Category Archives: Staff

Spring Internships Hit All-Time High

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.— Illinois Wesleyan’s Hart Career Center reports that students securing spring internships reached a record high of 136, up 30 percent from the most recent 5-year average of 105.

“The very competitive job market makes internships more important than ever for our students and they’ve received great interest from employers looking for talent,” said Laurie Diekhoff, assistant director and internship coordinator at the Hart Career Center. “These internships are with more than 60 corporations and organizations, including major companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers, Country Financial, Deloitte, Archer Daniels Midland and State Farm, plus a wide array of smaller companies, health care groups, governmental bodies and not-for-profits.”

Of the 136 internships, half are paid and 55 percent receive academic credit. While the majority of interns are juniors and seniors, Diekhoff said that the interest among freshmen and sophomores has increased with 14 of the spring internships belonging to first and second year students.

Carney-Hall to Lead Student Affairs

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.— Karla Carney-Hall, vice president for student affairs at Hendrix College, has been named vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Illinois Wesleyan University. She succeeds Kathryn Cavins-Tull who left Wesleyan in July to become vice chancellor for student affairs at Texas Christian University.

President Richard F. Wilson announced that the new student affairs leader would join the University on January 3, 2012. The appointment of Carney-Hall comes following a national search that began over the summer.

“Dr. Carney- Hall is uniquely qualified to become our next vice president for student affairs and dean of students,” said Wilson. “She impressed the campus community with her broad range of experience at two excellent residential liberal arts colleges and with her passion for creating environments that foster student success.”

At Hendrix College, Carney-Hall provided leadership for all areas of student life, residential life, advising, health and wellness, career services and intercollegiate athletics. She was a member of the president’s cabinet and was actively engaged in the College’s strategic planning. Among her many accomplishments were overseeing the planning and building of two new student apartment style residences and a $26.5 million student life and technology center.

ITS Helps Campus Navigate Technology

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – While in the process of adding a few finishing touches to the grade-determining final project that has taken all semester to complete, suddenly the laptop screen goes black and the computer refuses to start.

For many college students, this nightmare scenario rings a bell familiar enough to evoke waves of paralyzing terror and accompanying nausea.

In situations where computers seem to become the enemy, Illinois Wesleyan University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) staff members are on-hand to remind the campus community it’s possible to “become friends with technology,” said ITS Coordinator Lisa Caughron. “We’re very empathetic to crises such as these, so we already have strategies in place to deal with them. Computer problems can be frustrating; as much as it’s possible to do so, we try to plan for those situations.”

At Illinois Wesleyan, ITS works toward its mission to “create a culture of life-long learning” and “provide the best information resources possible” by working as partners with the campus community. “Once upon a time, ITS was just come in and ask questions,” said Caughron. “But we’ve started focusing on the big picture, on showing you technology is not something that has to impinge on your lifestyle. We want people to understand that technology can be a tool that really enhances your life.”

The ITS Help Desk staff provides service to the campus community in the form of guidance, resources and advice, and the Service and Repair staff provides diagnostics and personal computer repairs at no charge for Illinois Wesleyan students, staff, faculty and retirees. Services are available via telephone at (309) 556-3900, email at it@iwu.edu, online at both the ITS website and blog and in person at the HelpDesk center at the ITS House, located across from Shaw Hall at 1311 N. Park St.

Nelson Wins Starkey Award for Service

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University’s Grounds Crew Manager Eric Nelson was named the winner of the University’s Max. L. Starkey Service Award at the Fall Breakfast in the Young Main Lounge of Memorial Center on Friday.

The Starkey Award, established in 2001, is presented to a member of the University staff nominated by his or her peers for extraordinary service to the University. The award is named in honor of the late Max Starkey, a 1957 Illinois Wesleyan graduate who was University comptroller from 1957 to 1996.

President Richard F. Wilson announced Nelson as the winner, calling the award “well-deserved.” He added that staff members like Nelson “make IWU such a thriving institution.”

Nelson has served the University since 1981, and manages six crew members who care for the award-winning IWU campus. The campus has been honored with beautification awards from the City of Bloomington, including a 2008 award for grounds around The Ames Library. Nelson called the award an honor. “It’s great to be recognized by the city, and know we have a team that gets the job done,” he said at the time. “I am very blessed to work with a staff which is very talented.”

Action Research Center Links Students to Community

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Students at Illinois Wesleyan are highly accustomed to enjoying an active-learning, discussion-based atmosphere in the classroom environment. The experience doesn’t end there, however, for many who choose to take advantage of one of the University’s resources for unique undergraduate internship opportunities.

For nearly 10 years, Illinois Wesleyan’s Action Research Center (ARC) has taken hands-on learning to a whole new level by connecting students with not-for-profit service, citizen groups and private-sector firms in the Bloomington-Normal area. Through internships and research projects with various local organizations, ARC allows Illinois Wesleyan students to take the initiative in making lasting community improvements.

ARC accomplishes its role as bridge-builder between the University and the community by “getting students out of their comfort zones,” said Professor of Sociology Jim Sikora, who co-founded the program with Chair of Political Science Jim Simeone in 2003. “I tell my students it’s not good enough to look at a problem and think, ‘someone should do something about that,’” added ARC Program Coordinator Deborah Halperin. “I want them to realize they are that someone.”

Illinois Wesleyan Names Winger New Chaplain

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University has appointed the Rev. Elyse Nelson Winger as the new University chaplain. She will begin her duties Aug. 1.

“The IWU community will be well served by Chaplain Nelson Winger’s strong background and experience, as well as her proven commitment to diversity and social justice,” said Kathy Cavins-Tull, IWU vice president for student affairs and dean of students.

According to Cavins, the Rev. Nelson Winger’s service and work in Africa and the Middle East aligns strongly with Illinois Wesleyan’s mission toward inspiring global connectivity. The Rev. Nelson Winger has worked as an interim director of the Joint Relief Ministry’s English program for refugees and displaced persons from Sudan and the Horn of Africa. She has participated in interfaith and ecumenical ministerial associations for education, fellowship and community development, and led a task force to advocate for peace and justice initiatives in the Middle East. Locally, the Rev. Nelson Winger has been active in the Advocate BroMenn Delegate Church Association and as a member of the governing board of the Community Cancer Center.

Titans Band Together to Help Japan

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The 8.9-magnitude earthquake that rocked Japan on March 11, combined with the subsequent tsunami and nuclear reactor crisis it triggered, left in its wake thousands dead and nearly half a million homeless, according to CBSnews.com.

In the shadow of such devastating tragedy, the Illinois Wesleyan University community stepped up to the plate to provide hope and aid from the other side of the world. From on-site volunteer work to on-campus fundraising events, IWU alumni, faculty and students have spent the last few months doing all they can to bring relief to those affected by this year’s disasters.

“I am so close to everything that has happened, while lucky enough to be out of harm’s way,” said IWU alumna Margaret Kocher, ’09, who is currently teaching English in northern Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. “I got involved because I felt that I needed to help somehow.”

Attributing her leadership skills to her experience at IWU, Kocher said there was “no question” about whether she would contribute to relief efforts in the aftermath of the disasters. “The events in March, as horrible as they were, had many positive outcomes,” said Kocher. “I think the relations between the people of Japan and many foreigners working here have strengthened. Everyone is helping rebuild Japan, and it is beautiful.”

Bleeding Green: RecycleMania Strengthens Sustainability at IWU

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – This semester, the Titans proved their green spirit extends beyond the athletic arena.

In January, Illinois Wesleyan University’s campus dining service Sodexo joined forces with Illinois State University (ISU) and others to participate in a composting program diverting leftover food away from the county landfill and onto an ISU farm in Lexington, Ill. for reuse. Since the effort began, it has saved over 35,496 pounds of food from the Bertholf Commons, faculty dining areas and large catering events. IWU Director of Government and Community Relations Carl Teichman, who served as co-coordinator of IWU’s environmental council GREENetwork during the 2010-2011 academic year, reported that the project could soon expand to include Tommy’s and the DugOut.

In February, the same green mindset driving the composting program prompted the Recycling Education Committee (REC), a branch of GREENetwork, to join the national RecycleMania initiative. Held at colleges across the country for a 10-week period each spring, RecycleMania aims to reduce waste production by ranking and rewarding schools based on recycling skills.

Harding, Halperin Named YWCA Women of Distinction

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University administrators Ann Harding and Deborah Halperin each received a YWCA Women of Distinction Award on Thursday, May 19 at the Bone Student Center on the campus of Illinois State University.

Harding, the director of alumni relations, earned her award for her work in education. Halperin, the Action Research Center coordinator at IWU, won her award for her devotion to social services.

The YWCA has given the awards for 22 years recognizing the professional and personal achievements of six women in McLean County. Each recipient received a framed certificate and a sterling silver pen at the dinner program.

Academic Advising Offers Students Smooth Transitions

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Very few students come to college with a clear path carved out in their minds. Many questions loom in front of them – What classes should I take? Is my major the right one? What do I need to graduate?

Illinois Wesleyan University’s Academic Advising Center, located in Holmes Hall 110 (1312 N. Park St., Bloomington), is a center point for students to get questions answered, and a key resource for all advising on campus.

“An adviser is an advocate for the students,” said Chandra Shipley, director of Academic Advising at Illinois Wesleyan. “The goal of advising is to help make the college experience smooth and to offer guidance with academic challenges and choices.”

Located in Holmes Hall, the Center provides advising both by appointment and on a drop-in basis. Shipley works in conjunction with faculty academic advisers throughout the campus to help students stay on target toward graduation with a major that reflects their aspirations. “Along with a faculty adviser, Chandra is another voice to help students review her or his options in light of their strengths and goals,” said Interim Provost Frank Boyd.

IWU News Blog

Headlines From Illinois Wesleyan University