Author Archives: mpoehls

IWU Students Present NexSTEM Research Virtually

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

Political Science Professor Greg Shaw Tackles the Topic of American Healthcare in New Book

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

Karen Bussone, Director of SBDC McLean County, Discusses Search Engine Optimization for Small Businesses

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 Named Ingram’s Inaugural Executive of the Year

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

Amy McCabe ’01 Performed in Band at Presidential Inauguration

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 Appointed to ODP Corporation’s Board of Directors

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

“Women’s Rights are Human Rights” Art Exhibit on Display at Ames School of Art

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

Psychology Professor Ellen Furlong Explores the Many Benefits of Having Dogs in the White House

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

Dave Kindred ’63 Writes Memoir on Grandson Lost to Addiction

From National Hall of Fame sports writer Dave Kindred ’63, his memoir Leave Out the Tragic Parts: A Grandfather’s Search for a Boy Lost to Addiction pieces together the emotional journey of his grandson’s fatal struggle with alcoholism. His writing offers a painfully honest yet sympathetic portrayal of addiction.

Read more on Kindred ’63 Authors Memoir on Grandson Lost to Addiction from Illinois Wesleyan

Physically Distant Student Life Brings New Levels of Engagement

The social scene at Illinois Wesleyan is still thriving safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a roster of limited capacity in-person events along with virtual and hybrid activities that – in some cases – have produced even higher attendance figures than pre-pandemic times.

Read more on Physically Distant Student Life Brings New Levels of Engagement from Illinois Wesleyan

IWU Receives Grant to Host Virtual Anti-Racism and Racial Justice Workshop

Among 180 recipients of state funding to promote racial healing efforts, IWU used a grant to host a virtual anti-racism and racial justice workshop featuring the performing arts company BrownBody. The event was part of IWU’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration.

Read more on IWU, Project Oz, YWCA Seek To Foster Racial Healing from WGLT Radio

Zoe Bouras ’18 Advocates Locally for Immigrant Rights

Zoe Bouras, a 2018 Illinois Wesleyan graduate who moved to the U.S. from England when she was 10 years old, has returned to Central Illinois to help immigrants, like herself, thrive. Bouras currently serves as the communications and development coordinator for The Immigration Project.

Read more on Global Citizen Bouras ’18 Advocates Locally for Immigrant Rights  from Illinois Wesleyan

Scott Shields ’83 Associate Producer of Finding Courage Documentary

Scott Shields ’83 is an associate producer of the documentary Finding Courage. Finding Courage tells the story of Yifei Wang, a former Chinese Communist Party journalist living in exile in San Francisco and seeking justice for her family. Already the winner of multiple awards on the film festival circuit, Finding Courage is available for streaming at SwoopFilms.com. A song from the documentary, “Courage is Found,” is also receiving awards consideration.

Listen to the song “Courage is Found” here

IWU Professor of Theatre Arts Julie Ballard Featured in Chicago Dance History Project

Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Julie Ballard will be among participants in the Chicago Dance History Project’s Interview Marathon on Jan. 31. The seven-hour Interview Marathon represents decades of dance history personified in more than 40 interview subjects.

Read more on Chicago Dance History Project Announces Interview Marathon Schedule from Broadway World

IWU English Professor James Plath Explores Conspiracy Theories on Fiction/Non/Fiction Podcast

R. Forrest Colwell Endowed Chair and Professor of English James Plath explored conspiracy theories in history and literature and discussed his edited volume, Critical Insights: Conspiracies. 

Read more and listen to the full podcast on Our Lies: Jenny Offill and James Plath on Conspiracy Theories in History and Literature from Literary Hub

Taylor Williams ’18 Finding Early Success in Law Career

Taylor Williams ’18 graduated a semester early from Southern Illinois University School of Law on Dec. 12, 2020. A Bloomington area native, Williams will return to Bloomington to work at a local law firm. She also received the McLean County Bar Association Scholarship in December, prior to her graduation.

Read more on 2020 Scholarship Recipient Taylor Williams from McLean County Bar Association

IWU Nursing Professor Amy Funk Joins U.S.-Russia COVID-19 Response Initiative

Assistant Professor of Nursing Amy Funk was selected as a member of the U.S.-Russia Social Expertise Exchange COVID-19 Response Public Health Working Group (PHWG). Four Americans and four Russians were selected for participation in this initiative. The goal of the group is to develop ideas for a bilateral project aimed at addressing health priorities in the U.S. and Russia including: promoting safety and self-care among at-risk populations in both countries, developing innovative solutions for disease detection and case management, and providing health-related services to vulnerable populations

Read more on U.S.-Russia Social Exchange

Josefine Bañales ’14 Publishes Article in Whiteness and Education Journal

Josefina Bañales ’14, with Professor and Chair of Sociology and Anthropology Meghan Burke and former IWU professor Kira Hudson Banks, has published “The impact of a diversity intervention on White college students’ colour-blind racial attitudes,” in the journal Whiteness and Education. Bañales is now Assistant Professor in Developmental Psychology and the Learning Research and Development Center at the University of Pittsburgh.

Read the full article on The impact of a diversity intervention on White college students’ colour-blind racial attitudes from Taylor & Francis Online