Assistant Professor of Nursing Monica Hall ’90 has been named a Nurse Educator Fellow by the Illinois Board of Higher Education, supporting her research on type 2 diabetes in the African American community.
Read more on Hall ’90 Earns Illinois Nurse Educator Fellowship from Illinois Wesleyan
Alex Calvert ’86 was named to First State Bank of Bloomington’s Board of Directors. First State Bank of Bloomington is a 100% employee-owned community bank with a strong commitment to service excellence.
Read more on Calvert, Hjerpe elected to First State Bank of Bloomington board of directors from The Pantagraph
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
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
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
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
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
Dr. Greg Poland ’77 said individuals’ unwillingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine often boils down to misconception and not understanding the science. Dr. Poland is currently the director of the Mayo Clinic’s Vaccine Research Group.
Read more on IWU Alum Leading Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research On COVID Misconceptions from WGLT Radio
Artwork from Bob Ward ’60 was featured in an exhibit, “Art in the Time of Coronavirus,” at the Union Museum of Art and History in Farmerville, Louisiana. Ward is a practicing and exhibiting artist who specializes in acrylic on canvas painting.
Read more on ART provides creative outlet during pandemic from The Farmerville Gazette
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
Dr. Robyn (Heins) Zehr ’04 was named Estes Park Health’s chief of staff. In this role she will “serve as a liaison between the providers and the administration at EPH, trying to make sure all needs are met on both ends”.
Read more on Inside People: Dr. Zehr is new EPH Chief of Staff from Estes Park Trail Gazette
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
Ryan Jumper ’00, now an associate judge in the Third Judicial Circuit, was featured in a “Where are they now” spotlight, where they discuss his journey from a three sport athlete to a career in law.
Read more on WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Parents, coaches were role models for Jumper from the Edwardsville Intelligencer
Raven Stubbs ’13 is the new program director for PlayMakers Laboratory, a Chicago nonprofit offering educational programming focused on storytelling, theatre and social-emotional skills.
Read more on Raven Stubbs Named PlayMakers Laboratory’s New Program Director from Broadway World Chicago
Kate Tombaugh ’07 topped 155 other mezzo-sopranos in the Mildred C. Miller International Competition. She was the only finalist representing the Midwest in the event hosted by Pittsburgh Festival Opera.
Read more on Central Illinois Opera Singer Wins International Competition Amid COVID from WGLT Radio
Booker T. Washington STEM Academy fifth-grade teacher Todd McCannon ’01 used his artistic skills to creatively engage students when instruction went remote, creating chalkboard murals for his Zoom background.
Read more on Top of the Morning, Dec. 19, 2020 from The News-Gazette
Jordan Koehler ’19 was recently named the head golf coach at St. Mary’s (Ind.) College. Koehler was previously the graduate assistant coach for the men’s and women’s golf programs at the University of Dubuque.
Read more on Ex-Streak Koehler named Belles’ golf coach from The Galesburg Register-Mail
Dr. Gregory Poland ’77, a vaccine researcher, discussed the difficulty of convincing enough people to take the COVID-19 vaccine to achieve herd immunity on WGLT’s “Sound Ideas.”
Read and listen more on Sound Ideas from WGLT radio
Associate Professor of Psychology Ellen Furlong has fostered a new generation of researchers passionate about dog cognition, including Zach Silver ’18, Ellen Stumph ’19, and Sydney Rowley ’20 – all of whom presented research at Yale University’s dog cognition workshop.
Read more on Faculty, Alumni and Students Shaping the Field of Canine Cognition from Illinois Wesleyan