Category Archives: Events

Habitat for Humanity to Host Shanty Town Sleepover

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity will hold a sleepover in a Sustainable Shanty Town on the Eckley Quadrangle (located at the center of IWU’s campus) on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day.

The event is free and open to those 18 years and older.

The Sustainable Shanty Town will be made up of students and their cardboard-box “homes,” who will participate in activities including a cardboard house building competition. The chapter hopes the Shanty Town will raise awareness regarding homelessness and Habitat for Humanity’s efforts to provide affordable housing.

Interested participants should dress warmly, bring their own cardboard box home and sleeping bag. Also, bring a mug for complimentary hot chocolate. Participants are asked to bring any spare change or aluminum cans they can donate to the Habitat for Humanity program as well.

New Exhibits at Art Galleries

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Works by artists Steve Feren and Marie-Susanne Langille will be displayed Sept. 30 to Nov. 6 in Illinois Wesleyan’s Merwin & Wakeley galleries, located in the Joyce Eichhorn Ames School of Art Building (6 Ames Plaza West, Bloomington).

The exhibits are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 12 to 4 p.m., Tuesday evenings, 7 to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. During Homecoming weekend, the gallery hours will be extended on Saturday, Oct. 4 and Sunday, Oct. 5 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Saturday there will be a reception for IWU alumni from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the galleries.

On Thursday, Oct. 2 there will be a lecture with Feren in the Joyce Eichhorn Ames School of Art Building from 4 to 5 p.m. followed by an opening reception in the galleries from 5 to 6 p.m.

The Merwin Gallery will feature Feren’s work. He has been creating sculptures since the 1980s and has worked in a variety of mediums, however, he is best known for his work with glass. Feren teaches art glass at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and he has done glass cast relief murals, fiber optics, glass outdoor environment, mosaic sculpture, and concrete work. He also has experience working with architects, designers, engineering and planning committees and his works have been created for universities, cities, companies and private collectors.

The Wakeley Gallery will showcase the work of Langille, an adjunct assistant professor of photography at Illinois Wesleyan. Langille graduated from the University of Missouri in 1995 with a master’s degree in photojournalism. She has worked for newspapers in Utah, Iowa and Indiana. She has also worked for the Associated Press in New York.

Homecoming 2008 Offers Celebration of Tradition and Change

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Only one year ago, Illinois Wesleyan University Homecoming attendees had the opportunity to sign beams to be placed in the Minor Myers jr., Welcome Center. Now complete, the Welcome Center and Alumni Walkway will be dedicated on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m. as part of the 2008 Homecoming festivities, to take place from Friday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 5.

The dedication ceremony will also include tours of the Welcome Center, Bloomington’s first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) new construction project.

Along with celebrating the new Welcome Center, the 2008 Homecoming festivities will include several new events. This year’s pep rally, billed as “Titanium – IWU’s Largest and Best Pep Rally Ever,” will take place at 6 p.m. on Oct. 3 at Wilder Field. The rally will feature a performance by the Titan Pep Band, the crowning of the Homecoming king and queen by University President Richard F. Wilson, and a concert by “The Blanks,” who have been featured on the television show “Scrubs” as “Ted’s Band.” A fireworks display will conclude the evening.

The first “Fall into the Arts” juried fine arts fair will take place on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the Eckley Quadrangle. The fair, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations, will feature the work of nearly 100 IWU alumni and local professional artists. Blown glass, drawings, paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry, mosaic art and more will be available for purchase.

MUSE Undergraduate Conference is Sept. 27

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The fourth annual MUSE Undergraduate Literature Conference, to take place on Saturday, Sept. 27, will feature keynote speaker Lisa Ruddick, professor of English at the University of Chicago. Ruddick will give her address, titled “Literature and the Feeling of Aliveness,” at 12:30 p.m. in the Center of Natural Science Learning and Research (201 E. Beecher St., Bloomington), room C101.

MUSE is presented by Illinois Wesleyan University’s Alpha Eta Pi chapter of Sigma Tau Delta (STD), the international English honor society, in conjunction with Illinois State University’s Lambda Delta chapter.

The conference, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the Center of Natural Science Learning and Research. Registration begins at 8 a.m. in the commons area and conference activities begin at 9 a.m. with student research presentations. The conference will also feature informational panels on post-graduate options for literature majors, Feminist literature, and British literature.

Ruddick’s current scholarship focuses on the ways in which “training in the humanities, conducted with the best of intentions, can thwart the feeling of aliveness by partially dissociating practitioners from their intuitions and their deep affective resources.” She is the author of Reading Gertrude Stein: Body, Text, Gnosis (Cornell University Press, 1990), “The Near Enemy of the Humanities is Professionalism” (Chronicle of Higher Education, November 23, 2000) and “Stein and Cultural Criticism in the Nineties” (Modern Fiction Studies 42, 1996).

Temple Grandin to Share Experience With Autism

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Professor and prolific author Temple Grandin, said to be one of the most accomplished and well-known adults with autism in the world, will be the keynote speaker for the President’s Convocation at Illinois Wesleyan on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

The program, free and open to the public, will begin at 11 a.m. in the Westbrook Auditorium of Presser Hall (1210 Park St., Bloomington). Titled “Decoding the World Through the Unique Perspective of Autism,” Grandin’s address will offer personal insights to further understanding of the autistic community. Grandin will also be available for a faculty-moderated public session at 4 p.m. in the Hansen Student Center (300 E. Beecher St., Bloomington). The session will focus on “Facilitating Employment for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder,” a central topic for the autism community both locally and nationally.

Illinois Wesleyan first-year students encountered issues related to autism through the 2008 Summer Reading Program selection The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Written by Mark Haddon, the novel’s protagonist is Christopher Boone, a young boy with Asperger’s Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. Each fall, Illinois Wesleyan’s Summer Reading Program gives incoming students, faculty and staff an opportunity to participate in a shared intellectual experience.

“People who encounter autism—whether in the pages of a novel, scientific study or real life—usually find those encounters intriguing and challenging, both intellectually and personally,” said Linda Kunce, Illinois Wesleyan professor of psychology and autism awareness advocate. “Further, given current U.S. Centers for Disease Control prevalence estimates of one in 150 for autism spectrum disorders, autism challenges society to continue to improve ways in which diverse people can work together successfully.”

In Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships: Decoding Social Mysteries Through the Unique Perspectives of Autism, winner of the prestigious Foreword Book of the Year Award in 2006, Grandin addresses the social challenges faced by those with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Born in 1947, according to bibliographical information she did not speak until she was three and a half years old. That year, doctors labeled Grandin autistic and encouraged her parents to place her in an institution.

The perception, in the past, had been that once an individual was diagnosed as autistic, there was no hope for that person to have a successful life. However, Grandin is said to have redefined that perception. She published her groundbreaking first book, Emergence: Labeled Autistic in 1986, describing her personal struggle with autism as “groping her way from the far side of darkness.” Since then, Grandin has been featured on major television programs, such as ABC’s Primetime Live, the Today Show, Larry King Live, 48 Hours and 20/20, as well as in national publications, such as Time magazine, People magazine, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report, and the New York Times. She has also traveled on speaking tours around the world.

Grandin is the author of over 300 articles published in scientific journals and livestock periodicals on animal handling, welfare and facility design. Half of the operating livestock handling facilities in North America are of her design.

Prothero to Discuss the Importance of Religious Literacy

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Author of American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon and The New York Times bestseller Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know—And Doesn’t, Stephen Prothero will speak at Illinois Wesleyan University on Tuesday, May 27 at 7 p.m. in the Hansen Student Center (300 E. Beecher St., Bloomington).

The event is free and open to the public.

Prothero, chair of Boston University’s Department of Religion, will discuss the issue of religious illiteracy in America. He will also examine society’s perspective of religion based on its concepts of the embodiment of Jesus Christ throughout various time periods.

Drawing from his latest book, Prothero argues that public schools should reinstate the study of the Bible as well as various world religions. He contends that without a thorough education of the principles of religion, Americans cannot understand essential aspects of the Iraqi war, current social concerns, or political debate and conduct.

Fortune 500 Company Chairman Urges Adaptability

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Fortune 500 company chairman Norm Wesley said tomorrow’s leaders will have to have more than business savvy, they will have to have an ability to adapt to changing times.

“The one thing that is certain is that these are uncertain times,” said Wesley, addressing the annual Illinois Wesleyan Associates’ Luncheon on Thursday, May 8, at the Shirk Center on the campus of Illinois Wesleyan University.

Today’s leaders must find a way to maintain their vision for a company. “You must focus on the long-term, even when on Wall Street you are only as good as your last business quarter,” said Wesley. “It’s important today to really balance the short-run with the long-run.”

As the leader of a company doing business around the globe, Wesley understands what it takes to succeed. As chairman of the board of Fortune Brands, Inc., he oversees an $8 billion consumer products company that includes premier brands including Jim Beam, Sauza, Courvoisier, Titleist, Moen and Master Lock.

Speaking to a crowd of more than 360 business leaders in McLean County, Wesley encouraged present and future business leaders to look for people who can handle a variety of situations, and help carry out a company vision. “Everyone has constrains of what they can and cannot do,” said Wesley, who noted people are a company’s number one resource. “In a business, you must be conscious of what you want to do.”

For younger members of the audience, Wesley advised them to maintain realistic expectations. “No one starts out in management. Get the broadest perspective you can,” he said, adding that students should take advantage of internships. “Not only do they give real life experience, but they show you what you don’t want to do as much as what you do want to do in life.” Wesley also urged students to stick with ethical business practices. “I don’t know how to run a business if you don’t start with integrity,” said Wesley.

Speaker Sees Hope for Graduates Facing Challenging Times

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Cloaked in green robes that matched the beauty of the Eckley Quad on a spring afternoon, 472 students attended ceremonies for the 158th Commencement at Illinois Wesleyan University on Sunday, May 4.

Actor Kevin Dunn, a 1977 Illinois Wesleyan alumnus who has appeared in more than 80 movies and television roles, delivered the Commencement speech after being conferred an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. For the class of 2008, Dunn offered both his recollections of the past, and words of hope for the uncertain future today’s graduates face in his speech titled “Into Your Waiting Hands.”

Watch the address, see a Commencement photo album or read Commencement remarks.

“I have memories, vivid memories of freedom, of camaraderie, of invulnerability, and an endless stream of pranks, impromptu parties and cramming for exams,” said Dunn, who was a theatre major at Illinois Wesleyan. “There were late nights at the theatre, building sets, rigging flies and focusing lights. Performing in plays on the McPherson stage, wildly cheering on [Illinois Wesleyan basketball player] Jack Sikma and the rest of Dennie Bridges’ Titans as they barnstormed through the league.”

Dunn revealed that he almost did not return to Illinois Wesleyan for his senior year after his father was laid off. Recalling a meeting with Professor Emeritus of Theatre John Ficca, Dunn said, “Dr. Ficca listened, intently, with an occasional nod, as I told my story, and after what seemed to be an eternity he told me, ‘If you leave school now, sport, you won’t come back. And years from now you’ll look back on your decision and wonder if you could have succeeded in becoming an actor.’”

John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference Features Keynote on Antarctica

The annual John Wesley Powell Student Research Conference will be held at Illinois Wesleyan University on Saturday, April 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. in the Center for Natural Science Learning and Research (CNS) (201 Beecher St., Bloomington).

Presentations are free and open to the public.

A unique opportunity for undergraduates to be recognized for their research endeavors, the 2008 conference program will include 85 poster presentations and 26 oral presentations from a broad range of disciplines including Economics, Environmental Studies, Greek and Roman Studies, Theatre, Biology, and Business Administration. Research posters will be displayed in either the morning or afternoon according to the number each is assigned, while the 15-minute oral presentations are organized into ten sessions. A numbered list of poster presentations is available at http://www2.iwu.edu/jwprc/2008ParticipantList.pdf, and a schedule of oral presentations is available at http://www2.iwu.edu/jwprc/oral.shtml.

The keynote address of the conference, titled “‘Who Goes There?’: Science and Belonging in Contemporary Antarctica,” will be delivered by Elena Glasberg from Princeton University. Glasberg was awarded an Antarctic Artists and Writers Program Grant by the National Science Foundation. An interdisciplinary humanist, Glasberg works in the fields of American studies, gender and sexuality studies, and her creative writing courses at Princeton focus on the Antarctic.

Glasberg has been director of the Program in the Study of Sexuality and of the New Beginnings Faculty Research Program at Duke University; a research affiliate at Gateway Antarctica, University of Canterbury, New Zealand; and a faculty affiliate at New York University’s Center for the History of the Production of Knowledge.

She has published widely and is currently working on a book for the University of New England Press. Another New World: Antarctica as Place and Symbol in the United States investigates the ways U.S. subjects since 1820 have projected onto Antarctica fantasies and beliefs about land, knowledge, and power that cannot be brought under national control. By placing discourse about Antarctica before, beside, and after that of the U.S., Another New World reconsiders American empire via its relations to a fantastic Antarctic that, through the accident of geophysical reality, seemed always—and still—to await explorers and colonizers.

Glasberg’s appearance at the 2008 conference is timely in this International Polar Year.

An annual event since 1990, the research conference was named after explorer-geologist John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran and a founder of the National Geographic Society who joined IWU’s faculty in 1865. Powell was the first U.S. professor to use fieldwork to teach science, taking IWU students on an expedition to Colorado’s mountains. Powell was later the first director of the Smithsonian Institution’s Bureau of Ethnology.

Student Senate Hosts Gender Issues Week

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Judy Shepard, mother of hate crime victim Matthew Shepard, will give the keynote speech on the acceptance of gay rights and equality on March 5 at 8 p.m. in the Hansen Student Center (300 E. Beecher Street).

This event is part of Illinois Wesleyan University’s annual Gender Issues Week which sets out to inform, educate and provide programs dealing with issues pertinent to women and men, and it is free and open to the public.

On October 8, 1998, Matthew Shepard, an openly gay man from Wyoming, was murdered in his college town of Laramie, Wyo. His death was the result of a hate crime and his mother, Judy Shepard, has since then committed her life to fighting for gay rights. His death was also the inspiration for the HBO movie turned play, The Laramie Project.

In May of 1999 Shepard testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of the Hate Crimes Prevention Act where she said, “I can assure opponents of this legislation firsthand, it was not words or thoughts, but violent acts that killed my son.”

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