As the results of late-stage clinical trials for a coronavirus vaccine are announced, Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group director Dr. Gregory Poland ’77, an Illinois Wesleyan University alumnus, is being called upon by national media outlets to provide an expert analysis.

Poland, one of the nation’s leading vaccinologists, recently appeared on NPR’s Here and Now to discuss the promising results of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine trial. According to early data, Moderna announced that its coronavirus vaccine is 94.5% effective. This news came a week after Pfizer announced that its vaccine is more than 90% effective.

“As a physician and a scientist, you always want to temper your enthusiasm,” Poland said during the Nov. 16 episode of Here and Now. “On the other hand, for a COVID-weary world, this looks like a home run. To have a vaccine 95% effective is a big deal in the world of vaccinology.”

Although Moderna’s data has yet to undergo peer-review, and mass distribution of any vaccine is likely months away, Poland said he has hope that widespread public vaccination could begin around the spring or summer of 2021.

Despite the promising development, Poland emphasized that news of a forthcoming vaccine should not make Americans complacent, and that it will take a combination of a vaccine and current public health measures to curb the spread of the virus.

“The efficacy measures that we have are, if you will, vaccine plus masks plus social distancing. What happens when it’s the vaccine alone? That’s something we’ll see and come to understand over time.”

The Vaccine Research Group at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, studies the efficacy and genetic drivers of novel vaccines through funding from the National Institutes of Health. Since founding the group in 1989, Poland’s research in vaccines for measles-rubella-mumps, smallpox, influenza and other viral infections has contributed greatly to the field of immunogenetics and public health.

Read the full article here.

The Illinois Wesleyan University Athletics Department will be made even stronger with the establishment of The Legends Endowment for Athletic Excellence announced by Athletic Director Mike Wagner, Tuesday, December 1. The new six-figure endowment was made possible through the generosity of Jeff (’74) and Janet (’74) Solberg, Dr. Cal (’73) and Kris Atwell, Pat Busch (’78) and Michelle Zeller, Doug (’73) and Vicky Stewart, and Steve (’73) and Deb (’74) Wannemacher.

“We are so excited to announce the Legends Endowment for Athletic Excellence to the greater IWU community,” Wagner exclaimed. “This new endowment will forever enhance the student-athlete experience at IWU, while providing our coaches with the tools they need to develop future leaders.”

The endowment is named in honor of IWU athletics “legends” who made a lasting impact on the lives of countless student-athletes while also laying the foundation for the success IWU athletics enjoys today: Jack Horenberger, AD and baseball and basketball coach, Bob Keck, track and field and football coach, Don Larson, football and golf coach, Dennie Bridges, basketball coach and AD, Barb Cothren, softball, tennis, and volleyball coach and administrator, and Edgar Alsene, IWU’s first sports information director.

“I would personally like to recognize and thank Jeff and Janet Solberg for their support, generosity and leadership in envisioning and providing the lead gift for this endowment,” added Wagner.  “The Solbergs and all the initial donors have laid the foundation for a fund that will provide perpetual enhancements to our athletic programs that would otherwise be impossible. Every year, funds from the endowment will have an impact on capital improvements, equipment and technology upgrades, student-athlete travel and nutrition, and many other departmental needs. It is a fitting legacy to their love of and commitment to Illinois Wesleyan.”

Illinois Wesleyan athletics has a national reputation for excellence in competition, academics, and service to the community. The Titans have won eight team NCAA national championships, 24 individual NCAA national championships, and 160 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin titles. 

Academically, IWU ranks in the top-30 nationally among all NCAA divisions with 133 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and has seen seven College Division Academic All-Americans of the Year recipients. Furthermore, six Titan student-athletes have earned the NCAA’s “Elite 90” award, which is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for the NCAA championships. 

More than one-third of Illinois Wesleyan students participate in Titan Athletics. In the Bloomington-Normal community, IWU student-athletes, coaches, and staff have donated more than $450,000 and completed roughly 35,000 community service hours over the past decade.

Please reach out to Tony Bankston (’91), Director of Titan Athletic Fund or Chris Murray (’91), Advancement Liaison to Athletics for more information about giving to this Endowment.

Read more here.

Gale Strenger Wayne ’78 carries on her family’s long tradition of civic duty through her role as vice chair of the Lake County Community Foundation. Read the full articleabout her at the Daily North Shore here.

Carol Brandt ’78 has been recognized by Forbes as a one of the top women wealth advisors 2020. Congratulations, Carol!  Read the full article here.

Elizabeth Robb ’78 was named to Governor JB Pritzker’s Restorative Justice and Safe Communities Committee. More about Elizabeth’s accomplishments can be found here. Congratulations, Elizabeth!

Jan Peterson ‘78 has directed The Goldenaires, a seniors mixed choir, since 2009. The group performs regularly between September and May at retirement communities and senior centers in the Chicago area. The Goldenaires perform 7 concerts a year and have performed 75 concerts overall under Jan’s direction.

After over 45 years in healthcare, including population health and healthcare information technology, Janet recently retired. She is looking forward to spending more time with her family and vacationing at their Northern Arizona cabin. 

The U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board are pleased to announce that Dr. Mathew Timm ’77, Professor, Department of Mathematics of Bradley University has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Croatia. Dr. Timm will conduct research at the University of Split during the Spring 2021 Term as part of the project Inverse Systems and the Topology of Generalized Baumslag-Solitar Complexes. The intent of the project is to expand our understanding of a class of geometric objects known as generalized Baumslag-Solitar complexes through a collaboration with members of the Mathematics Faculty at the University of Split. Several faculty at the University of Split are experts in inverse systems based approaches to the study of geometric topology. Congratulations!

Marlon Nettleton ‘77 is a member of the Lake Ashtones, who sang the national anthem prior to a National Basketball Association game between the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers on December 27, 2019, in Orlando.
Wow, how exciting that must have been!

Michael Cooper ‘77 has returned to directing theatre full time after spending 21 years in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. He was also recently named the Artistic Director of The Alchemy Theatre in Austin, Texas. Click here to read more.

Congratulations, Michael!