Professor David Bollivar, PhD. was a co-authored “Aerobic Barley Mg-protoporphyrin IX Monomethyl Ester Cyclase is Powered by Electrons from Ferredoxin,” in the journal Plants, in August 2020. He also co-authored “Genomic diversity of bacteriophages infecting Microbacterium spp,” in PLOS One, in June 2020.
Monday, February 8 is Thank-A-Giver Day at Illinois Wesleyan and we’re eager to celebrate generous Titans!
Thank-A-Giver (TAG) Day is the symbolic point during the academic year — about 70% of the way through — when tuition dollars are exhausted and Illinois Wesleyan relies on donor generosity to continue providing a world-class education and rewarding collegiate experiences.
Each and every year, every gift matters. Contributions benefit students and faculty, enhance academic excellence, and strengthen the IWU community.
Thank you to all who give back to move IWU forward. 
New work from the studio of Renee McGinnis
This new painting “Money or Mercy” represents the lure of wealth
over health during this time of seeking safety from a powerful virus.
One pistil stem from the lily depicts a dollar sign and jewel which represents wealth and the desire to return to work. The other nestles safely under the Red Cross of the Mercy ship. The hummingbird however makes a typical choice of securing toilet paper. The bottom center flowers are full bloom covid cells.
See more at reneemcginnis.com
Scott Shields ’83 is an associate producer of Finding Courage, a documentary detailing one family’s struggle to be free. Finding Courage tells the story of Yifei Wang, a former Chinese Communist Party journalist living in exile in San Francisco and seeking justice for her family. Already the winner of multiple awards on the film festival circuit, Finding Courage is available for streaming at SwoopFilms.com. A song from the documentary, “Courage is Found,” is also receiving awards consideration.
Ray Gensinger, MD joins the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast to share his perspective on the role of CIOs now and into the future, and much more.
You can find and listen to the podcast here.
Jimmy Edwards ’80 passed away on April 11, 2019 in his home in Bloomington. He was born October 12, 1958 in Lincoln and is survived by his brother, niece, and friends. Read the full obituary here.
Congratulations to Cathy Coons Agasar ’85 on her book publication of The Gift of Loss: Transforming Tragedy.
Synopsis: Faced with the unexpected death of her husband of 20+ years, Cathy was left to raise their three children alone, grieving along with them. When she finally took stock of her life, she realized everyone else’s needs came first. That lifestyle completely zapped her emotional, physical, and spiritual reserves—exactly what she desperately needed when her world turned upside down. Her memoir inspires us to take stock to live the best version of ourselves. It chronicles her journey from unfathomable heartbreak and suppression of emotions to the incredible gifts of the healing process after the sudden death of her first husband.
Cathy Agasar’s debut book, which launched on March 24, 2020, reached #1 bestselling new author status on launch day and earned a top-10 spot on Aspire Magazine’s ‘Best Inspirational Books’ for May. Aspire Magazine is on a mission is to inspire women to live their best lives, something Cathy truly believes in. The Gift of Loss: Transforming Tragedy is available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble as well as independent book sellers. Cathy is often a featured speaker bringing a message of hope, courage and faith every time she connects with an audience.
You can get more information about the book here.
Cynthia “Cindy” (Daughenbaugh) Perkins ’81 of Bloomington, Illinois, died Dec. 26, 2020. She was 60.
Cindy graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in music from Illinois Wesleyan, magna cum laude with a master’s degree in religious education from Southern Methodist University, and summa cum laude with a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Cindy was a consecrated deacon in Christian education in the United Methodist Church, and an adult psychologist. She was a loving wife, sister and aunt, and had a passion for horses. She is survived by her husband, parents, two siblings, and many extended family members.
You can read the full obituary here.
Congrats to Jill (Misener) York ’85, who was named to the board of directors of Old Second Bandcorp, the holding company for the Old Second National Bank. Read the full article here.
Bill Damaschke ’85 is the executive producer of Moulin Rouge!, which has been nominated 14 Tony Awards including Best Musical.
Despite indefinite postponement of the 74th Annual Tony Awards ceremony, the committee announced this year’s nominations on October 15. In total, 18 musicals, plays and play revivals will be considered for awards.
This year marks Damaschke’s second time producing a Tony-nominated musical through his theatrical production company StoryKey Entertainment. His 2019 musical The Prom received seven Tony nominations in addition to dozens more from multiple organizations, including a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical.
Damaschke has previously served as president of Animation and Family Entertainment at Skydance Media following two decades with DreamWorks Animation, where he rose from an entry-level production assistant to the company’s chief creative officer.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is an adaptation of the 2001 film of the same name, directed by Baz Luhrmann. The musical tells the story of a depressed young writer who falls for a cabaret actress amid a world of splendor and romance. The Hollywood Reporter praised the production’s “eye-popping spectacle and off-the-charts energy,” and Time Out New York described it as “the jukebox musical to end all jukebox musicals.”
Along with its Best Musical Tony nomination, Moulin Rouge! was also nominated for Best Book of a Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical –– Aaron Tveit, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical –– Karen Olivo, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical –– Danny Burstein and Sahr Ngaujah, Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical –– Robyn Hurder, Best Direction of a Musical –– Alex Timbers, Best Scenic Design of a Musical –– Derek McLane, Best Costume Design of a Musical –– Catherine Zuber, Best Lighting Design of a Musical –– Justin Townsend, Best Sound Design of a Musical –– Peter Hylenski, Best Choreography –– Sonya Tayeh, and Best Orchestrations –– Justin Levine, with Katie Kresek, Charlie Rosen and Matt Stine.
Read more here.
