UIS Visual Arts Department seniors present two distinct art and design exhibitions

The University of Illinois Springfield proudly presents dual student exhibitions Sponsored by Adobe and Identity Matter. Both exhibits feature artwork by the graduating seniors of the Visual Arts Department.

Sponsored by Adobe will exhibit a variety of works that make use of digital media for creative and commercial purposes, while Identity Matters emphasizes fine art media and personal expression. Both exhibits run from April 27 through May 14 and a reception will take place in both venues on Thursday, May 7 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Sponsored by Adobe will be exhibited in the Access Gallery, housed in the lobby of the Visual and Performing Arts building. It features the work of five student artists who have produced works rooted in graphic design, photography, and digital media. Robert Brooks composes designs to suit clientele needs while incorporating his personal creative interests. Katie Good composes imagery and design focused on creating a personal experience through her published catalog. Alexander Johnson illustrates and authors a children’s animated storybook. Nick Manker illustrates a science fiction comic based on his trials and tribulations through his college experience. Phil Mulford designs and produces a fictional music festival to represent his interests as a commercial artist.

Identity Matters will be exhibited in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery, located in the Health and Sciences building. It presents five additional artists that rely on a variety of fine art media as an outlet for personal expression. Oliver Barth compiles video collages evoking the effects of media on society and of time on context. Taylor Geary explores the social issues of animal abuse through the use of sculpture. Mariam Said defies the stereotypes of the Hijab, or Muslim headscarf, through the use of sculpture. Porcia Sledge utilizes photography to capture a parallel between the innocence of childhood and responsibility of adulthood. Jessica Wilson illustrates cartoon-like imagery to portray prejudices of the homosexual community.

The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Access Gallery is located in the Visual and Performing Arts Building. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery at 217/206-6506 or alach@uis.edu.

Springfest 2015 ends with mud tug-of-war

Students at the University of Illinois Springfield ended Springfest 2015, a week-long event featuring a variety of fun and educational competitions, with the annual mud tug-of-war on April 25.

The theme of the 2015 competition was “Where Dreams Come True”.

Springfest is one of the longest running and most popular traditions at UIS. Springfest challenges include a scavenger hunt, trivia night, flag & chant competition, and sports day.

For more information, visit the Springfest Facebook page.

Ten UIS students to present at University of Illinois Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol

Ten students from the University of Illinois Springfield will present their work at the second annual University of Illinois Undergraduate Research Day at the Illinois State Capitol on Thursday, April 30.

The students will display their research from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the first floor South corridor of the Capitol building. Students will be making poster presentations about their research and answering questions from lawmakers and the public.

UIS students will join their peers from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Chicago campuses. Students were selected in a competitive process by the Undergraduate Research Steering Committee.

Chemistry major Shelby Jarrett will present research on the spectroscopy of the binary star Epsilon Aurigae, history major Jerica Griffen will discuss the narratives in the comic Static Shock, legal studies and political science major Taylor Traynoff will explore the girl power movement of the 1990s and art major Thomas Gebhardt will showcase images of Americana in his original installation “Drive In”.

Matthew Sojka, a chemistry major, will present research on physical and chemical changes at the Emiquon freshwater restoration project, art major Mariam Said will exhibit her original work reflecting on her experience as an American Muslim called “Unveiling the Hijab” and business administration major Sarah Rowlands will explore the relationship between role overload and work outcomes.

Global Studies major Dalton Traina will present on local efforts to fight obesity in genHkids, chemistry major Michael Rosenberger will discuss a partnership with the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine to identify JNK proteins and computer science major Daniel Evertz will show off Java-based recognition software for robots.

The event is co-sponsored by the UIS Undergraduate Research Support Program and the UIS Chancellor’s Office. For more information, contact UIS Associate Professor of Chemistry and Director of Undergraduate Student Research Keenan Dungey at 217/206-7345 or kdung1@uis.edu.

UIS Music Program presents Spring Showcase Concert

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Music Program presents its annual Spring Showcase Concert featuring performances by the UIS chorus, chamber orchestra, band, and this year’s UIS Music Soloist Competition Winner. The performance is free and open to the public.

WHEN: Friday, May 1, 2015 at 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Studio Theatre, located in the Public Affairs Center at UIS

DETAILS: The event will feature a wide array of music including songs by Lorde and The Young Authors, a piece inspired by American involvement in the Vietnam War, and Christina Shao, winner of the second annual UIS Music Soloist Competition, will play a solo on a Chinese Guzheng.

Directed by UIS Assistant Professor Yona Stamatis, the chamber orchestra will open the showcase with “Slavonic Dance No. 3” by Antonin Dvorak. They will also perform Saint Saens’ “Dance of the Gypsy” and Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-down” from Rodeo.

The chorus, under the direction of Melinda Pitt Kaye, will open the choral portion of the program with “Five Hebrew Love Songs” by Eric Whitacre.

Finally, UIS Applied Music Specialist, Abigail Walsh will lead the band through selections including “American Sketches” by Barry Kopetz and “The Boys of the Old Brigade” by W. Paris Chambers.

Donations are welcome and will be used to benefit the UIS Music Student Merit Award. The UIS Music program began in 2001 and is comprised of students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as Springfield community members, all with a variety of skill levels.

Anyone who is interested in joining the UIS chorus, band or chamber orchestra may contact Abigail Walsh at 217/206-7549 or music@uis.edu.

"Take Back the Night" march & rally at UIS calls for an end to violence against women

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Women's Center and Residence Life Vision student organization will hold the eighth annual “Take Back the Night” march and rally. This year’s theme is An Engaged Community. The event protests rape and all forms of violence against women.

WHEN: Friday, April 24, 2015 beginning at 8:30 p.m.

WHERE: The candlelight march will start with a brief ceremony near the colonnade on the UIS main quad and progress towards the Student Life Building (SLB) Gym where a rally will be held.

DETAILS: “Take Back the Night” empowers women and all people to reclaim their right to be part of the night and the human experience of nighttime. “Take Back the Night” will include survivor stories, poetry, a healing observance, and t-shirts.

The Clothesline Project and 10 Paper Cranes to Heal the Violence will also be on display. The Clothesline Project is made up of t-shirts telling women’s stories. This is the 20th Anniversary of The Clothesline Project at UIS. The 10 Paper Cranes to Heal the Violence project was created at UIS two years ago and is being replicated elsewhere. UIS students created paper cranes streamers, which are dedicated to victims/survivors.

The supporting organizations for the event include the Asian Student Organization, African Student Association, Black Male Collegiate Society, Casera Crafts, Cygnets, Global Sisterhood, Indian Student Organization, Indian Dance Organization, Indian Student Organization-Cultural, Muslim Student Organization, International Student Association, Necessary Steps, Organization of Latin American Students, and Sisters with Vision.

For more information on “Take Back the Night”, contact the UIS Women’s Center at 217/206-7173 or womenscenter@uis.edu.

Scavenger Hunt kicks off 22nd annual UIS Springfest

Hundreds of students helped to kick off Springfest 2015 with the annual Scavenger Hunt on April 20, 2015. Springfest is one of the longest running student traditions on campus, which started in 1992.

Scavenger Hunt participants were given a surprise list of over 200 items to collect during a one-hour period. Points were awarded based on the number of total items collected.

Students were not allowed to use cars, bikes, or other transportation and had to collect all of the items on campus.

UIS Earth Week 2015 events announced

The University of Illinois Springfield will celebrate Earth Week (April 20-24, 2015) with a variety of events designed to educate students, faculty, staff, and the community about the environment. All of the events listed below are free and open to the public.

Monday, April 20 

ECCE Speaker Series: “Connecting Food, Climate Change and Environmental Advocacy: Lessons from Indigenous Peoples' Climate Justice Movements” 
Kyle Powys Whyte, the Timnick Humanities Chair at Michigan State University’s Department of Philosophy, will speak at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. He will discuss how people's relations to food can obscure their awareness of how their actions affect the ecosystems on which they depend. Globally, food justice movements are becoming increasingly connected to climate justice movements given how climate change will affect the food system. These movements offer lessons for how food can serve as a powerful connector of people interested in taking action to address climate change. The presentation will be followed by a catered reception.

Tuesday, April 21

Free Electronics Recycling Event 
The UIS Senate Committee on Sustainability, in conjunction with BLH Computers, is hosting a FREE Electronics Recycling event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers will receive items on the north side of Brookens Library, at the loading dock on the first floor level. Visit the BLH Computers web site (http://blhcomputers.com/recycling/) for a complete list of items that will be accepted for free recycling. This list includes: desktop and laptop computers, LCD monitors, printers, keyboards, mice and cables, LCD & Plasma TVs, DVDs, etc.

Wednesday, April 22 

SAGE Earth Day Picnic 
Join the members of Students Allied for a Greener Earth (SAGE), a UIS student group, for an Earth Day Picnic from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the UIS quad. Play games, relax and enjoy a sandwich or cookie from Cafe Moxo, or simply drop off your clean plastic bags and clean containers with lids, which will be donated to St. John's Breadline. The picnic is the perfect place to learn more about Earth Day and what SAGE does to promote environmental awareness on the UIS campus and in Springfield.

ECCE Speaker Series: “Greening Broadway” 
In an Earth Day keynote presentation, Donyale Werle, a Brooklyn, NY based theatrical set designer, will speak about her efforts to promote sustainability in the performing arts community and beyond. The event starts at 6 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. Werle won the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design for Peter and the Starcatcher in 2012. She constructed the entire Act II set from 100% recycled materials. A member of the Broadway Green Alliance, Werle is a passionate sustainability advocate whose efforts to promote upcycling, recycling, and sustainable sourcing pave the way for both a greener Broadway and a greener society overall. The presentation will be followed by a catered reception.

Friday, April 24 

Arbor Day Tree Planting Ceremony
Join the UIS Grounds Maintenance Department and the Sustainability Committee for a ceremonial tree planting in honor of both Earth Week and Arbor Day at 10:30 a.m. near the UIS campus pond (next to the UIS Police Station). The tree will be dedicated to the university’s on-going commitment to creating a greener and more sustainable campus.

Earth Week events at UIS are sponsored by the Campus Senate Committee on Sustainability, the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series, the College of Public Affairs and Administration, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Education & Human Services, Students Allied for a Greener Earth (SAGE), Biology Club, Sangamon Auditorium UIS, the Environmental Studies Department, and the Art, Music, and Theatre Department.

For more information on Earth Week events, contact Megan Styles, assistant professor of Environmental Studies, at 217/206-8580 or mstyl2@uis.edu.

UIS to host Scholarly Symposium for Lincoln Funeral Commemoration

The University of Illinois Springfield will present a scholarly symposium on Thursday, April 30, 2015 as part of the Lincoln Funeral Coalition’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. The event will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library at UIS. It is free and open to the public. No reservation is required.

The symposium, “Mourning Father Abraham: Lincoln’s Assassination and the Public’s Response,” will feature three prize-winning historians of Lincoln and the Civil War era. Featured speakers are Louis P. Masur, distinguished professor of American Studies and History at Rutgers University, Martha Hodes, professor of History at New York University, and Michael Burlingame, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, who will give opening remarks on “Lincoln as Father Figure,” and serve as moderator.

Masur’s presentation, “Lincoln’s Last Speech and the Problem of Reconstruction” will focus on the path to Reconstruction Lincoln outlined in his final speech, including his call for black suffrage. In her presentation, “Shock and Fury, Gloom and Glee: Personal Responses to Lincoln’s Assassination,” Hodes will describe the range of responses to Lincoln’s death, gleaned from diaries and letters, reflecting a moment of national uncertainty and competing visions of the country’s future.

Both guest speakers will draw on their new books. Masur is the author of Lincoln’s Last Speech (Oxford University Press, 2015). Hodes is the author of Mourning Lincoln (Yale University Press, 2015). Burlingame is the author of the two-volume biography, Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008). A reception and book signing will immediately follow the event.

The symposium is sponsored by the Center for State Policy and Leadership and the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, and is presented in collaboration with the 2015 Lincoln Funeral Coalition and with the support of The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation. Event cosponsors include the Brookens Library John Holtz Memorial Lecture, Engaged Citizenship (ECCE) Speaker Series, Gobberdiel Endowment, Illinois State Historical Society, Staab Funeral Home, and WUIS/Illinois Issues.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. Seating in Brookens Auditorium is limited; however overflow seating will be available in the Public Affairs Center, Level 1, Conference Rooms C/D, G and H where the audience can watch a large-screen live video feed. Those unable to attend in person can watch a live webcast by going to www.uis.edu/technology/uislive.html at the time of the event.

For more information, contact the Center for State Policy and Leadership at 217/206-7094 or visit http://cspl.uis.edu.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series discusses the "fight for Lincoln’s burial site"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Alumni SAGE Society, Illinois State Historical Society and UIS Chancellor’s Office invite the public for a closer look at why Springfield was chosen as Lincoln’s final resting place.

WHEN: Thursday, April 23 2015 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: Public Affairs Center (PAC) Conference Room C/D, located on the lower level of the PAC on the UIS campus.

DETAILS: As part of the 150th anniversary commemoration of the end of the American Civil War and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Wayne Temple, author and internationally recognized authority on the 16th President, will discuss “The fight for Lincoln’s burial site” and the selection of Springfield as Lincoln’s final resting place.

Dave Joens, author and director of the Illinois State Archives, will explore the journey and legacy of John W. E. Thomas, a former slave who became the first African American to be elected to the Illinois General Assembly.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $20/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. Seating is available in the back for those who do not purchase the luncheon buffet.

The Lunch and Learn series is designed to stimulate thinking as it builds upon the university's tradition of open and intelligent dialogue. Visit www.uiaa.org/uis to register online.

For more information, contact the UI Alumni Association at UIS at 217/206-7395 or email alumni@uis.edu.