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(One student asked their name not be published)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. 

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 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.

UIS student to serve as the Student Representative on the Illinois Board of Higher Education

Mackenzi Matthews of Springfield, a senior political science major at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been chosen to serve as the Student Representative on the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Matthews was elected by her peers, after having successfully served on the IBHE Student Advisory Committee articulating policy and student issues on their behalf. The Illinois Board of Higher Education is made up of 14 members, one student representative and one non-traditional student representative.

“Mackenzi has personified Leadership lived in her extracurricular involvement, academic diligence, and active interest in student leadership and policy development,” said Ginger Ostro, IBHE executive director.

At UIS, Matthews currently serves as the parliamentarian for the Student Government Association (SGA). Last year, she worked to rewrite parts of the SGA constitution and bylaws as chair of the Constitution and Rules Committee. As a member of Model Illinois Government, she was elected as Majority Leader and was awarded Outstanding Member of the House in 2020.  Matthews currently works as a committee clerk in the Office of the Clerk for the Illinois House of Representatives.

Matthews plans to earn a master’s degree and pursue a career in politics. She hopes to one day become a United States Senator.

Newest Prairie Stars meet through virtual KickStart

KickStart Orientation is a UIS staple in preparing new Prairie Stars for a transition from home to campus. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's orientation transitioned to an all-online format, and according Lisa McGuire, director of New Student Orientation and Parent Relations, it has been successful. 

Behind the scenes, McGuire and her team of experienced orientation leaders worked fast to attend webinars and trainings on how to take their programming online. They were guided by schools who had years of experience in online orientations.

“The National Orientation Directors’ Association was a great place for sharing ideas on how larger schools do online orientation or have components of it online. It was like having 3000 colleagues sharing resources to help with online development,” McGuire said.

McGuire used the university’s new learning management system, Canvas, to build orientation modules introducing new Prairie Stars to academic advising and expectations, financial information, student success, living on campus and technology. An optional module on student life and opportunity fairs was also available. KickStart attendees begin with a 90-minute online Zoom that includes an introduction to McGuire and her team; they then are placed in breakout rooms with other students and orientation leaders like UIS senior Libby Price.

“The whole point of summer orientation is to get to know each other, which is a little harder on Zoom, but we’re getting there,” Price said. “We have several ice breakers that help students get comfortable in a group and we allow them to share their thoughts and feelings anonymously on going to college.”

McGuire said with the change to online format, she was not able to hire all of her orientation leaders back, but those who are working, like Price, have gone above and beyond making the experience special for incoming freshmen.

“It is our job to create that first sense of community, engagement and relationship building,” said McGuire. "We are missing the in-person component, especially the evenings -- that’s where relationships develop -- but our orientation leaders are going above and beyond to keep these new students in contact with each other. They are hosting extra activities like trivia nights each week where new students can log in, trying to create those experiences and maintain those interactions.”

McGuire admits it was a lot of work to transition KickStart to an online format, but it was worth the effort.

“An online version of KickStart had been on our back-burner for a while,” McGuire said. “This year it became a front burner project.”

McGuire also credits the many faculty and staff who helped in the success of the transition and created content through videos and Google slides to share information or experiences with new students. 

And even when things go back to normal, and KickStart can return to an in-person format, McGuire said she plans to maintain some of the online components she worked so hard to build. “There are more things we can look at, things we can do online to create a richer experience in a shorter time and be mindful of costs,” she said.

New students will have one final Kickstart module available to them closer to move-in day which will give them the latest information on plans for move-in and health checks.

Photography students shift focus to capture pandemic moments

UIS Associate Professor of Communication Kathy Novak, Ph.D., was only a few weeks into  her COM 407 Photojournalism and Photo Documentary Class when Illinois began to shelter in place and UIS students returned home to begin remote learning.

The already-online class did not have to adjust for remote learning, but assignments had to be modified immediately.

“Their weekly photo assignments normally send them out into the public to photograph people, places and events,” Novak said. “I encourage them to meet people, introduce themselves and take photographs, these are all professional skills. Meeting and photographing people are central to what this course is about.”

But in the midst of a pandemic, when the world is essentially shut down, meeting people in public spaces would prove to be a challenge.

“A teacher’s goal is to impress and exercise the content of the course, and I was worried that wasn’t going to happen,” Novak said.

But it did.

Olivia Mitchell, a 2020 PAR graduate and student in the class, was worried whether she would be able to complete assignments on lighting, profiles and angles.

“I was scared to be outside and be around people,” Mitchell said. “But I let go of the fear and decided to take pictures of any opportunity I saw.”

One of those opportunities was her 30th birthday, when she snapped photographs of her niece and nephew playing outdoors.

Mitchell admits the pandemic closures forced her to re-think her dynamic angles assignment, as she had originally planned to take pictures from the top of the Wyndham Hotel.

“I still went downtown. It was so empty,” she said. “Since I couldn’t go inside, I laid down on the ground to take the photo looking up. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I still accomplished everything I was supposed to do.”

Novak said when students turned in their final project photo essays, she was amazed at the stark moments that were captured; photos that tell the story of how the world stood still and how life was altered by COVID-19.

Some of those photos included a hospital laryngoscope prepped and ready to be used on patients, a pop-up COVID-19 testing site, social distancing while grocery shopping, volunteers delivering meals and the empty streets of downtown Chicago during rush hour.

“Even with the added restraint on their daily lives, students were able still to chronicle what it has meant to live during the COVID-19 outbreak, to create visual work of consequence,” Novak said.

A sampling of this important work can be found on the UIS Communication Department Facebook page. Mitchell’s work is also featured on the NPR Illinois website.

“I learned that I loved to take photographs,” Mitchell said. “People may read the story, but they will always look at the photos. A picture really is worth one-thousand words.”

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 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.

UIS Model Illinois Government Delegation Wins Outstanding Large Delegation at 2020 MIG

The University of Illinois Springfield Model Illinois Government delegation was named the Outstanding Large Delegation at the 2020 Model Illinois Government simulation at the Illinois State Capitol.

The delegation also took home three individual honors. Mackenzi Matthews, of Springfield, was named Outstanding Member of the House, Collin Moseley, of Flora, was named Outstanding Committee Chair in the House and Aislinn Diaz, of Chicago, was named Outstanding Committee Chair in the Senate.

Four UIS students were elected to leadership positions within MIG. Kallie Matthews, of Springfield, who served as the Speaker of the House this year, was re-elected to that position for 2021. Mackenzi Matthews was named Majority Leader, Joseph Partain, of Iuka, was named Minority Leader and Collin Moseley was named Majority Whip.

Each year, students from more than 20 colleges and universities around the state gather at the Illinois State Capitol 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.

The UIS delegation is led by Kenneth Owen, MIG faculty advisor and UIS associate professor of history.

Two UIS students win awards at the National Mock Trial Invitational

University of Illinois Springfield students Joseph Partain and Cedric Birgans earned awards at the 32nd annual National Mock Trial Invitational at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa during the Jan 25-26, 2020 competition.

Partain, a junior political science and legal studies major from Iuka, Illinois, received an individual outstanding attorney award.

Birgans, a freshman political science major from Beecher, Illinois, won an individual outstanding witness award.

The UIS Mock Trial team heads to its regional tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana on Feb. 8-9 having earned the most single-season individual awards in UIS Mock Trial team history.

Mock Trial is an academic competition that provides students with the opportunity to hone valuable skills, including critical thinking, active listening, public speaking and teamwork through trial simulations. Competitors are also judged on their knowledge of legal practices and procedures.

For more information on the UIS Mock Trial team, visit uis.edu/prelawcenter/uismocktrialclub/. Questions may be directed to coach Rex Gradeless at rgrad3@uis.edu.

Melissa Van honored with the Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois

University of Illinois Springfield senior Melissa Van was honored with the Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois on Nov. 16 at the Old State Capitol in Springfield.

Van, a Lincoln, Illinois native and graduate of Lincoln Community High School, is majoring in business administration at UIS with a concentration in marketing and minoring in management. She plans to graduate from UIS in December.

She is a first-generation Vietnamese-American student whose parents immigrated to the United States seeking freedom. Growing up, she learned a lot about the customs and cultures of Vietnam, while learning to speak two different languages.

“I believe those experiences in my early years and throughout my young adulthood have helped me become more open-minded to everything and everyone around me,” she said. “My parents work hard to support my two sisters and me. When I can, I try to reduce the stress my parents may feel by working hard to achieve my potential.”

Van says her primary goal has always been to earn a college degree, something her parents weren’t able to do, and further her education.

“Even as a small child, I would finish all of my homework correctly so my parents would not have to help me after a long day at work,” she said. “I had to become independent at a very young age.”

In high school, Van worked in a field tending to blueberries the summer, worked as an assistant nail technician at her family’s business and worked at several restaurants in order to support her goal of obtaining a college degree.

“My jobs allowed me to experience first-hand the challenges that come with communicating with customers, whether face-to-face or through a fast food speaker,” she said.

At UIS, Van has worked as an orientation leader, served as a peer mentor for the Capital Scholars Honors Program and treasurer for the Legacy Dance team. She has also worked as a Research Student Interviewer for the UIS Survey Research Office collecting social science data.

“During my time at UIS, I have joined many groups and clubs to find out what all I enjoy,” she said.

Van has also served as the marketing coordinator for the Student Activities Committee and the Asian Student Organization and the vice president of the Community Garden Club. She has also been a member of the Vietnamese Student Association, Students Allied for a Greener Earth, the Social Media Advisory Committee, Sigma Alpha Phi (the National Society of Leadership and Success), Beta Gamma Sigma (The International Business Honor Society) and the Student Organization Funding Association.

She recently completed an internship with Aflac and had her artwork published in Dave Kinzer’s book “The 60s Music Compendium.”

“UIS offers a comfortable environment where I can focus on my studies,” she said. “The campus is large enough to meet new people every day, but not so small that I would know everyone.”

Following graduation from UIS, she plans move to Arizona and further her education while applying for jobs.

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.

UIS student Natalie Kerr presents her research at the international Falling Walls Lab competition in Berlin, Germany

Natalie Kerr, a senior majoring in chemistry at the University of Illinois Springfield from Washington, Illinois, recently presented her research at the international Falling Walls Lab competition in Berlin, Germany on Nov. 8, 2019.

She earned the all-expenses-paid trip after winning the Falling Walls Lab Illinois competition to earn the title of Illinois Young Innovator of the Year.

In Berlin, Kerr presented her research on “Breaking the wall of nutrient pollution,” where she proposed an environmentally friendly solution to curb the problems created by excess nitrates carried via agricultural and urban runoff.

“The people that I met throughout the whole conference were all there to better the world and support current research and innovation,” said Kerr. “My fellow competitors taught me so much. The compassion, support, and lifelong bonds that we built despite being each other’s ‘competition’ said a lot about the international and interdisciplary collaboration that is being advocated for and that is becoming more and more necessary in our world.”

The Illinois Falling Walls Lab competition was presented by the Illinois Innovation Network, a group of 15 university-based hubs across the state that aims to boost Illinois’ economy through entrepreneurship, research and workforce development.

Kerr won the Illinois Young Innovator of the Year title against a field of 12 finalists, young researchers and entrepreneurs who represented five of the state’s public universities.

Falling Walls Lab is a fast-paced contest where competitors have just three minutes to propose and answer questions on a research-based solution to a global problem. A total of 100 students from all around the world presented at the international Falling Walls Lab Finale in Berlin.

Before the competition, participants got to talk with editors from the academic publishing company Springer Nature, the German Academic Exchange Service or DAAD and prominent German research institutions.

Watch Kerr's presentation at the 2:55 mark
Direct Link

UIS Education Honor Society inducts eight new members during ceremony

The University of Illinois Springfield’s Alpha Alpha Gamma chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, the International Honor Society in Education, inducted eight new members during a ceremony on Oct. 12, 2019.

Samantha Missey, a teacher at the Sangamon County Learning Academy and former UIS Kappa Delta Pi president, was the guest speaker at the event.

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
Carlinville: Meghan Woods
Lake Villa: Teagan Ross
McLean: Kendra Peifer
Rochester: Madison Neuweg
Springfield: Christine Flynn, Haley Jackson
West Chicago: Jackie LaCour
Wheaton: Angela D’Onofrio

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 Mitchell, chapter advisor and UIS clinical associate professor of teacher education, at 217-206-7008 or rmitche@uis.edu.

UIS student Katie Brethorst helps to excavate 1908 Springfield Race Riot site

University of Illinois Springfield senior history major Katie Brethorst spent her summer helping to unearth important historical artifacts from the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot, located along the 10th Street railroad tracks and Madison Street in Springfield.

Brethorst interned with Fever River Research, an archaeology company based out of Springfield, which was tasked with excavating five homes that were burned during the riot. The riot served as a catalyst for the creation of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

On the evening of Aug. 14, 1908, a mob of white Springfield citizens became enraged when the county sheriff would not hand over a black man accused of raping a local white woman. For two days, Springfield was the scene of violence directed at the city’s black citizens, resulting in the destruction of more than 40 buildings by fire, and the lynching of two innocent black men. The black man accused of the crime was later acquitted after his accuser recanted her story.


During the excavation, Brethorst helped unearth the foundations of the forgotten homes and uncover important relics, such as rings, crosses and pieces of clothing.

“I learned about hands-on archaeology,” she said. “I learned about how you can connect an artifact that you're finding to historical documents. I learned a lot about the history of the people who lived here and I learned about the specific processes you have to go to make sure history is presentable to the public.”

Brethorst, who wants to become a museum curator, describes unearthing the artifacts as both an emotional and education experience.

“There were some days when you would find something and realize someone lost everything in this fire,” she said. “Someone had to completely uproot their life because of this one event and here I am holding the remnants 111 years later. It was just so powerful some days that I'd have to walk off and just think about it for a little bit.”

The site where Brethorst worked is now being recovered with dirt and will soon be home to railroad tracks as part of the Springfield Rail Improvement Project. However, there are still more houses to excavate under a parking lot next to the site.

“This site is nominated to become a national historic location,” she said. “Hopefully it will become a monument and we’ll be able to excavate more houses. That's the dream!”

Brethorst credits her experiences inside and outside of the classroom at the University of Illinois Springfield for helping her land an internship she’ll remember for a lifetime.

“I don't think anyone else is going to be able to say that they got to help unearth one of the biggest disasters in American history. And to me, that's what it is,” she said. “I got to help be the person to uncover it and to find the artifacts. It was absolutely amazing!”

UIS student Natalie Kerr wins the first Falling Walls Lab Illinois competition

Natalie Kerr, a senior majoring in chemistry at the University of Illinois Springfield, recently won the first Falling Walls Lab Illinois competition to earn the title of Illinois Young Innovator of the Year. Kerr also won an all-expenses-paid trip to Berlin, Germany, to compete at the Falling Walls Lab global finale on Nov. 8. Di’Quan Ishmon, a sophomore in mechatronics engineering at Northern Illinois University, was the competition’s runner-up.

Falling Walls Lab was presented by the Illinois Innovation Network, a group of 15 university-based hubs across the state that aims to boost Illinois’ economy through entrepreneurship, research and workforce development.

“I was very pleasantly surprised and really excited, and I’m very honored," Kerr said. "I’m very grateful that I have people like Dr. Keenan Dungey, my research professor at UIS, who encouraged me to apply for this because otherwise I might not ever leave the lab. I’m also grateful that Falling Walls has this competition for ideas like mine that have reached the breakthrough stage but maybe aren’t quite ready for the market. This project does have the potential to impact the whole world, so I’m looking forward to introducing it to the people who can make it or break it. And I’m thankful for UIS, because the small campus has allowed me to design my own research project and take it in the direction that I was passionate about.”

Kerr earned the top prize with her presentation “Breaking down the wall of nutrient pollution,” where she proposed a solution to the way agricultural runoff harms wetland environments. A panel of judges made up of leaders from Illinois’ public universities selected Kerr’s presentation out of a field of 12 young researchers and entrepreneurs who represented five of the state’s public universities.

“I am so happy for Natalie, who I know will represent the University of Illinois System, the IIN and the entire state very well at the Falling Walls Lab global finale,” said Ed Seidel, University of Illinois System vice president for economic development and innovation, whose office is responsible for development of the IIN and Discovery Partners Institute. “Natalie’s idea could truly be a game-changer in protecting wetland environments. It was thrilling to hear the variety of interesting solutions to large-scale problems that all of these students presented at today’s event.”

The competition, which solicited applications from early-career researchers, entrepreneurs, and students affiliated with all of Illinois’ public universities, had entrants from UIS, Northern Illinois University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

“All 12 of our state finalists at Falling Walls Lab Illinois did an incredible job,” said Kyle Harfst, U of I System associate vice president for economic development and innovation, who led execution of the event. “They each presented very interesting concepts and showed the wealth of knowledge and innovation that exists throughout our state.”

Falling Walls Lab is a fast-paced contest where competitors have just three minutes to propose a research-based solution to a global problem. The winners of the 91 Falling Walls Lab satellite contests will be entered into the Falling Walls Lab Finale on November 8 – the eve of the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. All finalists receive a scholarship, which allows them to participate in the Falling Walls conference in Berlin.

Leadership lived: UIS online student presents her research on the Illinois teacher shortage at the state capitol

Jen Brooks leads a busy life working a full-time job, while raising two children. That’s why she decided the University of Illinois Springfield’s online Teacher Education Program was the perfect choice to help her complete the state’s requirements to become a teacher.

Brooks, who is completing her secondary education licensure, recently presented her research on the Illinois teacher shortage to lawmakers at the state capitol as part of the sixth annual Illinois Innovation Network Undergraduate Research Day.

“I'm started off at the Brown vs. Board of Education decision and how that decision impacted the current teacher shortage now,” she said. “What I discovered was that as a result of integration, as the black schools were absorbed into the white schools to integrate, 38,000 African American teachers lost their job. We still have a huge gap today.”

Brooks, who lives in Bloomington, Illinois, says she learned about the UIS online Teacher Education Program from another teacher who had completed the program.

“I was at a different school online and she's like ‘no, no don't do that.’ You have to come to UIS. Their program is awesome,” she said. “They'll help you with placement and everything.”

Brooks, who was inducted into the UIS Kappa Delta Pi Educational Honor Society, has been observing an elementary school classroom this semester and will start student teaching next semester.

“What makes it special is how student-centered UIS is,” she said. “I've been to other schools where it's more ‘I'm the professor this is how we do it,’ but I do not get that here. It's student-led, so you take control of your learning.”

Following completion of her licensure requirements, Brooks hopes to teach at an elementary school in the Bloomington-area.

“I also want to continue my research, so I feel like I'm going to be more of a teacher-researcher, than just a teacher,” she said. “In the future, I'd like to become a professor, get into higher education, but definitely education is in my future.”

Leadership lived: Recent UIS graduate helps lead women’s empowerment event for middle school girls

Heba Qazi says it’s important for young women to feel empowered and know what they can accomplish with a college education.

Qazi, who graduated from the University of Illinois Springfield on May 11 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, recently helped to organize “The Future is Female” event on campus. As a member of the Tri Sigma Sorority, she worked with Springfield District 186 to bring hundreds of girls to campus for a day of empowerment.

“I think it's really important to teach women when they're younger about the importance of college and what they can do throughout high school to ensure that they have a really successful future and I think that starts with women empowering other women,” she said.

Preparing for the event was a major task, as members of the sorority spent the academic year raising funds and creating community partnerships to support the event.

“We've fundraised a couple of thousand dollars,” she said. “It involved a lot of coordination with the middle schools, getting every middle school to come in and contribute to it.”

On campus, Qazi served as treasurer for the Student Government Association, vice chair for the Student Organization Funding Association (SOFA) and as a research assistant for the Department of Accountancy.

“I decided to come to UIS because I felt like there was a lot of room for opportunity and growth,” she said. “I felt that I could develop really good relationships with faculty and I have here at UIS.”

Now that she’s earned her UIS degree, the Bartlett, Illinois native plans to attend law school.

“I am very glad that I came to UIS,” she said. “I feel like I have been awarded a lot of opportunities that would not be possible anywhere else. I think that I've been able to leave a mark in some way and I feel like that's very important.”

Leadership lived: Accounting internship helps prepare student for his future career as a CPA

Senior accountancy major Jon O'Daniel says he’s being well prepared for his future career as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) following graduation from the University of Illinois Springfield.

O’Daniel recently completed an internship at accounting firm Eck, Schafer & Punke LLP in Springfield where he learned about tax preparation and audits.

“I would say I have learned a great deal, mostly dealing with clients and the procedures that an accountant needs to go through to work with taxes,” he said.

At UIS, O’Daniel is the president of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Kappa Beta Colony. He helps lead volunteer efforts for the fraternity and fundraising activities. He is also the senator for the College of Business and Management on the Student Government Association.

“I believe UIS has taught me a lot about leadership, but the most important of all is probably talking with your peers and really getting to know the problems around you, so that way you can better understand where everyone is coming from,” he said.

O’Daniel, a native of the Southern Illinois town of McLeansboro, says he plans to continue his education at UIS following graduation by earning a master’s degree in accountancy.

“I am glad I chose UIS because of all of the great connections I made,” he said. “I don't believe I would have made these types of connections at other universities. Just the small community feel, the way I was able to bond with other students and even my professors - lifelong friendships and connections that I don't believe I would have gotten at other places.”

Leadership lived: Future elementary school teacher gains valuable experience in and out of the classroom at UIS

Growing up in small town Taylorville, Illinois, Kelsey Marucco was inspired by her fourth grade teacher. That inspiration turned into a passion for helping others, which led her to major in education and psychology at the University of Illinois Springfield.

Marucco, who is now a senior at UIS, is only a few steps away from becoming an elementary school teacher. She is currently doing preclinical observation at Edinburg Elementary School in Edinburg, Illinois and will soon start student teaching next semester.

“I've been observing a fourth and fifth grade classroom here for the past few weeks and I've learned a lot about classroom management, a little bit about lesson planning and how to conduct a classroom during lessons,” she said. “There's a lot of in class parts that we do at UIS, but being here at the elementary school kind of gets me hands on in the classroom.”

Marucco says she chose the University of Illinois Springfield because of the quality of the Teacher Education Department.

“I like how a lot of the teachers in our classes are teachers themselves, so we go in the evening when they're done with school and you're talking to someone who has experience, so they're really helpful and give you a lot of advice,” she said.

On campus, Marucco is heavily involved as a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program and the Tri Sigma Sorority. She also works for UIS Campus Recreation and at the Cox Children’s Center on campus. She is a member of the Kappa Delta Phi educational honor society, the Psi Chi honor society and recently served as the public relations and social media chair for Dance Marathon, a UIS fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network.

“Before coming to college, I was more shy and kept to myself, but UIS helped me become a bigger leader and get me out there more and gave me a lot of opportunities in that aspect as well,” she said.

Following graduation from UIS, Marucco would like to work at a smaller elementary school in central Illinois and possibly coach an athletic team.

“I would love, just like this school, to stay at a small school so I can be more personable to my students. I hope to work and coach kids one day too alongside teaching,” she said.

She’s glad she made the decision to come to UIS and get involved on campus.

“I'm really glad I went to UIS because it kept me close to home, so I could stay with my family here and there, but I do live on campus. Being on campus allowed me to go out and do these opportunities day-to-day and keep myself really busy,” she said.