UIS presents the 41st annual International Festival celebrating "One World, Different Faces"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield invites the Springfield community to join us for the 41st annual International Festival. The longest running student-led program in the history of UIS, the festival features fun and games from around the globe, cultural performances and exhibits, plus a variety of ethnic foods. Admission is free.

WHEN: Friday, November 2, 2018, from 5-8 p.m.

WHERE: The Recreation and Athletic Center (TRAC), located on the south side of the UIS campus. Parking is available in lot F and I, located next to TRAC. A map of the campus is available at www.uis.edu/maps/.

DETAILS: For 41 years, the University of Illinois Springfield family has celebrated its rich international and cultural diversity with the annual International Festival. Many of our friends from the greater Springfield community will be joining UIS students, faculty, and staff to share an evening of cultural exhibits, artistic performances and food tasting.

Guests are invited to pick up a program as they enter so they can find their way to the many exhibits, food tastings and performances. Guests are encouraged to spend some time getting to know people you have never met before, literally from every part of our world.

According to Fall Semester 2018 census numbers, a total of 434 international students are enrolled at UIS from 32 countries.

For more information, please contact the Office of International Student Services at 217/206-6678 or e-mail iss@uis.edu.

UIS Speaker Series explores building green communities within Chicago’s inner city

Naomi Davis

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series and UIS Sustainability Committee present “Blacks in Green: Principles of Green Village Building.”

WHEN: Friday, November 9, 2018, at 6 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Brookens Auditorium, located on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: Blacks in Green, a Chicago-based organization, seeks to create self-sustaining and healthy black communities using a whole systems approach that includes fostering green villages.

Visionary founder Naomi Davis will discuss how she is working on urban systems to build green local economies in black communities.

The vision of her organization is to create walkable, vibrant, villages where people work, live, learn and play. Her approach is a whole-system, combining principles of micro-lending, local renewable energy generation, low-income green housing and green epicenters to build strong urban communities.

Davis, is a Chicago attorney, entrepreneur, activist and granddaughters of Mississippi sharecroppers. She is president and founder of Black in Green. She serves on the boards of the Illinois League of Conservation Voters and Climate Justice Chicago, the steering committees of the Chicagoland Green Collar Jobs Initiative, Chicago Green Jobs for All and many others.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Visual Arts Gallery to host a new exhibit and ECCE Speaker Series discussion exploring race

The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery will unveil a new art exhibit entitled “Love You Bro” by Chicago-based artist Stephanie Graham and host a Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series discussion called “Spielberg, Diddy, Oprah and Me” on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, as part of an exploration of race in art.

The art exhibit, “Love You Bro,” will open on Thursday, Oct. 25 and run through Thursday, Nov. 15.

On Thursday, Nov. 1, “Spielberg, Diddy, Oprah and Me,” an ECCE Speaker Series lecture, discussion and visual presentation by curator, writer, and artist advocate Tempestt Hazel will serve as the opening event from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Brookens Auditorium. The ECCE presentation will immediately be followed by a reception for “Love You Bro” in the UIS Visual Arts Gallery from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

As part of this special collaboration, Hazel will lead a discussion and Q&A session featuring Graham during the ECCE event. Hazel will also discuss the work she has done to promote art and artists who work along the margins outside of mainstream historical narratives across the spectrum of gender, race, ability and being. Hazel is the founding editor of Sixty Inches from Center, and the art program officer for the Field Foundation of Illinois.

Artist Stephanie Graham’s exhibit “Love You Bro” will explore relationships and how affection is expressed between black men. As an African-American artist, Graham’s photographs, videos, and installations are armed with humor, satire, and soul in an effort to make otherwise difficult conversations on race and gender easier and more comfortable in this increasingly divisive political and cultural climate.

Graham’s artwork highlights subcultures, social class, relationships and Black America. Her projects have been presented at the Hyde Park Art Center, Mana Contemporary (Chicago), Chicago Artists Coalition, Terrain Exhibitions and the Gene Siskel Film Center. She has been featured in Studio Photography Magazine and the Chicago Alliance of African American Photographers and her work is held in the public collection of the Chicago Historical Society. Graham studied film and photography at Columbia College Chicago and currently works on the crew of NBC's "Chicago PD.”

Hazel has worked in arts administration, curating and multidisciplinary programming at Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE), Chicago Artists Coalition, Chicago Park District and Arts + Public Life at the University of Chicago. Her exhibitions and research have been displayed in the Chicago-area and nationwide and her writing has been featured in several prominent publications.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

The Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, Room 201, and is open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website at www.uis.edu/visualarts/gallery or contact the gallery by phone at 217/206-6506 or by email at alach@uis.edu.

Five UIS faculty members to present their research during public presentations on campus

Five faculty members from the University of Illinois Springfield will present their research as part of the 2018-2019 Faculty Scholarship Series. All presentations are free and open to the public.

Adriana Crocker, UIS professor of political science; Lucia Vazquez, UIS associate professor of biology; and Hinda Seif, UIS associate professor of sociology, will discuss “Research Opportunities at the University of Colima, Mexico” on Nov. 7 from 6 to 7 p.m. in Public Affairs Center, Conference Room H.

On Nov. 14, Kristi Barnwell, UIS associate professor of history, will present “The United Arab Emirates and Arab History: State formation in the 20th century” from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center, Conference Room H.

On Jan. 30, Michael Cheney, UIS professor specializing in communications, media and politics, popular music and society, will present “Are We There Yet? Bits and Bytes of the History of Presidential Campaign Advertising in the Internet Age” from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Public Affairs Center, Conference Room F.

The Faculty Scholarship Series started in September with a lecture on “Gap Analysis: An Innovative Look at Gateway Courses and Student Retention,” by educational leadership faculty members Karen Swan, Bill Bloemer, Scott Day and Leonard Bogle.

The Faculty Scholarship Series was started last year to highlight research at UIS and to share these results with the larger Springfield community.

For more information, contact Keenan Dungey, UIS associate vice chancellor for research and institutional effectiveness, at 217/206-8112 or kdung1@uis.edu.

UIS Lincoln Legacy Lectures focus on Lincoln versus Douglas

The 16th annual Lincoln Legacy Lectures presented by the University of Illinois Springfield Center for Lincoln Studies will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 18, 2018, in the Student Union Ballroom at UIS.

This year’s topic is “Lincoln versus Douglas.” The lectures, and a reception and book signing that will immediately follow, are free and open to the public. No reservation is required. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

The Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series brings nationally known scholars to Springfield to present lectures on topics that both engaged Abraham Lincoln and the citizens of his era and are still timely today.

This year’s featured speakers are Graham Peck, professor of history at Saint Xavier University, and Roger Bridges, former head of the Lincoln Legal Papers. Michael Burlingame, the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS, will give opening remarks on “Lincoln and African Americans” and serve as moderator.

In the first lecture, Peck will describe “Why Did Slavery Matter in Illinois? Lincoln, Douglas, and the Nation’s Battle over Freedom.” In the second lecture, Bridges will explore “Race Relations in Lincoln’s Illinois.” The speakers will discuss the contemporary implications of their lectures at the beginning of the Q & A session.

Peck is the author of a prize-winning book “Making an Antislavery Nation: Lincoln, Douglas, and the Battle Over Freedom” (University of Illinois Press, 2017). Bridges co-edited the book “Illinois: Its History and Legacy” (River City, St. Louis, 1984). Burlingame is the author of the two-volume biography “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” (Johns Hopkins University Press, paper, 2012).

The Lincoln Legacy Lecture Series is sponsored by the UIS Center for Lincoln Studies, in cooperation with the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies. Cosponsors of this year's event include the Abraham Lincoln Association, Brookens Library John Holtz Memorial Lecture, Gobberdiel Endowment, Illinois State Historical Society, Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition, NPR Illinois, UIS Performing Arts Center; UIS Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Business and Management, Public Affairs and Administration and Education and Human Services; and the UIS Office of Advancement.

For more information, contact the UIS College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at 217/206-6512.

UIS Speaker Series examines "What Happened in the 2016 Election?"

Luis Ricardo Fraga

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series and Notre Dame Club of Central Illinois present a Hesburgh Lecture and discussion on “What Happened in the 2016 Election? The Changing American Voter in 2016 and Beyond.”

WHEN: Monday, October 29, 2018, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: The 2016 election produced results that few scholars and pundits predicted. This lecture will examine the results of the 2016 election, while exploring how our nation is now more ethnically and racially diverse than at any other time since WWII.

University of Notre Dame Professor Luis Ricardo Fraga will tell the audience how the 2016 election can help us understand future elections and the likely consequences of the choices our country’s leaders and citizens make on future generations of Americans.

Fraga serves as the director of the Institute for Latino Studies, the acting chair of the Department of Political Science and the Notre Dame Professor of Transformative Latino Leadership. He is a fellow for the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame and has been on the faculty at Stanford University and the Universities of Washington and Oklahoma.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Speaker Series examines "What Happened in the 2016 Election?"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series and Notre Dame Club of Central Illinois present a Hesburgh Lecture and discussion on “What Happened in the 2016 Election? The Changing American Voter in 2016 and Beyond.”

WHEN: Monday, October 29, 2018, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: The 2016 election produced results that few scholars and pundits predicted. This lecture will examine the results of the 2016 election, while exploring how our nation is now more ethnically and racially diverse than at any other time since WWII.

University of Notre Dame Professor Luis Ricardo Fraga will tell the audience how the 2016 election can help us understand future elections and the likely consequences of the choices our country’s leaders and citizens make on future generations of Americans.

Fraga serves as the director of the Institute for Latino Studies, the acting chair of the Department of Political Science and the Notre Dame Professor of Transformative Latino Leadership. He is a fellow for the Institute for Educational Initiatives at the University of Notre Dame and has been on the faculty at Stanford University and the Universities of Washington and Oklahoma.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.

UIS Theatre to produce Lauren Gunderson’s play “Silent Sky”

The Theatre Program at the University of Illinois Springfield will present Lauren Gunderson’s play “Silent Sky” opening Friday, October 19.

Six performances will be presented in the Studio Theatre, on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center at UIS, on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Oct. 19, 20, 21 and Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Oct. 25, 26, 27. All shows will begin at 7:30 p.m., except the Sunday performance (Oct. 21), which will begin at 2 p.m.

The play chronicles the life of Henrietta Swan Leavitt and the real women "computers" working at the dawn of modern astronomy. “Silent Sky” is a celestial romance and true story of discovery.

According to Dramatists Play Service, “When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women ‘computers,’ charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in ‘girl hours’ and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.”

Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson, UIS associate professor of theatre, will direct the production. Dathan Powell, UIS associate professor of theatre, will be the scenic designer and technical director. UIS Theatre student and Sangamon Auditorium stage hand David Hecht is the lighting designer. There are two guest artists involved in this production: Dave Cain of UMedia is the sound designer and Lauren Lowell, associate professor of costume design at Illinois State University, is the costume designer.

The cast includes UIS students Dominique Abiagom, Ethan Heilman, Shea Lanier and Sherri Mitchell with community member Ashley Pruitt playing the role of Henrietta Leavitt. UIS students Aislinn Diaz and Katie Simpson serve as understudies.

Ticket prices are $14 for adults; $12 for senior citizens (65 or older with a picture I.D.); $10 for UIS Faculty/Staff; $8 for UIS students (and all other college-level students) with a valid, current i-card or college I.D. card; and $6 for 17 and under. Please note that service charges are not included in the prices above.

The UIS Theatre Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Visual and Performing Arts Building (VPA 127). Patrons may call the UIS Theatre Box Office at 217/206-PLAY (7529) or visit www.uis.edu/theatre to purchase tickets online or learn more information.

UIS Lunch & Learn Series presents "Governor’s Mansion & Gardens"

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Office of Advancement, Alumni SAGE Society and the Illinois State Historical Society presents “Governor’s Mansion & Gardens” as part of the Lunch and Learn Series.

WHEN: Tuesday, October 23, 2018, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom, 2251 Richard Wright Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Justin Blanford, curator of the Illinois Governor’s Mansion, will present “A Gift to the People: The 162-year-old Governor’s Mansion.” Restoring the historic Springfield residence of the Illinois governor and first family was a huge undertaking. Now a museum with an education center, the mansion has reopened to the public and it’s time to take a look inside.

Sue Massie, a landscape architect with Massie & Associates, will present “The Governor’s Garden: What Goes Into Planning a Garden on a Grand Scale, and What Do You Plant for the Past and Future?” She will discuss all that has gone into planting the celebrated and historic gardens of the Governor’s Mansion.

The cost for the hot buffet lunch and program is $23/per person. Reservations are requested, as seating is limited. The registration deadline is one week prior to each event.

Other upcoming Lunch & Learn events include “Celebrating Illinois Statehood Day” on Dec. 3. These lunch-time programs will stimulate thinking as they build upon the University’s tradition of open and intelligent dialogue.

Visit www.go.uis.edu/LLfall2018 to register online. For more information, contact the UIS Office of Advancement at 217/206-6058 or email advancement@uis.edu.

UIS to host a History Harvest in order to digitally archive items from Illinois’ past

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield History Department invites members of the public to bring photographs, documents, or any item connected to their Illinois history to a History Harvest in downtown Springfield. UIS students will photograph or scan the items for inclusion in an online digital archive and exhibit. Participation in the event is free.

WHEN: Saturday, October 13, 2018, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

WHERE: Innovate Springfield, 15 Old State Capitol Plaza (5th & Adams), Springfield

DETAILS: This year’s History Harvest theme commemorates the Illinois state bicentennial and has been officially endorsed by the Illinois State Bicentennial Commission.

The public is invited to bring materials from Illinois’ distant past, the recent past and today to be scanned and photographed. UIS students will collect information from participants, but items will not be collected.

Students from UIS Assistant Professor of History Devin Hunter’s undergraduate public history class and UIS Associate Professor of History Kenneth Owen’s graduate history and digital media class will lead the effort to digitize items for the online digital exhibit.

Two years ago, students and faculty of the UIS History Department held the first ever History Harvest in the state of Illinois, in which they digitally “harvested” political memorabilia from the public. The results of that harvest can be found at https://uishistharv1.uis.edu/.

For more information, visit www.uis.edu/history/historyharvest/ or contact Devin Hunter at 217/206-7432 (dhunte2@uis.edu) or Kenneth Owen at 217/206-7439 (kowen8@uis.edu).

UIS Speaker Series to discuss the impact of author Frank Warren’s “PostSecret” project

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series will host Springfield High School alumnus Frank Warren to discuss his work “PostSecret: Creating Community through Confessions.”

WHEN: Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at 7 p.m.

WHERE: UIS Student Union Ballroom

DETAILS: When Frank Warren started his PostSecret project in 2004, he had no idea it would become a global phenomenon. PostSecret invited strangers to anonymously reveal their secrets on a homemade postcard. This simple act resulted in more than one million postcards being sent from around the world, most published in his book “PostSecret.”

This event will encourage individuals to reflect upon ways to encourage our own interpersonal connections. Warren’s discussion will include UIS’ own PostSecret project.

Warren is a Springfield High School graduate. He is excited to return to his hometown to discuss PostSecret. The postcards have been featured in five New York Times bestselling books and in the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian. The project earned him a HopeLine Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to suicide prevention. Warren has also shared his work surrounding issues of mental illness at the White House.

Individuals with disabilities who anticipate the need for accommodations should contact the UIS Speaker Series Office at 217/206-8507 or speakerseries@uis.edu in advance.

For a list of other upcoming ECCE Speaker Series events, visit www.uis.edu/speakerseries/.