A baseball lover and coach, Mike Brown ’92, touched countless lives through the game he loved. Brown died unexpectedly at his home in Bloomington on April 21 at the age of 51.
Read more on Kindred: Mike Brown was tough and tender, and the best friend baseball ever had from The Pantagraph
Meghan (Henwood) Burgess ’15, a fifth-grade teacher at Champaign’s Holy Cross Elementary School, was featured as The News-Gazette’s “Teacher of the Week.”
Read more on Teacher of the Week: Meghan Burgess from The News-Gazette
Kendall Sosa ’21 was named the D3hoops.com Central Region Player of the Year and Matthew Leritz ’22 was selected to D3hoops.com All-Central Region First Team. Leritz had a stellar junior season, averaging 16.1 points per game. In Sosa’s historic season she averaged 26.7 points per game.
Read more on Leritz Tabbed D3hoops All-Central Region First Team and Sosa Named D3hoops Central Region Player of the Year from Illinois Wesleyan Athletics
Cassandra Jones ’22 set IWU’s single-game goals record as women’s lacrosse clinched a share of the CCIW Regular Season Championship. Jones scored seven goals and added in one assist in a record setting game.
Read more on Jones Sets Single-Game Goals Record as Titans Crush Cardinals from Illinois Wesleyan Athletics
As we recognize all Illinois Wesleyan outstanding seniors, senior leaders were announced via video in five categories: Cultural Leadership, Intellectual Leadership, Service as a University Employee, Service to Community, and Campus Life Leadership.
Watch the award presentation here
Graduating senior Natalie Kuca ’21 has been awarded the 2021 Technos International Prize, which recognizes a student who has excelled academically and contributed to broadening international awareness and understanding. Kuca is an international studies major with a minor in Japanese studies.
Read more on Kuca ’21 Awarded Technos International Prize from Illinois Wesleyan
Karl Julian ’01 is a candidate for a spot on Vestavia Hills’ Board of Education. Julian’s goal is to make sure students have all the academic and emotional support they need as he believes that a good education is the “cornerstone of success” in life. Julian is currently the owner and head instructor of World Oyama Karate.
Read more on Meet the 11 candidates for Vestavia Hills Board of Education from Vestavia Voice
With unanimous certification, Isaac Simmons ’20 is the first openly gay man to be certified within the Illinois Great Rivers Conference and the first known drag queen certified in the United Methodist Church.
Read more on First drag queen certified as a candidate for United Methodist ministry ‘speaking in a new way to new people’ from Religion News Service
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WU recently announced the 2021 recipients of the Robert S. and Nell B. Eckley Summer Scholars and Artists Program. Five students have been awarded stipends to conduct scholarly research or artistic activity this summer under the mentorship of a faculty member: Katie Fata ’22, Joey Kiper ’22, Jenna Ney ’22, Anjali Patel ’23 and Isabel Sperry ’22.
Read more on Eckley Summer Scholars Announced from Illinois Wesleyan
Professor and Chair of English Joanne Diaz was named the 2022 recipient of the Kemp Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence. Diaz is recognized for bringing spirit, passion and scholarship to the art of teaching. At the virtual ceremony, the University honored 2021 Kemp Honoree, Professor of History Tom Lutze, and retiring members of the faculty.
Read more on Diaz Named 2022 Kemp Award Winner from Illinois Wesleyan
Faizal Chaudhury ’96 joined the advisory board of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Philadelphia Chapter. The CAIR is the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the nation. Faizal is the vice president of customer centricity with Sallie Mae, where he is responsible for leading the organization-wide initiative to improve customer experience, loyalty, and advocacy.
Read more on Faizal Chaudhury from CAIR Philadelphia
John Munch ’98 will be the next superintendent of LaGrange Highlands School District 106. For the past seven years Munch has been the assistant superintendent for human resources of Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary School District 181.
Read more on La Grange Highlands School District 106 hires Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills administrator as next superintendent from Chicago Tribune
Scott Swayne ’90 was recently named Chief People Officer (“CPO”) for Potbelly Corporation. Swayne will lead the Human Resources and People Team to strengthen Potbelly’s dynamic culture and drive best-in-class talent acquisition solutions.
Read more on Potbelly Names Scott Swayne as Chief People Officer from QSR Magazine
Maggie Evans and Chandra Shipley have been named 2021 recipients of the fourth annual Illinois Wesleyan University Leadership Awards for Inclusive Excellence. Evans is an Assistant Professor of Educational Studies where she promotes social justice in education. Shipley is the Director of Academic Advising and Student Accessibility Services where she supports students with disabilities.
Read more on Evans and Shipley Honored with University Leadership Awards for Inclusive Excellence from Illinois Wesleyan
All In for Wesleyan records were shattered on April 8, as an all-time high 3,587 donors collectively raised a record-setting $2,539,574 million in just 24 hours. Illinois Wesleyan is grateful to all alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University that contributed.
Read more on Record-Setting $2.5 Million Raised During All In for Wesleyan from Illinois Wesleyan
Sarah (Brown) Smith ’04 was named associate principal for curriculum and instruction at Andrew High School in Tinley Park. Smith has been with District 230 for seven years and she plans to focus on building strong relationships, teacher connections, and setting high expectations for students.
Read more on High School District 230 names assistant principal, athletic director from Chicago Tribune
William Dwyer ’08 joined current and former members of the IWU Collegiate Choir to support the St. Joseph Church of Chenoa and St. Mary Church of Lexington at a joint Easter Vigil Mass.
Read more on Illinois Wesleyan University Collegiate Choir to perform at Mass from Pontiac Daily Leader
Dr. William Havlik ’76 retired from Hastings & Havlik Family Dentistry on April 1, after more than 41 years of service.
Read more on Dentist William Havlik retirement celebration set Thursday from JG-TC
Longtime Kansas City Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews ’66 returned to the broadcast booth after a year of calling games remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read more on Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews returns to the booth with a marathon: ‘Opening Day turned into Opening Night’ from The Athletic (subscription required)
Monica (Cheek) Hall ’90 was one of three local nursing professors to earn a $10,000 Nurse Educator Fellowship awarded by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Hall hopes to use the fellowship to involve undergraduate students in research about the disproportionate impact that Type 2 diabetes has on Black people and other minorities.
Read more on Bloomington-Normal nursing professors share passion for teaching, receive fellowships from The Pantagraph
Music education major Lindsay Ring ’21 is a finalist in the Music International Grand Prix Solo Competition, a new international competition for musicians of all ages, after winning first place in the Young Adult category for Wind and Brass at the semifinal competition.
Read more on Ring ’21 Advances to Finals in Music International Grand Prix Competition from Illinois Wesleyan
Thao “Jenny” Le ’21 is seeking solutions for economic sustainability through a Mark Israel research grant. Through evaluating factors that contribute to economic volatility in low and middle income countries, Le hopes to influence the focus of current literature surrounding growth of developing countries.
Read more on Le ’21 Seeks Solutions for Economic Sustainability through Mark Israel Research Grant from Illinois Wesleyan
Emeritus Professor of Physics Linda French has been elected as a legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society, an honor reserved for a tiny percentage of members of this professional society.
Read more on American Astronomical Society Announces First Class of AAS Fellows from the American Astronomical Society
Associate Professor of Nursing Wendy Kooken is among the exhibitors featured in “Nurses Relaxation and Renewal Through the Arts,” a showcase event for nurses’ art expressions on display at the International Museum of Surgical Science in Chicago April 9 through July 11. The exhibit is co-sponsored by Hektoen Nurses and the Humanities and The Hektoen International Journal of Medical Humanities.
Read more on Nurses’ Relaxation and Renewal through the Arts from the International Museum of Surgical Science. Wendy Kooken’s piece can be seen in the digital exhibit catalog here
Assistant Professor of Music Lisa Nelson gave two presentations at the American String Teachers Association National Conference (virtual, March 3-8) – “Solo & Ensemble and Festival: Exploring Works by Women Composers” and “Beyond Suzuki: Elementary Method Books, Pedagogical Repertoire, and Recital Pieces for the Violin/Viola Studio.” Nelson also performed Alexander Raichev’s Aria for Solo Viola at three regional conferences of the College Music Society.
Learn more about the conference on American String Teachers Association’s website