Leadership lived: Student helps Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria as part of Alternative Spring Break

Senior business administration major Matthew Traxler was one of 14 University of Illinois Springfield students who spent their spring break in Puerto Rico helping the U.S. territory recover from Hurricane Maria.

It was the first time Traxler had flew on a plane and the first time he took part in a large scale volunteer effort.

“We focused a lot on conservation,” he said. “We learned when we got there that a lot of efforts when natural disasters happen are focused on houses and rebuilding structures, which is important, but we found out that a lot of efforts aren't focused at all on the conservation.”

Traxler and fellow UIS students helped to clean up shorelines, trails and bike paths. They also helped to rebuild a Montessori school that was damaged by the storm.

“The real impact was on the second day, the last day we worked on the school, when we were leaving,” he said. “As we pulled away, the principal turned around and walked away and you could see her wiping tears away for her eyes and in that moment it was real.”

On campus, Traxler is a member of the Phi Kappa Tau Zeta Zeta Chapter where he also serves as recruitment chair. He is the entertainment chair for the Dance Marathon, a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network, and president of the UIS Disc Golf team.

The Philo, Illinois native says the chose the University of Illinois Springfield because it is affordable and offers a University of Illinois degree.

“I'm glad I came to UIS,” he said. “There are plenty of other opportunities out there, but I do think that UIS was the best opportunity for me.”

Traxler says he’s made lifelong friends at UIS and feels he’s grown as a person.

“I think this school is great to kind of get out of your comfort zone, give you an opportunity to get involved with organizations and build your leadership skills,” he said.

Good as Gold awards at UIS honor more than 40 Sangamon County volunteers and businesses

The University of Illinois Springfield, Junior League of Springfield and the United Way of Central Illinois honored more than 40 local volunteers and businesses during the 10th annual Good as Gold Ceremony. The event was held on Monday, April 23, 2018, at the UIS Student Union.

The 10th Anniversary event also honored all of the past Distinguished Volunteer Award winners, in addition to honoring the founding members of the Good as Gold Committee.

Over the past nine years, the Good as Gold Ceremony has recognized more than 400 volunteers, 35 companies, and 25 outstanding local nonprofits for freely giving their time and talents to make Sangamon County a better place to live.

Distinguished Volunteer Award

Susan Hack of Springfield was honored with the 2018 Distinguished Volunteer Award. Hack has greatly contributed to the mission life of Hope Presbyterian Church, and in turn, the community. As a master gardener, she helps contribute produce to the Kumler Food Pantry, while serving in other community gardens, serving at the Farmers Market, and teaching classes for the University of Illinois Extension service.

“Volunteering means giving back to my community. I have been richly blessed. Supporting others helps build a community that is more positive and hopeful for all of us,” said Hack, whose most important aspect of volunteering is meeting so many people. “I am most enriched when working side-by-side with and for others.”

One gardener team member notes, “she embodies a busy bee – without the sting!” In addition to her service in education and fellowship to the church, she helps support St. John’s Breadline, St. John’s Living Caregivers, Hope for the Holidays, Reading is Fundamental, the Springfield Bicycle Club and others too numerous to mention.

The Bicycle Club’s Harv Koplo states, “she’s an incredibly humble and competent individual who has helped make this world a better place all her life.”

The 2018 Distinguished Volunteer finalists include Terrance Jordan, Jewel Richards and Melissa Skinner-Liberman.

UIS Star Student Award 

Hannah Warden of Beardstown, a senior majoring in business with a concentration in management and a minor in marketing, was honored with the Star Student Award for her volunteer efforts.

The Children’s Miracle Network at St. John’s Children’s Hospital is the main beneficiary of Warden’s volunteer work and she is president of Dance Marathon at UIS, which raised $10,000 for CMN over the past year.

“My time spent at St. John’s Children’s Hospital is some of my most valued time in my week,” she said. “Time spent there gives me so much joy in seeing the kids who are receiving treatment and care. I love spending time working hard to raise money for all of the kids that walk in the door at St. John’s Children’s Hospital.”

Warden has also volunteered at the St. John’s Breadline, Habitat for Humanity, Central Illinois Foodbank and Lake Springfield Christian Assembly.

Star Staff Award 

Tiffani Saunders of Chatham, a Sociology/Anthropology lecturer at the University of Illinois Springfield, was honored with the Star Staff Award for her volunteer efforts with various service activities and for advising five student groups.

She regularly volunteers for Ronald McDonald House, Hospital Sisters Mission Outreach and Make-A-Wish. During the holidays, she can be found at Festival of Trees, Mini O’Beirne Holiday Store and the Salvation Army. Finally, she is a practice partner for Girls on the Run and has facilitated group meetings for moms at Mercy Communities.

“I get a great deal of joy in knowing I can lend a hand to someone in need or make the day a little brighter for someone going through a tough time in life,” she said. “At times, just being present is enough. Most of us will experience hard times in our lives, and I’ve learned a little compassion goes a long way in giving people hope for a better tomorrow.”

Finalists for the award included Judy Jozaitis, vice president of the Workforce Development and Community Education at Lincoln Land Community College and Angela Try, UIS public information specialist.

Youth Volunteer Award

Springfield High School senior Elizabeth Gilmore was honored with the Youth Volunteer Award. Gilmore regularly volunteers at Compass for Kids, tutoring low-income and at-risk students.

“Helping others and choosing to spend time volunteering brings me so much joy, because I know I am making a difference in the students’ lives and helping them better their academic careers,” she said.

Spreading her time all over Springfield, Gilmore also helps at Camp Compass, Illinois Senior Olympics, Studio 186, Land of Lincoln Honor Flight, The Matthew Project, Springfield Art Association, Mini O’Beirne Children’s Holiday Store, Ridgely Elementary School and Sandburg Elementary School.

Gilmore says she’s learned valuable life lessons such as compassion, caring for others, patience and the importance of a smile while volunteering.

Other nominees for the award included Ahmaad Wallace and Benjamin Yoder.

Heart of Gold Community Awards 

Thirty-eight local volunteers were also honored with the Heart of Gold Award. Recipients included: JoAnne Bardwell, Anne Barnett, Sarah Beuning, Carol Bingham, Stephen A. Born, Mike Buscher, Marcus Bertrand Butler, Michelle Cripe, William Drew, Paul Duplessis, David Farrell, Maureen Follis, Ken and Lynn Gilmore, Jenica Hopkins, Julie Janssen, Michael C. Jones, Chad Lucas, Dorothy McVeigh, Rita Mehlick, Virginia Mitchell, Mary Monroe White, Bill Moran, Kristin Nisbet-White, Gayle Peterson, Fallon Rowl-Johnson, Kathy Rubinkowski, Christi Sullivan, Julie Sundquist, Gay Sybert, Mary Tuttle, Jean Vehovc, Louise Vehovc, Janel Veile, Paul Wappel, Erik Welch, Sandy Wilmot and Kathryn Wright.

Organization Agent of Service Award 

The winner of the 2018 Organization Agent of Service Award is Crime Stoppers of Sangamon and Menard Counties. Over the past 35 years, members have gathered information that has led to the arrests of hundreds of criminals, recovered hundreds of thousands of dollars in stolen property, drugs, guns and other contraband and have closed hundreds of police cases on crimes.

“We provide financial incentive for people to come forward anonymously in order to help the police catch criminals,” said Ernie Slottag, president of the board of Crime Stoppers and a member for 16 years.

Crime Stoppers tips have resulted in arrests that may not have otherwise been made. Through fundraisers in the community, Crime Stoppers has created a fund from which anonymous tipsters are paid.

The Crime Stoppers board consists of 30 individuals from Sangamon and Menard counties who work to raise funds and promote the program.

Business Honor Roll 

A total of 21 Sangamon County businesses were named to the Business Honor Roll sponsored by the UIS College of Business and Management and supported by The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce. The honor roll recognizes businesses that have made giving back to our community a priority.

Three businesses were listed at the top of the honor roll as Golden Distinction Winners including Gem PR & Media, President Abraham Lincoln Springfield DoubleTree Hotel and Horace Mann.

Other businesses making this year’s honor roll include AlignLife of Springfield; Ameren Illinois; BUNN; Bank of Springfield; Brandt Consolidated, Inc.; Engrained Brewery & Restaurant; Illinois REALTORS; Koch, Sylvia and Associates - Ameriprise Financial; Marine Bank; Mayfield Insurance and Financial Services, Inc.; Memorial Health System; Noodles World Kitchen; RSM US LLP; SCHEELS; Sangamon Reclaimed; Springfield Junior Blues; U.S. Bank and United Community Bank.

For more information about the awards, please visit www.uis.edu/volunteer, email volunteer@uis.edu or call 217/ 206-8448.

Leadership lived: UIS sophomore gives back by mentoring the next generation of leaders

 
Aaron Boyd came to the University of Illinois Springfield knowing he wanted to give back to his community. The sophomore is majoring in criminology and criminal justice at UIS and plans to become a police officer following graduation.

Boyd, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, is the vice president of the UIS Black Male Collegiate Society, historian for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Upsilon Xi Chapter, a student orientation coordinator for the UIS Office of New Student Orientation and Parent Relations and an intramural referee for UIS Campus Recreation.

As part of the Black Male Collegiate Society, Boyd mentors a second grade student at Springfield Public School’s Matheny-Withrow Elementary every other Friday through the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program.

“We talk with the boys and see how they’re doing and check on their grades and things like that,” he said. “It’s just important to give back. It’s a good feeling. It’s a good feeling seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when we come in and how they enjoy spending time with us.”

Boyd was recently picked to ask candidates a question about the environment during a UIS debate featuring Democratic candidates running in the primary race for Illinois governor.

“It was kind of nerve-racking. I was in front of a lot of important people. I was on TV,” he said, adding that the debate has given him a new interest in politics.

Boyd says he chose UIS because he had a brother who also attended the university.

“I came down here for a visit and people treated me with respect and treated my kindly, so I decided to look more into it and came down here and fell in love with the campus,” he said.

Boyd says he chose criminology and criminal justice as his major because he wants to continue to make a difference in his community as a state or local police officer.

“I just want to be there in my community, policing my own community, rather than letting somebody else police my community,” he said.

As a sophomore, Boyd has two more years at UIS before he graduates. In that time, he plans to accomplish even more and leave his mark on the university.

“I feel like when I graduate I will have made my name at UIS,” he said. “I hope to bring in the next generation of black males and help them make their names, just as I want to and have already.”

Leadership lived: Student helps plan Alternative Spring Break trip

For the past three years, University of Illinois Springfield psychology major Hailey Hawkins has spent her spring break volunteering with the Alternative Spring Break (ASB) student organization. However, this year was a little different. As president of ASB, she helped select the destination and organize the trip.

“It’s definitely different than how most college students spend spring break, but it’s a great experience and I wouldn’t change it for anything,” she said.

Hawkins and a group of 25 UIS student spent their spring break helping with eco-restoration projects along the Florida Panhandle Gulf Coast. They helped with an oyster relief project where they bagged oysters to put back into the Gulf of Mexico, in an effort to prevent coastal erosion. They also shoveled rocks and cleaned roofs for non-profit organizations.

“I’ve had a different experience all three years during spring break, but it’s a lot of fun,” said Hawkins. “I get to meet new people. I really love volunteering and helping others.”

In past years, Hawkins has helped feed the homeless in New York City during Alternative Spring Break and helped with ecological sustainability projects in Biloxi, Mississippi.

On campus, Hawkins is a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She has played on the UIS women’s soccer team for the past three years.

“I absolutely love being on the soccer team,” she said. “It’s definitely challenging. It keeps me very busy, but I love the team aspect of it and traveling. I love being pushed and just showing all of the hard work coming together in the end.”

Following graduation from UIS, Hawkins wants to apply to the Peace Corps. She knows the experiences she’s had at UIS will help her in the future.

“I’m very glad that I decided to come to UIS,” she said. “I’ve loved the campus and the experience ever since I’ve been here. The fit has just felt so right and there’s been so many opportunities for me here on campus.”

Leadership lived: Students help build a community garden at UIS

When Erica Peak-Nordstrom and Rachel Wilham were assigned a group project in their Introduction to Sustainability class they came up with the idea of building a community garden on the University of Illinois Springfield campus.

“We just thought it would be great to have a garden and we actually made it a reality this semester,” said Wilham, a junior environmental studies major.

The pair started fundraising and with the help of Megan Styles, UIS assistant professor of environmental studies, they secured campus funding and support.

“We got donations from the Chancellor. She gave us the deer fence,” said Wilham. “We’ve had a lot of help from the grounds crew, especially Brian and Terry.”

Liz Rupel, a senior environmental studies major, heard about the project and got involved as part of the leadership team.

“It’s important for me to teach people that full circle effect, that you can start something from a seed and watch it grow into a plant and later eat it,” said Rupel. “You don’t need to just be a grocery store shopper and rely on others to do the work for you.”

The 20-foot by 20-foot community garden, located just north of the historic Strawbridge-Shepherd House at UIS, will provide locally grown food to the campus community. Students are welcome to take produce home and some food may be provided to campus dining centers.

“Obviously volunteers and people who have worked on the garden will have first dibs, but there’s no such thing as stealing from this garden. This is truly for the community,” said Peak-Nordstrom, a senior English major.

The students hope to expand the community garden in the future by adding a greenhouse and a brick pizza oven to cook produce.

“We have a lot of dream projects that we hope we’ll eventually be able to get started,” said Peak-Nordstrom.

The three say they are thankful for the opportunity they’ve been given to make their idea a reality.

“It’s just wonderful that we’ve been able to have this project and it’s just gone so much smoother than we ever could have hoped,” said Peak-Nordstrom.

If you would like to make a donation in support the community garden, volunteers have set up a Go Fund Me page.

Mark Dochterman wins the 2016 CAPE Award

Mark Dochterman, director of the University of Illinois Springfield Volunteer & Civic Engagement Center, is the winner of the 13th annual Chancellor's Academic Professional Excellence (CAPE) Award. The award was presented by Chancellor Susan J. Koch during a ceremony on April 28, 2016.

Dochterman joined UIS in 2011 and has also taught as an adjunct instructor in Experiential and Service-learning. He recently led the launch of the new Collegiate Link software program, known on campus as UIS Connection, in fall 2015.

“Recognizing a need for students, faculty and staff to be able to effectively plan, market and access campus activities, Mark brought together a team of staff from numerous campus offices/departments to study, select and implement the program,” said his nominator.

Since the launch of Collegiate Link, the program is already seeing success with over 85 student organizations actively posting over 1,000 campus events. Students also now have a record of their involvement, as the program automatically logs attendance at events.

“The implementation of this program only scratches the surface of Mark’s contribution to UIS in that he serves on a number of committees, advises numerous student organizations including Alternative Spring Break, Dance Marathon and Leadership for Life and continues professional development by attending conferences and workshops such as the American Democracy Project nation conference. Mark is truly deserving of this honor for his efforts,” said his nominator.

Dochterman has also led the Springfest Service Project, the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and weekly service projects for students through the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center. He also chairs the Springfield Good as Gold volunteer awards ceremony and is the arrangements chair for the Central Illinois Volunteer Conference, which is held annually at UIS.

The CAPE Award recognizes U of I academic professionals for their efforts in three general categories: work projects, professional development and affiliations, and contributions to their units. The winner receives $500 in cash for personal use, and another $500 is given to the winner’s department.

All academic professionals are eligible to receive the CAPE Award; nominations are reviewed by campus committees and candidates' names are forwarded to the chancellor, who makes the final selections.

Others nominated for the 2016 CAPE Award include Lori Benedict, Tammy Craig, Brian Hodges, Kathryn Kleeman Lesniak, Heather Nielsen, Mae Noll, Lynn Otterson, David Racine, Donna Schaub, and Teresa Szabo.

Leadership lived: Student leads Alternative Spring Break trip

Before attending the University of Illinois Springfield, Brittani Provost says she didn’t know what being a leader meant. The Sociology and Anthropology major volunteered in high school, but didn’t fully realize the impact of her work.

“I’d been involved in different organizations, had done volunteer work and stuff, but I never really took on the idea of being a leader and what that meant,” said Provost.

At UIS, Provost is president of the Alternative Spring Break student organization. She recently led a group of 20 students on a week-long trip to Biloxi, Mississippi where they volunteered with Head Start preschoolers and students at the Boys and Girls Club. The group also participated in a coastal erosion prevention project.

“I was primarily looking for a Youth in Education trip,” said Provost. “It was something that Alternative Spring Break really hadn’t got involved in before and we kind of saw Mississippi as an area that needed help.”

At Head Start, UIS students spent time working alongside teachers in the classroom and helping with projects.

“I had the opportunity to help them learn how to read a little bit and write their names and they were on a nutrition unit, so we were working with kind of explaining things about nutrition,” she said.

On campus, Provost also oversees volunteer projects as co-director of the Leadership for Life and is a member of the Capital Scholars Honors Program.

Following graduation, she wants to work for a non-profit agency and eventually earn her master’s degree.

“Obviously, my volunteer work and all the different leadership experiences that I’ve done have definitely contributed to that kind of work,” she said.

Provost encourages other people to get involved and volunteer.

“It might not be for everyone, but it definitely has something to offer you as far as growing as a person and being able to help the community,” said Provost.

Clarissa Fisher honored with Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois

University of Illinois Springfield senior Clarissa Fisher has been honored with the Student Laureate Award from the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

Fisher, a Rochester, Ill. native, is majoring in Accountancy at UIS. She holds a 4.0 GPA and plans to take the CPA exam upon her graduation. Her plans also include pursuing a career in international financial management.

“I look forward to taking all that I have learned at UIS and applying it to my CPA exam which will open so many doors professionally, though I will not forget the institution that made it possible,” said Fisher.

Following a year in China teaching English and Art to elementary school students, and a subsequent mission trip to Haiti, Fisher found her passion for community service. She is involved with the Family Service Center in Springfield, the Boys and Girls Club of Central Illinois and Big Brothers Big Sisters - Illinois Capital Region.

On campus, Fisher is active with the campus Accounting Society, Habitat for Humanity, and is on her way to becoming a LGBTQA Resource Office Safe Zone member and advocate.

“I am a work in progress,” said Fisher. “I am blessed to be constantly changing as a person and continually improving myself. UIS has given me some incredible opportunities.”

Fisher began her collegiate career at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis and transferred to UIS. She was the recipient of the Transfer Student Scholarship.

“Personally, I want to do well enough for myself that I can donate my time and efforts to giving others a chance,” said Fisher.

Fisher says her education and experience serving others overseas is helping her carve a path to her future.

“Educationally, I intend to never stop learning because, each experience that I’ve had the privilege to be a part of has shaped me into someone who wants to leave the world a better p
lace,” she said. “I know that sounds contrived, but some extraordinary people who have changed the course of human events have had similar sentiments and I’m glad to count myself among them.”

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.

For more information, contact Derek Schnapp, UIS director of public relations, at 217/206-6716 or dschn3@uis.edu.

Leadership lived: Student-athlete spends time off the field volunteering

As an outfielder on the University of Illinois Springfield baseball team, Adam Unes knows being a NCAA student-athlete means more than just taking the field and playing ball.

Unes and his teammates spent over 300 hours during the spring semester volunteering at St. John’s Breadline. The downtown Springfield facility serves daily meals to the homeless population. He personally volunteered over 50 hours.

“It’s a very humbling experience,” said Unes. “I think before this you tend to not really understand what these people are going through and what they might need, so when I come here it gives me an opportunity to kind of connect with them on a higher level.”

Unes is a junior Business Administration and Management Information Systems major at UIS. He’s a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and the Intercollegiate Athletic Committee.

During the fall semester, he helped the baseball team build a Habitat for Humanity home on 5th Street in Springfield.

“It was a split level home, so we actually helped out two families,” said Unes.

As a student-athlete, he knows it’s important to stay involved in the community and give back to those who support him.

“When we give back to the community, they in return, come out and support us through athletics, but it’s also important from a moral standpoint to come out and help those who are less fortunate because its something they need. We need to learn that we can’t take things for granted,” said Unes.

As a team, UIS baseball spent over 1,000 hours volunteering in the Springfield community during the 2012-13 academic year.

Leadership lived: Student organizes zoo cleanup effort

Nate Hoyle, a junior environmental studies major at the University of Illinois Springfield, loves nature and working outdoors. It’s that passion that led him to organize a volunteer cleanup day at Henson Robinson Zoo in Springfield.

Hoyle, who is president of the UIS Biology Club, coordinated with several other student groups on campus to organize the event, which attracted over 40 volunteers. The crew spent the day removing invasive plant species, such as honeysuckle.

“Invasive species are a really big problem and they’re a real expensive problem to take care of,” said Hoyle. “The expense part is what we’re providing today with the volunteers. We’ll be able to get a lot of work done today and hopefully make the zoo look as good as it can.”

At age 32, Hoyle is a non-traditional transfer student who commutes to campus. He decided UIS was the perfect school for him to earn a bachelor’s degree, while raising a family.

“I came back to school in January 2010 after the economy took its toll on my landscaping business and I was forced to sell,” he said. “I learned a lot from not being able to continue the business anymore and I’ve learned even more coming back to school.”

Hoyle says managing the volunteer project has taught him valuable leadership skills, especially when it comes to coordination.

“Managing the project, working with the people from the zoo, getting the park district involved, getting their tree crew out here being paid overtime to do this and getting the 40 people out here to do this has been an amazing learning experience,” said Hoyle.

He now wants to take on more projects and make a career out of what he’s learned at UIS.

“I would really enjoy this kind of work. I really enjoy the responsibility,” said Hoyle.

UIS welcomes new Volunteer & Civic Engagement and Disabilities Services directors

The University of Illinois Springfield is proud to introduce two new leaders on campus. Dr. Mark Dochterman is the new director of the Volunteer and Civil Engagement Center and Dr. Sarah Colby Weaver the Office of Disability Services.

Dochterman comes to UIS from Louisiana State University (LSU) where he served as director of student activities for the Honors College. He was born in Chicago and grew up in Marengo, Ill. He attended Illinois College in Jacksonville where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He earned his master’s degree in Communication Studies from Ball State University and is currently awaiting his Ph.D. confirmation in Higher Education Administration from LSU.

“My wife and I have always wanted to return to the Midwest, and while I have a very deep appreciation for my time at LSU, I have long wanted to work at a smaller school where one individual can have a broad impact. I hope to do exactly that at UIS,” said Docterman.

He hopes to capitalize on the past successes of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center, build new initiatives, and in the process provide a clear mission for the office.

“More than any of that, I want to be a part of making UIS be a place where students develop an understanding that as educated citizens they have a responsibility to balance the actions they take for their own advancement with service to the greater communities and society that structurally and functionally allows for such individual advancement,” he said.

Weaver comes to UIS from Auburn University where she served as Director of Disability Services. She has previously held Director of Disability Services positions at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Missouri-Columbia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from West Virginia University. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

“I’m happy to be here and excited about being a part of the UIS team,” said Weaver. “My goal as it’s been everywhere as the Director of Disability Services is to make this program for students with disabilities one of the best in the country. It takes commitment from the administration and it’s apparent to me that they are committed and with their support and the resources needed we will succeed to make this goal possible.”

Weaver brings her 20 years of experience at three different institutions to her new role at UIS and looks forward to working with everyone to best serve students with disabilities.

“The campus is smaller, which is very appealing to me and its part of the University of Illinois system which is a great University,” said Weaver.

UIS students & alumni take over 200 dresses to Africa during summer trip

A group of University of Illinois Springfield students and alumni helped take over 200 handmade dresses to children in Africa this summer. The trip was organized by the non-profit group Jump for Joel, which was started at UIS in 2005.

The students traveled to Gathiga Children’s Hope Home in Nairobi, Kenya where they handed out the dresses, helped build a shower for the children and lived with a host family.

“Each team member had one suitcase for their personal belongings and one suitcase for donations and different things we needed to take over,” said Amanda Cummins, sophomore biology major. “We were able to fit all the dresses into two big 50 pound suitcases.”

Cummins’ mother came up with the idea to make the dresses and have her daughter take them on the trip. The Cummins family, along with a group of volunteers from her hometown of Cedarville, Ill., helped to sew and design the dresses. In total, they made 280 dresses and 50 pairs of shorts for the boys living at the home.

“Most of the kids (in Kenya) have a few changes of clothes and they share the clothes,” said Cummins. “Everyone just kind of fends for themselves once it goes through the wash. A lot of the clothes are falling apart.”

UIS alum David Lasley has made the trip to Africa with Jump for Joel three times before, but seeing the conditions the children face never gets easier.

“The kids can’t afford clothes. They don’t have parents, they don’t have anyone to pay for that stuff, so they need help with basic things,” said Lasley.

The students who went on the trip are each sponsoring a child and some, like Cummins, plan to make a second trip to Africa soon. In the meantime, she plans to continue to collect items and send them to the children.

Public Affairs Reporting graduate student honored for mentoring program

University of Illinois Springfield Chancellor Harry Berman honored Public Affairs Reporting graduate student Tametria Conner for her work mentoring children at Washington Middle School during a recent visit to his office.

Conner wrote a poem, “Girls in Heels”, which she presented to the U of I Board of Trustees during a March meeting on campus. Berman presented Conner with a bag full of formal copies of the poem to be delivered to the children at the school.

“Girls in Heels" is an etiquette mentoring program created by Conner with the help of Washington Middle School Assistant Principal Roosevelt Wilson. Conner holds etiquette sessions with nearly 40 seventh and eighth grade girls at Washington Middle School in Springfield. The first of its kind at the middle school, "Girls in Heels" provides demonstrative and instructional information on posture, poise, public speaking and professional attire.

The highlight of the mentoring program was the "Project Runway for Success" Fashion Show at Macy's on March 25. The fashion show aired on Comcast Cable's Educational Channel.

Conner is a Whitney M. Young Fellow and will be graduating from the PAR program in May 2011.

UIS Legacy Dance Team teaches elementary students some moves

The Legacy Dance Team from the University of Illinois Springfield paid a visit Monday, April 26, to students at the St. Patrick’s Freedom School after-school program in Springfield. The team gave a performance and taught the students some dance moves before they sat down to eat pizza and cake.

Legacy is a hip hop culture dance team that was formed on campus last spring. The group performs at events such as the International Festival and basketball half time.

UIS sophomore, Blake Johnson is one of the many remarkable young “servant leaders” from the Urban League that helps staff the program, which provides a powerful enrichment curriculum for the students. Due to budget restraints at St. Patrick’s, the after-school program will close at the end of the school year in May.

“Legacy Week” is April 25-May 1, 2010 on the UIS campus, with a variety of programs being planned for the week. On Wednesday, April 28, the team will be teaching dancing 101 to students in the SLB gym from 7 to 9 p.m. On Friday, April 30, the team will host the “Rip the Runway” fashion show followed by a performance in the SLB gym from 6 to 9 p.m. All UIS students are welcome to attend.

UIS women's basketball player volunteers in West African hospital

Susan Coryell has known ever since she was a little girl she wanted to be a doctor, now she’s getting her chance to help others.

The UIS junior women’s basketball forward/center spent two months of her summer break volunteering in Ghana, West Africa at a military teaching hospital. She served as a nurse helping to change bandages and care for patients.

“Every day I just looked forward to going in and helping out and they got to know me,” said Coryell.

Coryell was in Ghana in July 2009, when President Barack Obama came to the country to speak about African relations and meet with Ghana’s President John Atta Mills. She was able to take pictures next to Air Force One and watched as Obama arrived in the country.

“I haven’t seen him in the United States, but I go abroad and I get to see my own president,” said Coryell.

Volunteering is nothing new for Coryell. As a member of the UIS women’s basketball team she’s involved in efforts every year to improve the local community.

“One of the attributes or foundations of NCAA Division II is service, so anytime we can give back to the community I think it’s positive,” said Marne Fauser, UIS women’s head coach.

Coryell and other members of the women’s team helped collect canned goods for UIS’ 2009 Holiday Star’s Project, which raised 3 tons of food for the Central Illinois Foodbank. Players are now launching a new partnership with the Special Olympics to help members improve their basketball skills.

“I just like being around kids. Giving back is always good,” said Coryell.

Coryell spends much of her time off the court teaching at the Cox Children's Center on campus. She hopes to one day become a pediatrician or orthopedic surgeon.

UIS students build positive relationships while mentoring at Harvard Park Elementary

A group of UIS students pulled out board games of all kinds in the Harvard Park Elementary School gymnasium on Friday morning and quickly paired up with their “Littles” to play.

The group is part of the mentoring program that UIS has in conjunction with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Illinois Capital Region that takes UIS volunteers to several elementary schools in the area once a week to interact with some of the children at the schools.

The program is mutually beneficial for both the elementary-aged students and the UIS students, said Harvard Park Principal Kim Leverette. She said she hopes that the relationships built with college-aged students will inspire the students at Harvard Park to continue their education.

“For many of our students, their background and the homes that they come from, that dream isn’t instilled in them of pursuing higher education,” Leverette said. “So this viewpoint is very instrumental in our kids turning their attitudes around and turning their grades around.”

“It may inspire UIS students to be education majors as well,” she added. “So while it impacts our students, it also greatly impacts students from UIS as well.”

Mark Frakes, a sophomore at UIS, enjoys playing cards games like Uno with his “Little” at Harvard Park.

“He’s pretty good; he beats me a lot,” Frakes smiled.

Frakes has been mentoring for more than a year at Harvard Park through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and has been able to see firsthand how beneficial his involvement is in the life of his Little.

“This gives kids a chance to talk out some of their issues and have a positive older role model because some of these kids don’t have that sort of support system,” he said. “I like coming here to hang out with him. When he has fun, I have fun.”

“I think I’m just as excited to come here and hang out as (my Little),” agreed senior Zach Berillo with a laugh.

UIS freshman April Fountain’s Little doesn’t have a brother or “anyone his age to sit down and play with him,” she said, and he looks forward to the one-on-one time with Fountain.

“He enjoys this every Friday. I think he gets a lot out of it,” she said.

Leverette hopes the program will continue to flourish and even to grow.

“The feedback I receive from the community, from the staff, from the parents is something that we want to build on and nurture, and we want all of those great things to continue,” she said.

Student Volunteers Create 9/11 Video

Students from the University of Illinois Springfield’s Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center have put together a video in remembrance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Student and staff volunteers traveled around the UIS campus asking students what impact 9/11 had on them, where they were when the attacks happened and if they think it united the country.

“It’s probably the defining event in young people’s lives on campus since they’ve been alive it’s been the one event that has impacted the entire world,” said Jordan Jeffers, Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center Americorps VISTA.

The project is being done as part of the first ever 9/11 National Day of Service, which will be the culmination of President Obama’s Summer of Service.

Jeffers hopes the video interviews will spark discussion about the importance of the events and inspire people to work towards civic engagement.

The video will air on the campus cable channel at various times through Sunday.

Watch the full video of what the volunteers created below:

UIS students utilize spring break to help hurricane victims

The University of Illinois at Springfield’s Alternative Spring Break student organization will be taking a trip to Mandeville, Louisiana during the 2009 UIS spring break to assist victims affected by Hurricane Katrina.

For seven days and six nights, from March 15 to March 21, 24 UIS students will be residing at Camp Living Waters in Mandeville, Louisiana. The purpose of the trip is to rebuild and eliminate poverty housing by physically lifting materials and building homes in the Southeast Louisiana area.

“By planning this trip, we will be able to educate UIS students in disaster preparedness on a national level,” said Kelly Thompson, director of UIS’ Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center. “The students are excited to spend their spring break serving others.”

The UIS Alternative Spring Break student organization was formed during the current academic school year, and this is the first official spring break service trip being offered by the group.

The trip is coordinated through the Collegiate Challenge program within Habitat for Humanity. The Collegiate Challenge has provided volunteer trips for youth ages 16 to 25 across the nation for 20 years and has grown to include more than 15,000 volunteers each year.

Kirkendall acknowledged for support of autism fundraiser

Karen Kirkendall, interim director of the Capital Scholars Honors Program and associate professor of Liberal & Integrative Studies, was among those acknowledged for their support of the second annual "Take a Step for Autism Walk" held in September in Washington Park. The winter edition of the Autism Society of America Central Illinois Chapter newsletter thanked Kirkendall for "announcing the walk and her devoted support to autism spectrum disorders. She is a treasure."

Wing in LRH promotes leadership and service

By Courtney Westlake



Even before school started, students in the Leadership for Life Service Wing in Lincoln Residence Hall were lending a hand, volunteering for the local Special Olympics.

“Everyone is just genuinely interested in doing volunteer work,” said Charles Olivier, a sophomore who is the resident assistant for the wing.

The Leadership for Life Service Wing is the only living-learning community in LRH and provides residence to 28 first-year and sophomore students. The wing has a new focus this year on both leadership and service, said Kelly Thompson, director of the Volunteer and Civic Engagement Center at UIS.

“They really go hand in hand,” Thompson said. “We’re trying to work with first-year students to help build their service and their leadership skills. We want our first-year students to feel comfortable and at home at UIS, and we want them to know that we're here to help them, as well as engage them with the campus and the community.”

Students living in the Leadership for Life Wing have service requirements that they need to complete, as well as several service programs to attend each semester, Thompson said. One of their first activities was a leadership retreat at Camp Cilca, which Thompson described as “very enlightening.”

Besides volunteering at the Special Olympics before classes started, the residents of the wing were also able to work together in service when Senator Barack Obama was in town to introduce his running mate.

“It really tested our bonds with each other; we were out there for seven hours in the heat, but it was a good experience,” Olivier said. “We also all came together in the first weeks and had a party for some of the residents who had a birthday after they moved in.”

To join the Leadership for Life wing in LRH, students fill out an application, explaining why they have an interest in service and what volunteer opportunities they have been involved in.

“The students all have a passion for volunteering and all have backgrounds in service and volunteerism - mission trips to other countries, activities in their communities, awards they've been given,” Thompson said. “They have a wide variety of interests they would like to explore, such as working with animals, children, the homeless and different special needs populations. Our job is to be that link and help them explore those options and feel that connection to the university as well as the community at large.”

Olivier lived in the service leadership wing last year and said he feels it is a very positive environment and brings students together with a common interest.

“You know that other people are involved in something you like doing,” he said. “We promote development of leadership through building connections with community organizations or having volunteer services on campus.”

Olivier has high hopes for his first year as a resident assistant and believes his residents will have a big impact on the campus.

“It's exciting; we have fun,” he said. “I believe volunteering is not a one-way street. Everyone who volunteers gets something back, even if it’s not money. You gain a sense of humility and gratitude. I think it's important and an important part of leadership.”

Research has shown a relationship between civic engagement and how well students do in school, and Thompson hopes to foster a sense of the importance of service and leadership in the residents of the Leadership for Life wing and all students at UIS.

“We want our students to be better informed about their own leadership skills and better informed about service opportunities, and what it means to them to be involved in service, how that might affect their major and even their course for what they do in their life after they leave UIS,” she said.