Category Archives: Students

West Bloomington Revitalization Partnership Receives Award

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The West Bloomington Revitalization Partnership (WBRP) will receive the American Planning Association Award for their strategic plan in improving the neighborhood of West Bloomington. The award will be presented at the city council meeting Monday, Oct. 26.

> Read the plan (pdf)

The honor acknowledges the hard work of multiple community organizations, members of the Illinois Wesleyan University faculty and staff, as well as 13 IWU Action Research students who are working to improve the West Bloomington neighborhood.

Illinois Wesleyan has worked with the WBRP since it’s inception in the spring of 2008, and placed two summer interns with the association, senior sociology major Aaron Massey and senior political science major Mike Kotz. The Action Research Seminar class in the fall of 2008 also contributed to the program, focusing their research on the youth on the Westside. Currently, junior sociology major Bianca Spratt and junior business administration major Brittini Gray are working for the organization.

The WBRP developed after community members identified West Bloomington as a concern and in need of intervention. After surveying a portion of the neighborhood and obtaining feedback, the partnership created an improvement plan with six key components; Greening, Youth, Safety, Economic Development, Housing and Education. Each topic has a list of short and long-term goals that will be implemented in the coming months and years.

Students Named Peace Fellows

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University has announced students Emily Coles and Jessica Meyer as the 2009 Peace Fellows. The Peace Fellows Program, created in 2007 by IWU alumnus John Stutzman and his wife, Erma, annually awards fellowships to first-year students and sophomores interested in peace, social justice and conflict resolution.

In addition to taking Illinois Wesleyan courses in these areas, students selected to participate in the Peace Fellows Program are required to further explore their commitment to peace by completing an independent study and participating in an off- campus internship in the United States or abroad. The program offers $1,000 to each student in order to help them complete these personal projects.

For Coles, the fellowship is an opportunity to get closer to the issues that matter most to her. “The fellowship means an ability to pursue something of importance that is outside the range of typical academic studies. It really pushes you to go out and do something more,” said Coles, a junior international studies and French double major. She is particularly interested in how to best protect human rights, especially those of children in conflict areas. “I have developed a passionate interest in the plight of children, especially refugees and child soldiers, whose lives have been disrupted by war,” said Coles, of Champaign, Ill.

Student Volunteers Help Build Extreme Makeover Home

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. –Not everyone can be on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, however this year several Illinois Wesleyan University students received the opportunity to participate in the show’s latest renovation. On August 18th, the program began filming its latest project.

Extreme Makeover: Home Edition surprises deserving families by demolishing their old home and building a new one in its place in just one week. It requires shifts of hundreds of volunteers, as well as designers and a local construction crew to work from early morning until late at night to complete the task.

The Montgomery family from Philo, a town nine miles south of Urbana, Ill., was selected to receive this new house and was selected for its contributions to the community. The winning homeowner, Nathan Montgomery, a former engineer, gave up his career to start a food pantry and clothing bank called “Salt & Light” in Champaign. The pantry helps feed over 250 families and provides clothing for over 300 families.

Bevin Cowie, a senior sociology major from Braidwood, Ill., was one of 18 Illinois Wesleyan students that volunteered along with Illinois Wesleyan’s Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Kathy Cavins. The students helped keep the site clean, move bricks, and supply lunch and water to the other volunteers. As Site Coordinator, Cowie was given a list of tasks that she could then delegate to other volunteers to help her.

Illinois Wesleyan Welcomes Class of 2013

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Beginning Tuesday, Aug. 18, Illinois Wesleyan University’s class of 2013 will officially “turn Titan” as part of the University’s annual “Turning Titan: New Student Orientation.” The program is designed to acclimate incoming first-year students to academic, residential and social aspects of college life. The orientation will culminate on Sunday, Aug. 23, and University classes will begin the following Monday.

The Titan Orientation schedule will combine support services with entertainment, offering events such as “Traditions Night,” where students can socialize while learning about the University’s history, and “Real World 101,” an onstage send-up of common student anxieties.

Other key events will include: New Student Convocation, an address to be delivered by Associate Professor of English Wes Chapman titled “The Right Kind of Confidence;” “One Stop Shop: a Campus Community Resource Fair,” which introduces students to local businesses and other services; and the Summer Reading Program, which invites students, faculty and staff to critically discuss a common literary work.

This year’s selection for the reading program is Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time, by New York Times No. 1 bestselling author Greg Mortenson. Co-written by journalist David Oliver Relin, Mortenson’s novel chronicles his experience in Pakistan in 1993 after a failed expedition to climb K2, which inspired his efforts to establish over 75 schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan in the years since. Mortenson will be the guest speaker at the President’s Convocation on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 11 a.m. in the Westbrook Auditorium of Presser Hall (1210 N. Park Street, Bloomington).

IWU Senior Places Third on “So You Think You Can Dance?”

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – He may not be “America’s Favorite Dancer,” but Evan Kasprzak is still Illinois Wesleyan University’s favorite dancer, as well as the favorite of millions who voted for him across the United States. Kasprzak, an IWU senior from West Bloomfield, Mich., has won third place on Fox TV’s So You Think You Can Dance?, a hit reality TV show in the style of American Idol.

A music theatre major and a dancer since the age of six, Kasprzak was the first contestant dancing the Broadway style to compete on the award-winning show’s top 20. He was also the only dancer of the top 20 in season five who did not have to “dance for his life” to stay in the competition. Each week, the TV audience phoned in votes for their favorite dancer, and there were sufficient votes for Kasprzak to advance without impediment every round of eliminations this season.

“It’s been an awesome journey and I couldn’t ask for anything else,” said Kasprzak in front of an audience of over 3,000 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles. He said one of his favorite aspects of the show has been working with the various professional choreographers, many of whom have won Emmy awards for their work. Hostess Cat Deeley asked him if he was glad he had been on the show. “I’m ecstatic,” he said.

Kasprzak’s final episode was greeted with cheers from an audience of over 60 at IWU’s Minor Myers, jr. Welcome Center auditorium. Members of the campus community gathered to celebrate the Illinois Wesleyan student’s weeks of dancing on the show, and many wore shirts with the phrase “Proud Kasprzaktivist” on them.

Portland Theatre Company Showcases Wesleyan Talent

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – A group of Illinois Wesleyan University students, faculty, and alumni will present a free of charge musical in Portland, Oregon this summer.

Tin Pan Alley Theatre Company (TPA), which was started by an IWU alumnus, will present the musical Triumph of Love at the Artist’s Repertory Morrison Street Theater in Portland. Although the production is free, tickets can be reserved by e-mailing iwantfreemusicals@gmail.com or calling (503) 708-7553. The show will debut on Friday, August 7 and run until Saturday, August 22. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. PST Wednesday through Saturday, and at 2 p.m. PST for the Sunday performance on August 15.

Tin Pan Alley’s co-founder and artistic director is David Rubin, a Portland native and 2009 Illinois Wesleyan graduate with a bachelor of fine arts. “The idea behind the production,” said Rubin, “is to dedicate Triumph of Love to the average person who is ready to have some fun this summer.” According to production promotional materials, the company hopes to continue to offer free musicals in the future with the support of donations through the Web site and at performances.

The show will feature extensive involvement by Illinois Wesleyan School of Theatre Arts students, faculty, and alumni. Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Scott Susong is the director. TPA’s managing director Natalie Buccomini, ’08, will direct the music (with Rubin choreographing). The musical also features students Maia Diaz, ’10, Neil Stratman, ’10, Melina Rey, ’11, and graduate Tony Lopez, ’08, in lead roles.

Kasprzak Advances to Final Four on “So You Think You Can Dance?”

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Having proven that he can dance, there is only one week of competition left for Illinois Wesleyan University senior Evan Kasprzak, of West Bloomfield, Mich., before he finds out whether he is “America’s Favorite Dancer.”

Kasprzak, a music theatre major at IWU, has spent the summer competing with other dancers from around the nation on Fox TV’s “So You Think You Can Dance?,” an American Idol-style show where contenders dance on live TV for phone-in votes from the audience. Kasprzak and his brother, Ryan, both auditioned for the show in the spring, but Ryan was cut right before the top 20 dancers were established. Since then, Evan Kasprzak has performed every week for a live audience in Los Angeles, and viewers from around the U.S. have phoned in their votes on Wednesday evenings.

It was on July 30 that Kasprzak survived the final round of cuts to become one of the top four contestants on the show. Next week, he will dance for his position among the remaining two guys and two girls, hoping to win the first-place prize of $250,000 and the title of “America’s Favorite Dancer.” Notably, Kasprzak is the only competitor out of the top 20 who has not had to “dance for his life” on the Thursday night shows, because there have been sufficient votes for him to advance without impediment each week.

Whether he wins first place or not, Kasprzak will not be attending classes at Illinois Wesleyan during the fall semester, because he and the other top 12 dancers from the show will be part of a 40-city national tour. However, he has stated that he will return to campus in the spring to complete his bachelor of fine arts degree. This tour will perform in Champaign, Ill. on Sunday, Oct. 4 and in Chicago on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.

Students Receive Study Abroad Scholarship Awards

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Illinois Wesleyan University junior Lukasz Sewera was recently named the recipient of a competitive Benjamin A. Gilman international scholarship. He is one of approximately 1,000 United States students selected annually to receive the prestigious scholarship, which is sponsored by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State.

A biology major from Norridge, Ill., Sewera will study medical practice and policy with the Danish Institute for Study Abroad (DIS) in Copenhagen, Denmark. He was also the recipient of an approximately $4,000 scholarship from DIS, one of many scholarships awarded to Illinois Wesleyan students for international study in the coming year.

Sewera is the fourth IWU student to receive the Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship in the last two years. Others who have received the scholarship are Brad Tieche, Celeste Nunez, and Angela Rumsey, all Class of 2009. The Gilman scholarship, which awards an average of $4,000 per student, aims to diversify students who study abroad by offering financial support and to promote non-traditional study abroad destinations.

As part of the Gilman scholarship application, Sewera designed a follow-up project to his experience overseas. On the encouragement of International Office Director Stacey Shimizu, he will deliver a presentation in the spring that encourages science and pre-med students to study abroad, despite the perceived restrictions of their majors.

Students Tap Alumni for Internship Opportunities

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – While many people are struggling to find summer jobs in the economic downswing, many Illinois Wesleyan University students have obtained summer internships that give them valuable experience in the fields that could be their careers. A few of these students found such opportunities through one of IWU’s most valuable resources: its alumni.

According to Assistant Director and Internship Coordinator for the Hart Career Center Laurie Diekhoff, the job market this summer has been exceptionally tough. “Organizations have been trimming and working with minimal staff,” she said. “Students are competing with laid off workers for the jobs that do exist.”

However, from marketing for a photography business to building sets for an independent film company, three IWU students have obtained summer internships despite the competition by working with alumni. “Internships are especially important because they show that a student is following up on their career interests, learning about the field and developing concrete skills,” said Diekhoff.

Additionally, these particular internships are giving alumni an opportunity to give back to the school by supporting the students and passing on their wisdom. Following are some experiences three Illinois Wesleyan students have had working with alumni this summer.

Kasprzak Competes on “So You Think You Can Dance?”

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – Evan Kasprzak, who just completed his junior year at Illinois Wesleyan University, has made it onto the fifth season of Fox TV’s So You Think You Can Dance? as one of the top 20 dancers. Kasprzak auditioned for the show last year, but was cut just before the final roster of contenders was decided.

“It’s an amazing experience getting to be around so many incredibly talented people who are so passionate about the same things,” said Kasprzak, a music-theater major. Over the summer, he will have to prove himself against those people to win votes from the audience. Anyone can vote by calling a toll-free number, and those votes will determine how far he advances on the show.

After auditioning in Memphis in May with his older brother Ryan Kasprzak, who choreographed his routine, Evan Kasprzak advanced to the Las Vegas callbacks to compete for a place in the top 20. Unfortunately, his brother Ryan was cut from the show with the judges’ condolences on the June 4 episode, and Evan was left to continue on his own to rehearse and perform in Los Angeles for the summer. “One Kasprzak is better than no Kasprzaks,” said Ryan during the final moments of the episode, nudging his younger brother to join the other finalists.

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