The Western Illinois University Office of Student Engagement (OSE), in conjunction with numerous other campus offices, will host “Winter Weeks of Welcome” for the first four weeks of the Spring 2021 semester. The goal of the events is to help engage students and help them make meaningful connections. The schedule includes: • Thursday, Jan. 21 – 11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Thursday on the Terrace, in-person on the University Union terrace – 3-5 p.m. Fraternity and Sorority Life Activities Fair – 8 p.m. UUB and IHC Paint and Go – virtual – 7 p.m. – UHDS Western Leader... Read More

Need a new hobby? Want to find a new way to spend your time? Join us on Thursday, January 21st at 3:00 pm as our librarian discusses why hobbies are important and how they can help you in many different ways. We will also showcase new books about hobbies that are available for you to check out. Want to learn a new hobby? Jump into the session and we will help find books to get you started on your next hobby. January is National Hobby Month, so why not let the library help you start a new hobby! Registration is not required. This program will be held virtually using GoToMeeting. Information about... Read More

Wednesday was a day not only for national celebration, with the inauguration, but for the Quad Cities Cultural Trust. The organization gathered its six funded partners in person for the first time since the pandemic started, to mark exceeding its 2021 fundraising goal; record-breaking allocations in 2020 for the partners, and a new Quad City Arts mural that bursts with color and purpose on the west side of the River Music Experience building at 2nd and Main streets, Davenport. Over the last 13 years, QCCT has provided annual unrestricted funds (over $11 million total) to the Figge Art Museum, Putnam... Read More

Western Illinois University’s student-run broadcast news and sports media, as well as the radio station, have been named as finalists for the annual Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Media Awards, to be held in March. NEWS3 staffers, The Dog WIUS-88.3 FM, and Broadcast Journalism’s sports broadcasters were nominated for a number of categories, including Best College TV Station, Best College Radio Station, Best Sports Pre-Game/Post-Game Show, Best Women’s Basketball Play-By-Play, Best Spot News, Best Use of YouTube, Best Video Sports Report and Best Use of Graphics. Individual... Read More

If your mood is as gray as winter mornings and you feel as if you’re living the lyrics of a blues song, it may help to shed light on your daily life. An estimated 16 million Americans experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) as the hours of available daylight are reduced in winter.  Seasonal Affective Disorder is a form of depression that is highly treatable, according to Steve Kopp, Ph.D, family counselor and director of Genesis Psychology Associates, Davenport. Compounding the symptoms of SAD this year is the COVID-19 outbreak. As we stay inside more and are anxious about the virus, there... Read More

The student-run Western Illinois University Food Pantry will open next week for the first week of the Spring 2021 semester. The pantry, located in Horrabin Hall, room 10, will be open from noon-5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, and from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 23. Until then, the pantry is open from noon-3 p.m. on Tuesdays during the holiday break. This semester’s co-presidents of the food pantry are junior dietetics and nutrition major Brittany Van Tine, of Macomb, and senior sociology major Davora Buchanan, of Chicago. For more information about the pantry, email Van Tine at BN-VanTine@wiu.edu,... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University will continue to host numerous COVID-19 test dates during the Spring 2021 semester. In keeping with Tier 3 guidelines, which remain in place, employees are encouraged to work remotely when possible and should coordinate with their supervisor to determine appropriate arrangements. Visit wiu.edu/coronavirus for updates and information before returning to campus. For those on the Macomb campus, an appointment must be made by going to beuonline.wiu.edu. Individuals should arrive at the meter parking lot at the northeast corner of the University Union... Read More

Western Illinois University’s School of Agriculture has announced that this year’s planned Farm Expo, the 51st annual event hosted by Western Illinois University’s Agriculture Mechanization (Ag Mech) Club, has been cancelled because of the limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic. The expo was scheduled for Feb. 6-7 in Western Hall, but restrictions on the number of people allowed to gather on campus forced its cancellation. Next year’s show is scheduled for Feb. 5-6, 2022. Last year the club celebrated the 50th anniversary of the expo on campus, as well as the 100th anniversary... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Michael Sowinski, former vice president, Internal Audit at OSF HealthCare in Peoria (IL) has been named director of Internal Audit at Western Illinois University. Sowinski served as the vice president at OSF HealthCare from 2016-2020. In that role, he developed, directed and oversaw the enterprise Internal Audit Program, the Specialized Compliance Audit Program and the Compliance Project Management function. Sowinski built the first Internal Audit department and was a key member in the development and execution of the Enterprise Risk Assessment, focusing on high-risk areas... Read More

Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse is thrilled to be working with the talented Bobby and Ashley Becher and their company “Rising Stars” to announce all new Winter classes.  All classes will take place at Circa ’21 or it’s secondary theater, The Speakeasy. “We are thrilled to be working with Ashley and Bobby again” said Denny Hitchcock Circa ’21’s owner/producer.  “They have done a wonderful job with their classes over the last year and we get such positive feedback from all the students who have taking the classes and their parents.  I encourage you to consider this for you child! ... Read More