Western Illinois University’s School of Computer Science hosted the 2022 LeatherHack training and cybersecurity competition in February. A selection committee chose 11 students out of 58 applicants to participate in the competition, based on their experience and interest in cybersecurity. Computer Science faculty conducted training sessions in a Cybersecurity lab. Six of the participants advanced into the finals and competed as two teams, Team Kali and Team Phoenix. The final competition was held Feb. 23. Professor Binto George coordinated training and competition activities. A panel of judges,... Read More

The Davenport Community School District and the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are sponsoring Family Cafes to help families navigate the challenges of raising kids. This is part of a series of conversations about mental health, along with other topics, with families who have similar experiences and a trained professional to facilitate these important conversations. The next family cafe is happening Wednesday, March 9, 2022, from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Davenport Schools Achievement Service at 1702 North Main Street in Davenport in the 2nd Floor Board Room. The session is titled “Improving... Read More

The School of Music at Western Illinois University, will present its 35th annual New Music Festival 2022 Monday-Tuesday, March 7-8. The events that make up the festival will be held in Browne Hall and in the College of Fine Arts and Communication Recital Hall. The festival is being directed by WIU School of Music Professor James Romig and Assistant Professor Hong-Da Chin, both composition faculty. This year’s featured performer is cellist Craig Hultgren and the featured composer is Baljinder Sekhon. Hultgren has performed as a cellist with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and has taught at... Read More

The Bettendorf Public Library was awarded $5,000 in a grant from the State Library of Iowa from American Rescue Plan Act funds. The grant went towards expanding the Library’s digital collection of books and audiobooks that were specifically designed to support psychology, professional development, personal finance, wellness, and more. These electronic offerings are accessible for Bettendorf Public Library cardholders at https://rivershare.overdrive.com/rivershare-bettendorf/content/collection/1263776 and fall in line with the Library’s vision to support the community’s pursuit of knowledge... Read More

“You and yours and them, she be willing to give, she be willing to live, she know she got the world on her back and the galaxies in her womb. She is a woman so she know that means that she is a warrior too …” – “and She Worthy” by Kywn Townsend Riley, from her spoken word album, “and She Worthy.” Riley, a Western Illinois University College Student Personnel graduate student, recently won the Chicago Reader’s 2021 Best of Chicago Competition, in the “Best New Poetry Collection of 2021” category. She was nominated for the competition, and... Read More

Dr. Dorian Maag, Principal of Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in Milan, was named as Elementary School Principal of the Year for the Blackhawk region by the Illinois Principals Association (IPA). The award recognizes high school principals who have demonstrated a positive impact on their students and learning community. Some of the criteria for the award include: demonstrates a positive impact on education and advocacy for children, highly respected by students, colleagues, and the community, and shows strong leadership by setting high standards for staff and students. Dr. Maag has been the... Read More

The Davenport Community School District and the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach are sponsoring Family Cafes to help families navigate the challenges of raising kids. This is part of a series of conversations about mental health, along with other topics, with families who have similar experiences and a trained professional to facilitate these important conversations. The next family cafe is happening Wednesday, March 9, 2022, from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Davenport Schools Achievement Service at 1702 North Main Street in Davenport in the 2nd Floor Board Room. The session is titled “Improving... Read More

The Western Illinois University Department of Physics will host episode nine of its Virtual Science Saturday, “Nanomaterials: What, How, and Why,” from 10-11 a.m. March. 5. This session will include a discussion about an exciting class of materials that bring radically new concepts to the field of materials science, and change the world of technology. This event will be led by WIU Physics Chair Kishor T. Kapale and Physics Professor P. K. Babu. Virtual Science Saturday is open to anyone and can be joined at bit.ly/WIUScienceSaturday. Past sessions of Virtual Science Saturday can be... Read More

Today, Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (IL-17) announced that she has nominated five Illinois students for admission to United States Service Academies for the class entering in the fall of 2022. Each year, Congresswoman Bustos has the honor of nominating qualified young people from Illinois’ 17th Congressional District for attendance at four service academies: the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY. Nominees must now be accepted by the academies... Read More

The nomination form for the Student Leadership Awards is now open on Purple Post. Nominations will be accepted until March 20 and the awards ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, April 18 in the University Union Grand Ballroom. For more information contact Lori Jackson at LA-Jackson3@wiu.edu.  Read More