Frankie Faison ’71 discusses his distinguished, decades-long career in theater, film and television. He reflects on growing up in Newport News, VA and how it impacted his future as well as reflects on his role in the 1988 film “Coming to America”.
Read more on Actor Frankie Faison talks about growing up in Newport News, his role in ‘Coming to America’ from Daily Press
Eldridge “Skip” Gilbert, Jr. ’67 is a candidate for Rockford’s 5th Ward alderman seat. Gilbert is a Rockford native who worked nearly two decades in the business world before a career in education.
Read more on One of these three is the next Rockford 5th Ward alderman, replacing Venita Hervey from Rockford Register Star
The Illinois Wesleyan softball team opened its season with a pair of wins over Illinois College on Feb. 18 at the Louisville Slugger Sports Dome in Peoria.
Read more on Softball Breaks Out the Brooms in Season-Opening Sweep of Illinois College from Illinois Wesleyan Athletics
Illinois Wesleyan’s Dean’s List for the fall semester of the 2020-21 academic year consisted of 771 students from 28 states and 15 countries.
Read more on Illinois Wesleyan Announces Fall 2020 Dean’s List from Illinois Wesleyan
The Campus Activities Board (CAB), a student-led organization committed to creating a vibrant campus life at IWU, won the Programming Organization of the Year Award for the Mid-America Region from the National Association of Campus Activities. They also received a marketing award for their fall 2020 calendar poster.
Read more on Campus Activities Board Recognized for Outstanding Programming from Illinois Wesleyan
Caitlin Pusateri was recently named the new executive vice president by the Rockford Chamber of Commerce. Pusateri will serve as lead executive for the Rockford Chamber and will oversee day-to-day operations of the Chamber while also providing leadership on strategic initiatives.
Read more on Rockford Chamber of Commerce names new vice president from Rockford Register Star
Netflix’s The Prom, produced by Bill Damaschke ’85, has been nominated for a Golden Globe in the category of Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The 78th Golden Globe Awards will be on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 7pm CT on NBC.
Read more on Netflix’s “The Prom,” Produced by Damaschke ’85, Nominated for Golden Globe from Illinois Wesleyan
During his senior year at Illinois Wesleyan (1971), Bill was the first ever IWU athlete to receive Academic All-American honors. This milestone took place 50 years ago.
Bill has gone on to be a renowned surgical oncologist. Read more about his successful career in this Illinois Wesleyan 2019 article: Dr. William Farrar ’71 Named CEO of Major Cancer Hospital and Research Institute
Esports have thrived during the pandemic at Illinois Wesleyan while traditional sports struggled. Esports can be done remotely which has been a huge benefit.
Read more on Sports have had to adjust to new normals during Covid. Not esports. from NBC News
Byron S. Tucci Professor of Hispanic Studies, Carolyn Nadeau, helped present “It’s All in the Salsa: Mexican Stories of McLean County,” part of a virtual speaker series highlighting local immigrant stories from the McLean County Museum of History.
Read more on ‘Breaking Bread In McLean County’ Highlights Local Immigrant Stories from WGLT
Illinois Wesleyan students participated in the school’s annual Thank a Giver Day on February 8. Many students said challenges of the pandemic have made them even more grateful for support from donors to the university.
Read more on Illinois Wesleyan University students thank donors amid pandemic from The Pantagraph
Chair and Associate Professor of Psychology Amanda Vicary discussed the popularity and implications of True Crime podcasts.
Read and listen more on Investigating Our Obsession With True Crime Podcasts from 1A
Senior Kendall Sosa’s record-breaking 47 point performance led the women’s basketball team to a win over Millikin. Sosa broke the women’s single-game scoring record set by Lila Wagner Jan. 5, 1980 and tied Greg Yess for the most points in a game by a Titan ever.
Read more on Sosa’s Record-Breaking Night Leads IWU to Win Over No. 13 Millikin from Illinois Wesleyan Athletics
Men’s Basketball Coach Ron Rose just passed Jack Horenberger on IWU’s all-time wins list. He moved into second on the school’s all-time win list when the IWU men’s basketball team overpowered North Park University on Feb. 11.
Read more on Rose Rises on the All-Time Wins List as IWU Overpowers North Park from Illinois Wesleyan Athletics
Sey Ahn, Director of the IWU Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, was chosen as conductor of the Missouri All-State Orchestra and will provide a virtual session for the students, who will not meet to rehearse or perform this year due to the pandemic.
Read more on WSD Musician Selected for State Honor from St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Dr. Michael A. Howard ’93 was among “North Shore premier doctors” celebrated for serving communities on the front lines during the ongoing pandemic.
Read more on North Shore Premier Doctors from JWC Media Sheridan Road
Sydnie Wells ’20 follows her budding career in the outdoor sports TV industry, with regular appearances on programs on the Sportsman Channel and the Outdoor Channel.
Read more on Canton Woman Enjoying Outdoor Sports TV Projects from Central Illinois Proud
STEM research continues amid the ongoing pandemic, as student researchers presented findings from their semester-long projects at the virtual 2020-21 Fall NexSTEM Research Symposium. Research projects ranged from a nature restoration project, assessing the power of physical therapy post-stroke, and developing a model for a non-profit grocery store in Bloomington.
Read more on NexSTEM Scholars Present Research Virtually from Illinois Wesleyan
Professor of Political Science Greg Shaw takes on the behemoth question of how to pay for healthcare in the United States in a new book: Medicare and Medicaid: A Reference Handbook. This book features Shaw’s own analysis as well as short essays from a number of perspectives.
Read more on New Faculty Book Tackles the Past and Present of American Healthcare from Illinois Wesleyan
Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center of McLean County at Illinois Wesleyan University Karen Bussone wrote about search engine optimization (SEO) for small businesses in her guest column in The Pantagraph.
Read more on Karen Bussone: Get help with search engine goals from The Pantagraph
Bob Page ’79, president and CEO of the University of Kansas Health System, was named Ingram’s inaugural Executive of the Year 2021. Page says that an executive cannot simply decree cultural change. It must be lived, and demonstrated by example. He was also IWU’s 2013 Distinguished Alumni Award winner.
Read more on Ingram’s 2021 Executive of the Year: Bob Page from Ingram’s
As a member of “The President’s Own” United States Marine Corps Band, trumpeter and cornetist, Amy McCabe ’01 performed at the inauguration of President Joe Biden. McCabe joined the band in 2006, and has performed at two inaugurations for former President Barack Obama, one for former President Donald Trump and one for President Joe Biden.
Read more on Bonfield native performed at Biden’s inauguration from the Daily Journal
Marcus Dunlop ’08, a partner at HG Vora Capital Management, LLC., was recently appointed to ODP corporation’s board of directors. The ODP Corporation is a leading provider of business services and supplies, products and digital workplace technology solutions.
Read more on The ODP Corporation Appoints Marcus B. Dunlop to Board of Directors from Guru Focus
The collection, “Women’s Rights are Human Rights,” is on display in the Atrium Gallery of the IWU Ames School of Art. Instructional Professor and Gallery Director Carmen Lozar joined WGLT’s “The Leadoff” to discuss the exhibit.
Read and listen more on Provacative Posters At IWU Highlight Women’s Rights from WGLT radio
IWU Associate Professor of Psychology Ellen Furlong explains the physical, psychological and social benefits that President Joe Biden’s dogs, Major and Champ, can bring to the working environment of the White House. Dogs in the workplace have been proven to decrease stress, improve work satisfaction, and even enhance employee cohesion and communication.
Read more on Dogs can make stressful workplaces better for people. Even the White House. from Popular Science