UIS honors Professor Sharon Graf with the Harry and Deborah Berman Sabbatical Award

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Harry and Deborah Berman Sabbatical Award has been presented to Sharon Graf, professor in the Sociology/Anthropology department. She will receive $3,000 to support her research during her sabbatical leave.

Graf’s sabbatical plan is to conduct a second phase of ethnographic field research in Oceania that will contribute to the scholarly body of knowledge on the cultural practices—including art, music, the performing arts and seafaring—of the inhabitants of the Pacific Island region. 

Furthermore, Graf’s research will expand our scholarly understanding of ways of knowing while travelling on sea as opposed to on land. Her 2010‐11 experience of sailing the vast expanse of the Pacific made her keenly aware of the ocean environment and the knowledge required to navigate and to thrive in it.  One outcome of Graf’s sabbatical voyage was her 2013 music composition “West by South,” performed by the UIS Chorus in 2013. This sabbatical leave will give Graf the opportunity to contribute further original insight to academic discourse on embodiment, performance and human relationships with the sea, sharing her findings in articles, courses, blogs, creative works and public presentations.

Faculty who are awarded sabbatical leaves may apply for supplemental funding to assist with sabbatical expenses. Awards are granted through a competitive review and selection process.

The award was made possible thanks to the generosity of Harry and Deborah Berman. Harry served as a gerontology professor, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, provost and interim chancellor. Deborah served in a variety of central administrative positions at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.  

Graf says she is “honored to receive the Berman Award and thankful for Harry and Deborah’s support of my work on the UIS campus since I arrived in 2001.”

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 Education Honor Society inducts new members

The Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, at the University of Illinois Springfield inducted eight new members during a virtual ceremony on April 11, 2021.

The Society inducts individuals who have exhibited the ideals of scholarship, integrity in service, and commitment to excellence in teaching and its allied professions. Selection as a member of Kappa Delta Pi is based on high academic achievement, a commitment to education as a career, and a professional attitude that assures steady growth in the profession.

Students inducted at this year’s ceremony listed by hometown:

In-State
Chicago: Oscar Mercado
Darien: Tina Vorreyer
Petersburg: Brandy McWhorter
Rochester: JC (John) Bartolozzi, Meghan Hawkshaw
Springfield: Christine Lin
Taylorville: Caitlin Donovon
(One student asked their name not be published)

Kappa Delta Pi was established in 1911 to recognize and promote excellence in education. Through its programs, services, and strategic partnerships, the honor society supports the professional growth and teaching practices of educators throughout all phases and levels of their careers. The organization currently has more than 600 chapters and an active membership of nearly 40,000 worldwide.

For more information, contact Ronda Gray (Mitchell), chapter advisor and UIS clinical associate professor of teacher education, at 217-206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu. 

Stacey Gilmore receives 18th annual CAPE Award at UIS

The University of Illinois Springfield 18th annual Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence (CAPE) award was presented to Stacey Gilmore, director of the Cox Children’s Center during an April 8 online ceremony. 

The CAPE Award recognizes U of I academic professionals for their efforts in three categories: work projects, professional development and affiliations and contributions to their units.

Gilmore has worked at UIS for 21 years, serving as director for 18 years. One nominator calls her a “positive, solution-focused person with an incredible caring attitude and huge heart.”

During her time at Cox Children’s Center, Gilmore oversaw the design and building of the Cox Children’s Center garden and development of the annual on campus Trick-or-Treat for Canned Goods, which helps stock the UIS Cares Food Pantry.

The pandemic put her exceptional experience to the test. “Stacey worked tirelessly to help support students, staff, children and families,” said a nominator, who called her a pioneer in her field. “Stacey worked with DCFS and applied for an emergency license to be able to provide care for families who are essential workers. That was no small feat as the guidance and rules were constantly changing.”

Stacey and her staff developed and implemented at-home curriculum options for enrolled families, redesigned their school-age space to adapt for year-round learners and worked with local school districts to adapt programming to assist virtual and hybrid learners.

“In my 21 years at UIS, this past year has been the most challenging by far,” said Gilmore. “That that being said, it has also been the most rewarding. I have watched families struggle, yet survive and prosper. I have watched children remain resilient and remind us all that they are capable and strong. I have watched my staff thrive, mentoring and supporting each other along the way. I feel very blessed to be here with so many brilliant colleagues.”

Under Stacey’s leadership the Cox Children’s Center has received and maintains the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation as well as the Gold Circle of Quality designation, the highest rating possible from ExceleRate Illinois, the state’s quality rating and improvement system for early learning and development providers.

The following Academic Professional employees were also nominated for the CAPE award: Gael Carnes, assistant to the chair and online coordinator for the Department of Public Administration; Renee Clausner, assistant to the dean, College of Business and Management; Sarah Collins, writing coordinator at The Learning Hub; Sean Crawford, broadcast reporter and editorial director at NPR Illinois; Myra Kaufman, assistant director of recruitment for GPSI; Craig McFarland, undergraduate academic advisor for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Erin Sotelo, undergraduate academic advisor in the College of Business and Management and Allison Thornley, assistant athletic director for strategic planning and finance in UIS Athletics.

UIS Associate Professor Lynn Fisher receives fellowship to conduct archaeological research in Germany this fall

University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor of Anthropology Lynn Fisher has been awarded a Mercator Fellowship for archaeological research at the University of Kiel in Germany this fall.

The fellowship is part of a grant-funded project on Social Dimensions of Technological Change, a collaboration between the University of Kiel, the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology and the Archaeological State Museum Schloss Gottorf (Schleswig). The project is funded by the German Science Foundation.

The fellowship supports two months in residence in Kiel during Fisher’s sabbatical in fall 2021, plus a return trip the following year to participate in an international workshop the collaborators will plan together. The workshop’s findings will be published as a book.   

“I will work with Berit Eriksen, scientific director of the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, to organize an international workshop on regional and chronological variation in flint mining practices during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Europe,” Fisher said. “Eriksen and I both specialize in the study of ancient technologies and what they tell us about past social dynamics and social change.”

Flint mines are an important, but often ignored aspect of prehistoric life during these time periods. The stone dug out of mines and quarries was used to make tools used in everyday life, and also connects to social identities, gender, transmission of knowledge and socioeconomic changes such as craft specialization. 

Eriksen and her colleagues, who direct the Social Dimensions of Technological Change project, invited Fisher to work with them when they heard she was planning to compare and contrast flint mines and quarries to put her own excavations of a quarry in southern Germany in context. 

“My hope is to learn a lot more about how quarries and mines vary, including some where skilled toolmakers made highly standardized products and others that were much less standardized, and to understand what those differences are telling us about ancient societies and social change,” Fisher said. 

UIS' Ann Comerford named to International Association of College Unions Board of Directors

Ann Comerford, executive director of the UIS Student Union has been chosen to serve as an at-large board member for the International Association of College Unions (ACUI.) Comerford's two-year term will include advancing the principles in the Association's vision and core values, performing various ceremonial duties such as attending regional conferences, speaking functions and writing articles for ACUI publications. 

Comerford has volunteered and been recognized for her work within the Association in various capacities. She was a member of the 2018 annual conference planning committee, served on the International Education Council, was director of ACUI's Region 9, and has volunteered as a course instructor, presenter and faculty member for a variety of ACUI education courses and institutes. 

The International Association of College Unions is a nonprofit educational organization that brings together college union and student activities professionals with the primary mission of building campus community through education, advocacy and the delivery of services.

UIS students earn awards and leadership roles during the annual Model Illinois Government simulation

University of Illinois Springfield students earned awards and were elected to leadership roles during the virtual Model Illinois Government (MIG) simulation held Feb. 26 & 27, 2021. The simulation, which normally takes place at the Illinois State Capitol, was held virtually this year due to COVID-19.

Three UIS students were elected to the 2022 MIG executive board. Connor Krater of McHenry was elected speaker of the House, Aislinn Diaz of Chicago was elected president of the Senate and Mackenzi Matthews of Springfield was elected attorney general. Kallie Matthews of Springfield served as speaker of the House on the 2021 executive board.

The delegation also took home three individual awards. Mackenzi Matthews received the Outstanding Committee Chair in the House award. Bryce Thomas of Hawthorn Woods earned the Outstanding Member of Staff award. Kallie Matthews received the Outstanding Contribution to MIG award. 

UIS alumnus Kevin Kulavic was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his many years of service to the organization in the role of secretariat.

Three UIS students were elected to legislative positions. Mackenzi Matthews was elected majority leader in the House, Jacob Cacioppo of Ingleside was elected assistant minority leader in the House and Aislinn Diaz was elected majority leader in the Senate.

Mackenzi Matthews, Joseph Partain of Iuka and Aislinn Diaz were elected committee chairs. Connor Krater and Francisco Lopez Zavala of Chicago were elected committee spokespeople.

UIS students competed against students from 10 colleges and universities across the state of Illinois. MIG gives them the chance to serve as legislators, staffers, lobbyists, journalists and officials of the executive branch. Through committee actions, a regular legislative session and a veto session, participants learn the legislative process by actively participating in the simulation.

MIG members start preparing legislation during the fall term, polish their parliamentary skills and organize membership into a delegation for the spring conference.

For more information, contact Kenneth Owen, MIG faculty advisor and UIS associate professor of history, at 217-206-7439 or kowen8@uis.edu.

UIS’ Celebration of Philanthropy event to honor Mark and Julie Staley for outstanding advocate leadership

The University of Illinois Springfield will honor Mark and Julie Staley of Springfield with the University of Illinois Foundation’s William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership during a virtual Celebration of Philanthropy.

The Zoom webinar will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 3. All are invited to attend the free virtual event by registering in advance at go.uis.edu/CoP21.

Mark and Julie Staley have called Springfield home for nearly two decades. Their belief in the power of education is what drew the couple to getting—and staying—involved at UIS.

Julie is president of the Staley Museum in Decatur, as well as CEO and owner of Spencer Films and president at Spencer Theatre Company. Mark is general partner of SB Partners and VLS Holdings, which specialize in private equity and other alternative investment vehicles. They are both involved in the leadership of their two family foundations: The A.E. Staley Jr. Foundation and the Staley Family Foundation.

“Education is a cornerstone of our family charitable foundation and we are always committed to supporting those institutions in our area,” the couple said. “UIS is a vital part of the Springfield community and our surrounding area. It has grown exponentially throughout the years, and continues to help Springfield thrive.”

Their involvement at UIS began with Mark joining the Stars Athletic Advisory Board and Julie using her TV news anchor skills to benefit the University by hosting and emceeing events, including the annual UIS Scholarship Luncheon and the Good as Gold awards ceremony which honors local volunteers. She also has been a pitch person for NPR Illinois (WUIS).

Mark and Julie have financially supported numerous projects at UIS, including the Student Union and Baseball Turf projects. The couple established the Staley Family Athletic Scholarship to benefit the UIS Department of Athletics and continue to support the University of Illinois System through an endowed scholarship at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Mark remains a member of the Stars Athletic Advisory board and Julie serves as a board member on the Reaching Stellar Campaign Committee. Julie also recently became a UIS student in the doctorate of public administration program.

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 and Michelle Suggs (deceased); Howard Humphrey (deceased), James Lundquist (deceased), Clifford Greenwalt and Larry Shiner.

For more information, contact Maggie Owen, assistant director of advancement engagement, at 217-206-6058 or mowen7@uis.edu. 

UIS student Kodi Smith honored with the Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois

Kodi Smith of Taylorville has been selected as the University of Illinois Springfield student recipient of the Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Only one UIS student is honored with the prestigious award each academic year.

“As I was reading my nomination letter, I immediately thought to myself, ‘This is too good to be true.' I began researching the award online and realized just how great of an honor it is to be named a Student Laureate,” Smith said. “It feels good to have my hard work be acknowledged by others.”

Smith, a senior biology major at UIS who graduated from Taylorville High School, plans on attending medical school and becoming a trauma surgeon following completion of her bachelor’s degree.

At UIS, she is a member of National Society of Leadership and Success (Sigma Alpha Pi) and the Pre-Health Society, a group of students who are interested in working in the medical field. She has volunteered with the group multiple times at Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach where she helped package unused medical equipment and send it to countries who are in need of the supplies.

“Experiences like this one make me feel like I am part of something bigger than myself as I am helping people who are thousands of miles away from me,” she said.

In 2019, Smith started working as a medical scribe in a hospital emergency room, which she calls an “opportunity of a lifetime,” adding that she has gained a plethora of medical knowledge. She more recently spent time shadowing an ear, nose, and throat surgeon.

“It has given me insight into the medical field that I thought I would not be able to obtain until I was at least in medical school,” she said.

Through a UIS internship, she also worked as a cancer research intern at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine this past fall.

“While there, I would culture cells, apply different medicines and treatments to cell colonies, and perform various experiments,” she said. “The doctor who I performed research under was trying to find a cure for cancer through his experiments and he gave me an appreciation for the research aspect of the medical field.”

When she was in high school, Smith was actively involved in a variety of extracurricular activities, including being a part of Taylorville’s cheer team for six years where she got the chance to travel to London, England to perform in their New Year’s Day Parade and earned the title All-American cheerleader.

She was also very involved in band in high school. She participated in four honor bands, was named a District Musician for two years and an All-State Musician. Her senior year she was named an Illinois State Scholar and Illinois Ambassador of Music and was able to travel and perform concerts in several European countries.

Her other high school involvement included National Honor Society, FFA and Key Club where she spent a significant amount of time volunteering.

“If I apply the skills I have obtained through my high school and college career thus far, I believe I can be successful with my future and have a rewarding career,” she said.

Each year an outstanding senior from each of the four-year degree-granting institutions of higher learning in Illinois is awarded the Student Lincoln Academy Medallion and thereby becomes a Student Laureate of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. Student Laureates are honored for their overall excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities and receive a $500 stipend.

Assistant Professor Sudeep Sharma named the University Scholar at UIS

Sudeep Sharma, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, marketing and operations at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been named University Scholar for 2020. The award, considered the university system’s highest faculty honor, recognizes outstanding teaching and scholarship. Only one faculty member receives the annual award at UIS.

Sharma joined UIS in Fall 2015, after already having established himself as a top scholar in his areas of negotiation and conflict management, personality and individual differences and emotions in the workplace. In particular, Sharma's work in the area of individual differences in negotiation has challenged the status quo. The consensus among negotiation scholars has been that individual differences play a limited role in negotiation effectiveness, but Sharma's research has proven otherwise.

Although at a relatively early stage in his career, Sharma has already had numerous impactful publications in leading and high-quality journals in organizational behavior. These journals include Human Performance, Emotion, Organizational Psychology Review and the International Journal of Selection and Assessment, among others. Sharma's research has been cited 311 times per Google Scholar, and he has six papers with at least six citations each. So far, Sharma has published nine peer-reviewed journal articles and 19 peer-reviewed conference papers.

“Much of Sharma's work is lead-authored, which is a testament to the significant contributions that he has made to each manuscript,” his nominator said. 

Although Sharma's track record of published research is impressive, it is worth noting that he has a substantial pipeline of work that is poised to make additional contributions to his fields of study. He currently has eight manuscripts in development which are targeted to journals such as Psychological Bulletin, Journal of Applied Psychology and Administrative Science Quarterly. These outlets are among the best in the field. Moreover, Sharma regularly presents his research and organizes symposia at the major academic societies in the field of organizational behavior.

Sharma's scholarship has earned him awards, including the Outstanding Article Published in 2013 by the International Association for Conflict Management. More recently, Sharma was awarded a 2020 DAAD (the German Academic Exchange Service) Fellowship to be a visiting scholar at the Institute for Management and Organization at Leuphana University. Only 75-100 scholars from across the globe are selected each year from across diverse areas of research.

“Although research is among the most important endeavors engaged in by university professors, Sharma has also established himself as an excellent teacher,” said his nominator. “Sharma has developed and taught several courses in the Department of Management curriculum. Student assessments of his teaching are very positive, with ratings routinely exceeding averages of the department, college, and university. Thus, Sharma embodies what it means to be a teacher-scholar at UIS.”

At UIS, he teaches courses on organizational behavior, leadership in organizations, negotiation, and HR courses on the topics such as performance management and selection and assessment to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Sharma earned a master’s and doctorate degree in business administration (organization behavior) from Washington University in St. Louis. He also earned a master’s degree in industrial relations and organizational behavior from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

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

UIS online leader Vickie Cook honored with the UPCEA Central Region Outstanding Leader award

Vickie Cook, executive director of online, professional and engaged learning at the University of Illinois Springfield has been recognized by the University Professional Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) as the 2020 Central Region Outstanding Leader.

The Central Region Outstanding Leadership Award recognizes a UPCEA Central Region

professional member who has exhibited outstanding leadership and service within the region and their university. The award recognizes leadership in UPCEA service activities at the state and regional levels and demonstration of a strong commitment to professional, continuing and online education within the member’s institution and the region. According to UPCEA, Cook has exhibited each of these characteristics in her work at the University of Illinois Springfield, as well as in the field of professional, continuing and online education across the central region. 

“I am honored to be recognized by my colleagues across the region to receive the 2020 Central Region Outstanding Leadership Award,” Cook said. “I am privileged to work with a great team of professionals at the University of Illinois Springfield and am pleased that the organization which provides leadership to the institutions across North America has chosen to honor me in this way during 2020 when professional, continuing, and online learning is so important globally.” 

 UPCEA provides leadership in the areas of professional, continuing and online education to institutions across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The central region, one of five regions in North America, is comprised of Colorado, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin in the U.S. and Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Nunavant in Canada.

Graham Peck named the Wepner Distinguished Professor of Lincoln Studies at UIS

Lincoln scholar Graham Peck has been named the Wepner Distinguished Professor of Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield. 

A virtual Ceremony of Investiture honoring Peck was held on Thursday, Sept. 24 where he received a medallion that symbolizes his position as a distinguished professor. Investitures are a special celebration of academic excellence. At UIS, when a professor is chosen to be an endowed chair or distinguished professor, an investiture takes place. 

“I’m confident that Peck, along with Michael Burlingame, who is the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies, will continue to establish UIS and Springfield as the place to learn about Illinois’ favorite son,” said UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney, while speaking at the ceremony. “Their efforts will be bolstered when The Center for Lincoln Studies opens early next year at UIS.” 

Other speakers at investiture included Provost Dennis Papini, Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Science Michael Lemke and Burlingame. Following the remarks, Peck presented a lecture on “Abraham Lincoln and the Making of an Antislavery Nation.” 

Peck came to UIS in 2019 after spending 17 years at Saint Xavier University in Chicago. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1991 from California State University, Hayward, and received his master’s and doctorate in American history from Northwestern University. Graham’s published scholarship – which includes multiple articles and the book “Making an Antislavery Nation: Lincoln, Douglas and the Battle Over Freedom” – focuses on antebellum American political history. 

The Wepner Distinguished Professorship was established at UIS as the result of a $1.2 million unrestricted estate gift from a Springfield couple, Wilbur and Margaret Wepner, longtime supporters of UIS. The funds are used for scholarships and the Wepner position. As a member of the Committee for Higher Education in Central Illinois, Wilbur Wepner helped found Sangamon State University in 1969. 

“On behalf of the university, I thank the Wepners for their generous donation,” Whitney said. “Their memory and passionate dedication for their community lives on in their gift. This professorship helps UIS realize one of its primary strategic goals, academic excellence. Philanthropists like the Wepners strengthen UIS.”

UIS professor emerita of accountancy honored with experienced leader award from the Illinois CPA Society

University of Illinois Springfield Professor Emerita of Accountancy Carol Jessup has been honored with the experienced leader award from the Illinois CPA Society (ICPAS).

The award is part of the society’s 2020 Women to Watch Awards, in partnership with the society's women’s committee and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants.

The experienced leader award is presented annually to recognize local female professionals who have made significant contributions to the accounting profession, their firms and the development of future women leaders.

“It’s an honor and privilege to recognize the inspiring actions and achievements of these remarkable women,” said ICPAS president and CEO Todd Shapiro in a statement. “We are fortunate to have such dedicated leaders striving to increase gender equality in the CPA profession and paving the way for future generations of women in accounting and finance.”

Jessup retired from teaching at UIS in May 2020. She primarily taught auditing and governmental and nonprofit accounting. Her research interests include fraud and online learning, and she has also written questions for the Uniform CPA Exam.

In addition to her academic positions, Jessup serves on the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln’s audit committee, is the editor-in-chief of The North American Accounting Studies research journal, and served as former chair of the editorial board for the Journal of Government Financial Management of the Association of Government Accountants. Jessup is also a frequent speaker and lecturer at national, regional, and state conferences.

Previously, Jessup held several positions in state and local government, served on the team that implemented GAAP in Illinois, and provided expert witness testimony in utility regulatory proceedings. Jessup received her doctorate in business administration from Saint Louis University and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in accounting from the former Sangamon State University, which is now UIS. She is a licensed CPA in Illinois and a Certified Fraud Examiner.

This year's honorees will be recognized at the ICPAS Leadership Recognition and Awards Celebration on Sept. 17 as well as be featured guests at the ICPAS Women’s Leadership Forum on Oct. 23. Both events will be virtual this year.

UIS honors Associate Professor Donna Bussell with the Harry and Deborah Berman Sabbatical Award

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Harry and Deborah Berman Sabbatical Award has been presented to Donna Bussell, associate professor of English.

Bussell’s sabbatical plan is to research library archives on the liturgies for Mary Magdalene in medieval England, highlighting religious orders for communities of men and of women. Little research has been done on the figure of the Magdalene during the early and high middle ages, when religious practices were in Latin. Secondarily, she will explore the value of digital humanities methods for tracking multiple manuscripts and different narratives.

While travel is restricted due to COVID-19, Bussell will utilize digital tools and techniques.

“Her work will form the foundation for her next book project, and will also impact her teaching, as she continues to lead the development of a digital humanities curriculum at UIS,” said Keenan Dungey, UIS associate vice chancellor for research and institutional effectiveness.

Faculty who are awarded sabbatical leaves may apply for supplemental funding to assist with sabbatical expenses. Awards are granted through a competitive review and selection process.

The award was made possible thanks to the generosity of Harry and Deborah Berman. Harry served as a gerontology professor, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, provost and interim chancellor. Deborah served in a variety of central administrative positions at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.

UIS computer science students among best in The National Cyber League competition

The University of Illinois Springfield Cyber League team named the 404 Society placed in the top two percent in The National Cyber League competition held remotely in April.

The annual cybersecurity competition hosted by Cyber Skyline enables students to prepare and test themselves against practical cybersecurity challenges they will likely face in the workforce, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, penetration testing and audit vulnerable websites and recovering ransomware attacks.

The team was made up of UIS computer science students who hailed from different cities across Illinois. "These teammates didn't know each other before the competition, but they came together fully motivated from the start to be a winning team” said Janis Rose, the team’s faculty advisor and
UIS computer science instructor. “I've never seen a team so totally in support of each other. I stood back in awe as they worked through one challenge after another. They competed with intellect, character and heart. I couldn't be prouder."

Team members include Nolan Bogumill from Palos Hills, Brandon Brant from Dwight, Kenneth Stroup from Chicago, Michael Weinberg from Mokena, Connor Alisson from Bloomington, John Scully from Springfield and Nicholas Ferraz de Oliveira from Champaign.

The UIS team is ranked in the Cyber Power top ten for the central region of the nation and in top 20 nationally. The team also ranked 10th in the nation among the Center of Academic Excellence schools.

UIS’s computer science program is certified by both the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.

UIS Graduate Public Service Internship Program honors recent graduate and state agency supervisor

The University of Illinois Springfield Graduate Public Service Internship (GPSI) Program has honored a recent graduate and a state agency supervisor with awards for excellence during the 2019-20 academic year.

Christopher Poetschner of Springfield was awarded the Brian T. Milbrandt Internship Award for academic and professional excellence in public service. Poetschner graduated on May 9, earning a master’s degree in data analytics from UIS. As part of the GPSI Program, he worked at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) since August 2018.

Poetschner’s nomination sites his contribution to the State Plane Coordinate System of 2022, as IDOT develops statewide recommendation for submissions to the National Geodetic Survey.

“The work Chris has been doing with coordinate systems will result in better quality estimation for roadway plan designers and when combined with other IDOT initiatives, will have a lasting effect on reducing internal expenditures and saving taxpayer money,” said Drew Christopher, Poetschner’s supervisor at IDOT.

James Jennings of Springfield, manager of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s Waste Reduction Unit, was honored with the Sagarika Madala Award for Exemplary Leadership as the UIS Graduate Public Service Supervisor of the Year. Based on a nomination submitted by intern Brock Titlow, Jennings was chosen for his exemplary leadership and work in public service. Jennings exposed Titlow to the work of a regulatory agency, while also giving him the opportunity to develop his interest in environmental legislation.

“James combined the right amount of direction and freedom to let me learn, but also explore my own interests,” Titlow said.

Sherrie Elzinga, director of the UIS Office of Graduate Interns Programs, said there were many compelling nominations for both this year’s student and supervisor awards. A video of all of the nominees can be found at go.uis.edu/gpsi.

The GPSI program provides graduate students with an opportunity to work in state, federal or local government and not-for-profit organizations, while simultaneously pursuing a graduate degrees in one of many graduate programs offered at UIS. Students receive a tuition waiver and stipend for their work and two years of professional experience.

UIS has a long history of partnering with the state of Illinois to train public service professionals and the GPSI program continues to offer training and mentoring for students who want to pursue a public service career.

“There has never been a more urgent need for well-trained public service professionals to protect the welfare and health of our citizens,” Elzinga said. “UIS is prepared to meet that need and is committed to producing a new generation of public service professionals.”

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.

UIS faculty members receive awards for teaching and service; tenure, promotions and sabbaticals announced

The University of Illinois Springfield held a virtual Faculty Honors Reception on Thursday, April 23, 2020. Chancellor Susan Koch and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Dennis Papini presided over the Zoom ceremony honoring faculty members who have been recommended for tenure and/or promotion, been awarded sabbaticals or granted emerita/emeritus status. Four major awards – the Pearson Faculty Award, the Spencer Faculty Service Award, the Faculty Excellence Award and the Burks Oakley II Distinguished Online Teaching Award - were also presented.

The Pearson Faculty Award for outstanding teaching was presented to Atul Agarwal, professor of management information systems. The award recognizes a faculty member whose performance exemplifies UIS’ commitment to excellence in teaching and who stands among the very best teachers on campus. Such a teacher both informs and inspires students, giving them the knowledge and values with which they may become productive and enlightened citizens. The award was established by a gift from Emmet and Mary Pearson, longtime benefactors of the campus.

Agarwal joined UIS in 2009. Since then, he has taught many undergraduate and graduate courses in the operations management and management information systems areas. He has excellent teaching evaluation ratings that are above department, college and university percentages. Students describe Agarwal as being “very responsive” and “one of the best professors I’ve had…at UIS.” His teaching philosophy is well articulated and rests on five pillars of educational excellence to: create a learner-centered environment, encourage active learning, create “learned” vs. “high grade” individuals, encourage learning with fun and integrate new knowledge from scholarly work into student learning. He also applies great teaching innovation in his classes through his creation of class simulations that encourage experiential learning.

The Spencer Faculty Service Award was given to Tena Helton, associate professor of English and modern languages. Honoring Robert Spencer, founding president of Sangamon State University, this award recognizes faculty who best exemplify the ideal of the “professor-citizen” through public service and service to the academic community.

Helton joined UIS in 2005, and over the subsequent 15 years she has completed a record of exceptional service at all levels of the university. She has held numerous leadership roles in the Department of English & Modern Languages that include chairing the department for seven years, chairing eight search committees, being the director of first-year writing for seven years and director of graduate studies for four years. She has served the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences on the executive committee, academic advising council and as dean’s fellow. At the university level, Helton has chaired the general education council and general education review committee. She has also served two terms on the campus senate and been a member of the graduate council and tenure review committee. At the University of Illinois System level, Helton has represented UIS on the arts & humanities steering committee. The review committee noted the numerous committees that Helton has chaired and the important, time-consuming committees of which she has been a member.

Helton is also an active participant in her professional discipline. She was a member of the MLA committee for the status of graduate students in the profession for three years and since 2006, she has been a moderator or presider at four conferences. Helton has provided service to the community as a discussion leader or panelist at the Vachel Lindsay Association, Decatur Public Library, Chatham Public Library and the Sangamo Club. In addition, she has been a moderator and scorer at several of the Rochester High/Junior High Scholastic Bowls and been a coach for the first Lego League numerous times.

The Faculty Excellence Award was presented to Heather Bailey, associate professor of history. The award recognizes mid- and late-career colleagues who best exemplify the ideal of the teacher-scholar and whom faculty recognize as role models, based on sustained accomplishments in teaching and scholarship at the University of Illinois Springfield. The award is funded through the generosity of Wilbur and Margaret Wepner.

Bailey came to UIS in 2002, and since that time has taught 21 different lower division, upper division and graduate classes for the Department of History and Capital Scholars Honors Program. Associate Professor Elizabeth Kosmetatou, a colleague who has observed her teaching, describes Bailey as an enthusiastic teacher with the highest standards who incorporates her scholarship into her courses. Bailey is further described as having vast knowledge that enables her to move seamlessly between disciplines. In addition, she sometimes translates primary source material into English so that students with be able to access this valuable information. A graduate student, Sabrina Miller, describes Bailey as having a passion for history that helped to foster “the intellectual phoenix” in her.

Bailey also has an active research program that has produced two books of which she is the sole author: “The Public Image of Eastern Orthodoxy: France and Russia, 1848-1870” (2020) and “Orthodoxy, Modernity, and Authenticity: The Reception of Ernest Renan’s ‘Life of Jesus’ in Russia” (2008). Since 2017, she has completed five sole authored, peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. Since 2002, she has given 14 sole authored, peer-reviewed presentations at national conferences and an international presentation in France. In addition, Bailey has reviewed numerous books and manuscripts. She is currently providing service to her profession as an executive board member for the Association for the Study of Eastern Christian History and Culture, and she has engaged the Springfield community through presentations at the Springfield Art Association and German-American Club.

Donna Bussell, associate professor of English and modern languages, was honored with the Burks Oakley II Distinguished Online Teaching Award. The award was established by Burks Oakley II, who helped launch UIS’ online programs and was also in attendance at the event. The Oakley Award recognizes UIS faculty members whose performance exemplifies the institution’s commitment to excellence in online teaching.

Bussell came to UIS in 2005, and she has taught many online courses in the Department of English & Modern Languages. She places high emphases on organization, communication, creating a welcoming atmosphere for students, and engagement through discussion forums in her online courses. In addition, she exemplifies qualities of an instructor who is student-centered. The use of course components that engage students to content, students to students and students to faculty are a hallmark of her pedagogy. Her communication and personal engagement in the courses are reflected in the student evaluations and comments from students.

Faculty members Tyrone Dooley, public administration; Jae Ha, communication; Anne-Marie Hanson, environmental studies; Sibel Oktay Karagul, political science; Megan Styles, environmental studies; and Adam Williams, public administration were recommended for tenure and promotion to associate professor. Ahmad Juma’h, associate professor of accountancy, was also recommended for tenure.

Recommended for promotion to full professor were Deborah Anthony, legal studies; David Bertaina, history; Donna Bussell, English & modern languages; Sharon Graf, sociology/anthropology; Layne Morsch, chemistry; Kathy Petitte Novak, communication; Sheryl Reminger, psychology; Dennis Ruez, environmental studies; Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson, art, music, & theatre; and Lucia Vazquez, biology.

Faculty members nominated for emeritus status were Rassule Hadidi, management information systems; Carol Jessup, accountancy; Laurel Newman; business administration; Hazel Rozema, communication; and Robert Wright, business administration.

Sabbatical leaves have been recommended for David Bertaina, history; Brytton Bjorngaard, art, music, & theatre; Donna Bussell, English & modern languages; Hua Chen, biology; Richard Gilman-Opalsky, political science; Stephen R. Johnson, chemistry; Michele Miller, psychology; Peter Shapinsky, history; Ann Strahle, communication; and Te-Wei Wang, management information systems.

All promotion, tenure, sabbatical leave, and emerita/emeritus status recommendations are subject to approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

UIS Associate Professor of English Meagan Cass awarded a one-month creative writing fellowship

University of Illinois Springfield Associate Professor of English Meagan Cass was recently awarded a fellowship from the Jentel Foundation to do a one-month creative writing residency at its facility in Wyoming during the summer of 2021. Cass was selected from a group of 275 applicants.

Jentel is located in a rural setting on a working cattle ranch in the Lower Piney Creek Valley approximately 20 miles southeast of Sheridan, Wyoming. Cass will be among the award recipients focusing on their own creative projects at this working retreat for artists and writers. A panel of arts and literary professionals review samples of art work and manuscripts before making final recommendations for residency awards.

“I plan to deeply revise two new stories for the collection I'm currently working on,” Cass said. “One story centers on a group of four women who played soccer together growing up. In the world of the story, their recently deceased mothers send them gifts from the afterlife, which they must help each other decipher. In the second, a woman who has lost her partner finds that her grief takes the form of pink gum and accumulates all over her house. I hope to rework the structure and characterization of both pieces and further locate the stories in terms of place.”

During the four week long residency, Jentel provides communal spaces designated for research, recreation, food preparation and dining. Each artist and writer is offered a private comfortably furnished accommodation and a light airy workspace. Each resident receives a stipend to help defray living expenses during the program. Artists and writers experience unfettered time to allow for thoughtful reflection and meditation on the creative process in a setting that preserves the agricultural and historical integrity of the land.

For more information on the Jentel Artist Residency Program, visit jentelarts.org.

UIS Master's Thesis awards presented to two recent graduates

The University of Illinois Springfield Research Board has honored two former graduate students with awards for their master’s thesis projects for the 2018-2019 academic year. The awards will be presented at a ceremony on campus in the fall.

Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award

Rashaun DeBord of Saint Louis was selected for the UIS Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award. He graduated from UIS in May 2019 with a master’s degree in history. His thesis study investigated long-term impact from the 1908 Springfield Race Riots. His thesis was chaired by Devin Hunter, assistant professor of history.

DeBord studied newspapers, archives and oral histories to obtain a broad view on the history of the riots, its spatial history and its lasting legacy on the black community. He states, “While the race riot is a tragic event, we must preserve its memory, understand the spaces with which it operates, commemorate its past, and reconcile for the betterment of the future.” The digital portion of this project (springfieldraceriot1908.wordpress.com) analyses the landscape of the race riot through photography.

He grew up in Kewanee, a small town in northwestern Illinois. He chose UIS because of their great public history program, and knew it would provide the challenge he needed to grow professionally and personally. During his graduate studies, he also helped initiate a health and safety program at the Illinois Department of Revenue, through the Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI). He now works as a research education and information specialist in the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research at Washington University in St. Louis.

Honorable Mention

Joshua Rai of Bethel, Ohio was selected as the UIS Honorable Mention for the Outstanding Master’s Thesis. His research study was on the environmental and sociological impacts of yarsagumba harvesting in Nepal.

Rai graduated from UIS in May 2019 with a master’s degree in environmental studies. His thesis chair was Megan Style, UIS assistant professor of environmental studies. For his research, Rai traveled to Nepal and observed the harvesters and took environmental measurements.

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.