first PAR class of 1973. He spent not quite 40 years as an editor and reporter with The State Journal-Register, the Springfield daily newspaper. He was metro editor and deputy metro editor for most of that period, with prime responsibility for the paper's election and government coverage, among other duties. Since retirement in 2013, Kienzler has been founding editor of SangamonLink.org, the online encyclopedia of the Sangamon County Historical Society. Kienzler is a member of the Illinois State Historical Society Advisory Board and a recent past board member of the Lincoln Monument Association, a support group for the Lincoln Tomb State Historic site.

An induction ceremony will be held on March 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the Conservatory Room of the Inn at 835, located at 835 S. 2nd St. in Springfield. Register online at http://go.uis.edu/parhof or call 217/206-7163.

The PAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is sponsored by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership. The Hall of Fame is named in honor of Bill Miller, an award-winning journalist who served as the PAR program’s director for 19 years.

The UIS Public Affairs Reporting program is a one-year, professionally-oriented master's degree program that prepares students to become a working reporter covering public affairs in its broadest sense — informing readers, listeners and viewers about ongoing events and activities that impact on their daily lives.

For more information, contact Rob Fafoglia with the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership at 217/206-7163 or rfafo2@uis.edu.

UIS honors alumni for achievement and service

The University of Illinois Springfield honored the significant contributions of Darrel Burnett and Cheryl Peck during the university’s annual Alumni Gala on Friday, October 21, 2016, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

The Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding success and national or international distinction in one’s business, profession or life’s work was presented to Darrel Burnett, of Milton, Wisconsin, who earned a bachelor’s degree in communication in 1978.

Burnett is founder and Chief Executive Officer of KSI International, Inc., which specializes in Life Changing Technologies with an emphasis on new product development and the development of international markets.

Burnett attended the University on a broadcast scholarship. He served as the first sportscaster at WSSR (now WUIS) and the first “play by play” radio announcer for the Prairie Stars soccer team.

After graduating in 1978, he embarked on a career in broadcasting. He hosted nationally syndicated radio shows from New York City, provided play-by-play for the Indianapolis Colts, and reported on Super Bowls, the World Series, NBA Basketball Championships, U.S. Olympic Trials, NCAA championships and many other events. He spent four years as a pit reporter for the Indianapolis 500, and has remained closely connected to the broadcasting field for nearly 40 years as he continues to narrate documentaries and serve as a frequent host and guest on television and radio shows.

In 1999, Burnett was recruited by the Hoffman Corporation, a construction management firm, to start an operating division in Illinois. In just six years, the division became a $500m enterprise and helped Hoffman earn a top 50 U.S. ranking by Engineering News Record. In 2002, Burnett co-founded Revere Hoffman, specializing in housing for senior citizens; and in 2005, he became Corporate Director for the Mid-Northern Group, a real estate company based in Rockford, IL. In 2009, as president of a water technology company, he helped develop a patented water technology. This led to the founding of KSI International in 2011.

Darrel Burnett serves on the Board of Advisors for the Brian LaViolette Scholarship Foundation and has helped raise more than $1m for numerous community organizations. He has also served on multiple boards of directors and is an elder for Chapel on the Hill in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

The Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to Cheryl Peck, of Springfield, Illinois. She earned a bachelor’s degree in literature in 1986 and a master’s degree in English in 1989.

An all-out advocate for her alma mater, Peck participates in many University events. She served in volunteer leadership roles on the planning and coordinating committee of the UIS Alumni SAGE Society in its formative years, and helped to build the University's archive of oral histories. Peck also served on the Friends of Brookens Library Board.

In 2011, Peck donated $500,000 to establish the Judith E. Everson Professorship in English, the first from a graduate honoring a former professor. With the gift, Peck paid tribute to the faculty member who profoundly influenced her career and her overall educational experience as a “mid-life student” at UIS (then Sangamon State), which she characterized as setting her on “a path of lifelong discovery in books and writing.”

She has also been a longtime annual donor to Brookens Library, WUIS and other campus units, and is a member of the University of Illinois Foundation Presidents Council.

UIS alum Robert Felker honored for Outstanding Advocate Leadership

The University of Illinois Foundation today announces W. Robert Felker, graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield and partner at Gator Trading in Chicago, as the 2016 William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership. The award will be presented at the UIS Celebration of Philanthropy on Wednesday, April 27, 2016, at UIS. The U of I Foundation is the fundraising arm of the University of Illinois and its three campuses.

W. Robert Felker BA ’74 is one of the most accomplished alumni of the University of Illinois Springfield, and in 1997, he received the University of Illinois Alumni Achievement Award.

He currently serves as a member of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago's financial markets and payment system working group. Formerly, he was chairman of J.P. Morgan Futures Inc., and chairman of the board of directors of National Futures Association. In 2006, he was inducted into the Futures Industry Association's Futures Hall of Fame on the FIA's 50th anniversary.

Felker has also been an active and vocal advocate for UIS, especially as a member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors. As a Board member, he has served on the Budget and Finance Committee, the Investment Policy Committee, the Membership and Governance Committee, and the Audit and Investment Committee.

“Bob's impact on the life of the UIS campus is immeasurable," said UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. "He has been a valued member of some of the most important committees at the University of Illinois Foundation, and he cares deeply about the future of our University. As others in leadership have before me, I have met frequently with Bob to discuss UIS successes and challenges, and I always appreciate his wise counsel. It's a genuine privilege to see him receive the 2016 William E. Winter Award."

In addition to his service at the Foundation, Felker has also been a proactive and energetic advocate for fundraising at UIS. He has frequently hosted UIS events in the Chicago area, served as co-chair of the successful Brilliant Futures Campaign and promoted corporate grants for UIS. Bob and his wife, Patty, have also funded the W. Robert and Patricia W. Felker Scholarship given each year to a student with high academic merit.

“In a quiet and often behind-the-scenes manner, Bob Felker has exemplified the ideals of philanthropy," said Jeff Lorber, UIS vice chancellor for advancement. "He is generous with his time, talent and resources, working to make his alma mater a great environment for learning. He truly cares about student success in the classroom and beyond."

The William E. Winter Award, named for the late CEO Emeritus of the 7-Up Company and a longtime member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, celebrates individuals who play active roles in securing private support for the University of Illinois.

Past recipients of the William E. Winter Award include Pamela McClelland, Cullom Davis, Bob Clary, Leonard Branson, Thom Serafin, Tom Marantz, Julie Kellner, Guerry L. Suggs and Michelle M. Suggs (deceased); Howard C. Humphrey (deceased), James Lundquist (deceased), and Clifford L. Greenwalt.

For more information, contact Jeff Lorber, UIS vice chancellor for advancement at 217/206-6058 or email jlorber@uis.edu.

Five to join the Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at UIS

The Samuel K. Gove Illinois Legislative Internship Hall of Fame at the University of Illinois Springfield will honor five individuals who have served as legislative interns at the state capitol. Phil Lackman, State Senator Julie Morrison, Tim Nuding, Becky Patton and Donovan Pepper will be inducted during a ceremony at the Old State Capitol on Monday, February 29, 2016. Inductees are selected based on their contributions to Illinois and its citizens. The Hall of Fame is also recognition of the important role that public service internships play in developing public sector leadership.

Phil Lackman serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois (IIA of IL). Prior to his appointment as CEO, he served as Vice President of Government Relations for the IIA of IL, the Illinois Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA IL), Illinois State Association of Health Underwriters (ISAHU) and the Illinois Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (IAMIC). Prior to joining the IIA of IL, Lackman held the position of Director of Legislative Affairs for the Illinois Life Insurance Council from 1991 until 1995. Prior to that, he was Secretary of State Jim Edgar’s Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs from 1985 to 1991. Lackman began his career in Springfield as a Legislative Analyst with the Senate Republican Leader James “Pate” Philip. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science/speech communication from Illinois State University and completed a graduate seminar in political studies at the University of Illinois Springfield and was a member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Internship Program class of 1982-83.

State Senator Julie Morrison was elected in 2012 and serves the 29th district, which includes many of Chicago’s northern suburbs. She was a member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1978-79. She was born in Beardstown, Ill. and earned a bachelor’s degree from Knox College. Morrison started her career at the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America as a federal energy regulations analyst in Chicago. She also worked for Congressman John Porter as his Field Director in the 10th Congressional District, and was appointed by both Governor Thompson and Edgar to the Department of Children and Family Services Advisory Council. After serving on the DCFS advisory council, she took the position of supervisor of West Deerfield Township, which she held for 15 years. As a member of the General Assembly, she is an advocate for improving child welfare, water safety and transparency in state government.

Tim Nuding has spent 26 years working in state government. He currently serves in Governor Bruce Rauner’s Administration as the Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Nuding has spent most of his career working in the legislature for the Illinois Senate Republican Staff, serving most recently as Chief of Staff to Illinois Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno. He’s also worked as a budget analyst and as the Director of the Senate Appropriations Staff. He is widely respected under the Capitol dome and has established a solid network of relationships with key players in government from both political parties. Nuding graduated from Illinois State University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Finance. He was a member Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1990-91.

Becky Patton is Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois Auditor General. A member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1983-84, she says the program helped her obtain a position as a legislative analyst on the Senate Majority Staff, assigned to the appropriations committee, where she worked for four years. She later returned to school, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a juris doctor degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. After law school, she briefly served as a legislative analyst on the Senate Majority Staff assigned to the judiciary committee. In 1992, she began working in her current role with the Auditor General’s Office.

Donovan Pepper is the National Director of Local Government Relations for Walgreen Co. He oversees local legislative and advocacy efforts for Walgreen Co. at the municipal, county and other units of governments in all 50 states. Prior to this position, Pepper served as the Director of Government Relations for the Illinois Restaurant Association. He has worked for Illinois’ leading telecommunications provider, SBC (now AT&T), the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Amtrak, and served on the Appropriations and Substantive Committee Staff for Illinois Speaker of the House Michael J. Madigan, where he focused on the areas of transportation, higher education and consumer protection. Pepper currently serves on the Board of directors of the Civic Federation, the Magnificent Mile Association, Keep Chicago Beautiful, Chicago-Cook Workforce Partnership, Austin Chamber of Commerce, the Schaumburg Business Association and the HFS Chicago Scholars Program. Pepper is the immediate past co-chair of the U.S. Conference of Mayor’s Business Council and past board member of the University of Illinois Alumni Association, where he served at chair of the Advocacy Committee. Pepper earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political studies from the University of Illinois Springfield and was a member of the Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program class of 1994-95.

The Hall of Fame is hosted by the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The Hall of Fame is named for the late Samuel K. Gove, founding director of the internship program and one of the founders of Illinois Issues magazine. Established in 1990, the Hall of Fame, including this year’s inductees, now numbers 64 individuals, among them a former governor and several former and current state and federal legislators. The names of the Hall’s members are inscribed on a plaque that hangs on the fourth floor of the Statehouse.

The event on February 29 will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. at the Old State Capitol in Springfield, followed by the induction ceremony at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $65 per person and may be purchased online at http://go.uis.edu/GoveHoF2016. The deadline to register is February 22, 2016. Reservations are required. For more information on attending, call 217/206-7163.

UIS honors three alumni for achievement, service and humanitarian work

The University of Illinois Springfield honored the significant contributions of Wenguang Huang, Tim Randolph and Delinda Chapman during the university’s annual Alumni Gala on Friday, November 6, 2015 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum.

The Alumni Achievement Award was given to Wenguang Huang, who earned a master’s degree in Political Affairs Reporting in 1991. Huang is considered the first international student to have enrolled in the program. Today, Huang is a writer, journalist and translator whose articles and translations have appeared in publications, such as The Wall Street Journal Asia, Chicago Tribune and The Christian Science Monitor.

Through his writing and personal experience, Huang is helping the West understand China’s complex society and the strict traditions embedded in it, which often lead to conflict, misunderstanding or even persecution.

Huang currently resides in the Chicago area and works for the University of Chicago. He has served as staff writer for the New York Times Beijing bureau, manager of media relations for Rotary International and speechwriter for the CEO of AON Corporation. He is best known for translating into English the books of noted Chinese dissident Liou Yiwu.

Huang’s own memoir, The Little Red Guard, was released in 2012. He also co-authored the book A Death in the Lucky Holiday Hotel: Murder, Money, and an Epic Power Struggle in China.

Tim Randolph was honored with the Alumni Humanitarian Award for significant contributions of leadership or service to improve the lives of others and the welfare of humanity.

Randolph received a bachelor’s degree in medical technology 1983. He is a tenured associate professor and chairman of the department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, Doisy College of Health Sciences, at Saint Louis University Health Sciences Center. He is also founder and President of Randolph World Ministries, Inc., a medical mission ministry that establishes and develops medical services in existing clinics in Haiti.

Randolph World Ministries provides a full range of medical services to over 20 Haitian clinics by offering training, materials, consultation, and personal visits to each facility; conducting mobile clinics in remote areas of Haiti where healthcare is unavailable; developing and implementing small business start-up companies to elevate individual families and grow a local economy; providing emergency relief following natural disasters and other types of urgent needs.

Prior to his work with Randolph World Ministries, Randolph was employed as a medical technologist at Memorial Medical Center in Springfield. While earning his doctorate degree from Warnborough University, he developed a new diagnostic test for sickle cell anemia to be used in developing countries – a test which earned a U.S. patent.

The Distinguished Service Award for extraordinary commitment, dedication and service to the advancement of the University of Illinois was awarded to Delinda Chapman. She earned a master’s degree in educational administration in 1974 and went on to earn a Doctorate of Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Chapman, retired in 2003 as Deputy Director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services after serving more than 20 years in state government and agencies which provide services to women and children. Prior to that, she spent much of her professional career in education, successively serving as a teacher, principal and superintendent.

Chapman has also served as a volunteer leader at UIS, having served six years on the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board, and was a member of the National Commission on the Future of UIS. She is also a former member of the UIS Education Advisory Board and has frequently donated her time, talent and expertise to many efforts at the University, such as being a guest speaker for the annual scholarship luncheon.

She has also volunteered as on air alumni talent for WUIS fundraisers. Her leadership throughout the community has raised the visibility and profile of the University and of higher education.

For more information on the awards, contact Chuck Schrage, association chancellor for alumni relations at 217/206-7395 or cschr1@uis.edu.

UIS Pulitzer Prize-winning alum honored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities

Kathy Best, a graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield Public Affairs Reporting Program and three-time Pulitzer Prize winner, will be honored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) as the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient.

Best was nominated for the award by UIS Chancellor Susan Koch. The Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented to an individual who is an alumnus of a college or university that is a member of AASCU, who has achieved acclaim in his or her field, and who has made significant contribution to the public, intellectual or cultural life of the nation.

Best is currently editor of The Seattle Times. She joined the paper in 2007 and has held a number of leadership positions. It was under Best’s leadership that The Seattle Times staff earned the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for investigative journalism. A pioneer in digital media, Best led the paper as it followed the killing of four police officers and invited Seattle citizens to contribute tips, photos and videos, using Google Wave and other online sources, to inform the community—one of the earliest examples of use of social media during a community crisis.

Best continued to lead her team to success, receiving the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news, the industry’s highest honor, following their coverage of the fatal landslide in Oso, Wash., in March 2014.

Prior to The Seattle Times, Best held positions as assistant managing editor for Sunday and national news at The Baltimore Sun and as assistant managing editor/metro at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award has been presented for over 40 years. Best will join a long list of past honorees, including President Lyndon Johnson, who was the first to receive the award in 1972.

The award will be presented during the association’s Annual Meeting in Austin, Texas on Tuesday, October 27, 2015.

UIS Alum Pamela McClelland honored for Outstanding Advocate Leadership by the U of I Foundation

The University of Illinois Foundation today announces Pamela McClelland, partner (retired) at Kerber, Eck and Braeckel and graduate of the University of Illinois Springfield, as the winner of the 2015 William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership.

The award will be presented at the UIS Celebration of Philanthropy on Thursday, May 21, 2015, at UIS. The U of I Foundation is the fundraising arm of the University of Illinois and its three campuses.

McClelland, who earned her bachelor’s degree in 1990 and master’s degree in 1995, came to UIS as a single mother in her forties. At the time, not intending to earn a degree, she enrolled at the university merely to refresh her bookkeeping skills. With encouragement from accountancy professors, like Don Stanhope, Pam soared and before long, graduated with highest honors.

She not only passed the certified public accountant exam, but won the Elijah Watts Sells Award, bestowed on students who score in the top five percent nationally on the CPA exam. The year she received the award 70,000 individuals took the exam.

“It’s one of the highest award the CPA exam taker can achieve,” said Leonard Branson, chair of the Accountancy Department at UIS. “This was a working mother who had a full-time job and a part-time job, a teenaged daughter and was going to school, so the Sells Award was a significant achievement.”

Pam joined Kerber, Eck & Braekel (KEB), one of Springfield’s top accounting firms, where her work with not-for-profits organizations was highly valued. On the way to becoming a partner, she added a master’s degree from UIS.

Since her graduation, she has had a role in bringing the following scholarships to UIS: the Donald F. Stanhope Alumni Scholarship, the Leona Vollintine Accounting Scholarship in Honor of Donald Stanhope, the Leona Stanford Vollintine Scholarship, the KEB Accountancy Scholarship, and her own scholarship, the Pam McClelland Accountancy Scholarship.

In addition to her advocacy for scholarships, Pam has been an active volunteer on campus, especially through the UIS Accountancy Alumni Advisory Committee and the College of Business and Management Advisory Committee. In 1999, she received the University of Illinois Alumni Association (UIAA) Loyalty Award, and in 2004, she became the first to receive the UIAA Distinguished Service Award. She is currently vice-chairman of the UIS Campus Alumni Advisory Board.

The William E. Winter Award, named for the CEO Emeritus of the 7-Up Company and a longtime member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, celebrates individuals who play active roles in securing private support for the University of Illinois.

“Pamela McClelland is a champion of fundraising,” said Jeff Lorber, Vice Chancellor for Development at UIS. "She has tirelessly raised money for scholarships and has been a strong and effective leader of others on behalf of UIS.”

Past recipients of the William E. Winter Award include Cullom Davis, Bob Clary, Leonard Branson, Thom Serafin, Tom Marantz, Julie Kellner, Guerry L. Suggs and Michelle M. Suggs (deceased); Howard C. Humphrey (deceased), James Lundquist (deceased), and Clifford L. Greenwalt.