Come join us at our booth at Bald Eagle Days Environmental Fair at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island Island, Illinois, January 5-7, 10am-5pm. Learn about Bald Eagles, visit more than 200 informative and vendor booths; watch the Birds of Prey shows; and take the Quad City Audubon Eagle Tours. We will have lots of snow leopard fundraising items to choose from and information about snow leopards. Adults $6; Kids 6-15 $1; Kids under 6 Free. More info? Check this out…  Read More

The Western Illinois University Office of Justice, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (JIDE) is proud to host the inaugural National Day of Racial Healing Tuesday, Jan. 16 following Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Aligned with the national observance, this day aims to foster a collective commitment to racial equity, justice and understanding. Multiple events will be held in line with the observance. The National Day of Racial Healing serves as a catalyst for activities promoting racial healing in homes, schools, businesses and communities nationwide. At WIU, the focus is on creating a more just and equitable... Read More

MACOMB — Eager to hit the ground running, Western Illinois football coach Joe Davis unveiled his first signing class on Wednesday with five new student-athletes signing their letters of intent to become Leathernecks. All five signees will be part of the Freshmen 2024 class in the fall. Among the first batch of new Leathernecks are three players on the offensive side of the ball as well as a pair of defensive players. The class features student-athletes who prepped in Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee. The new class does not lack credentials with multiple All-Conference, All-District, and... Read More

Join a Naturalist for an interpretive trail walk through the Nahant Marsh to get your year started off on the right foot! Coffee and Hot Chocolate will be available in the Education Center afterwards to warm you up. Details & Sign-up: First Day Hike  Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Going back to its roots as a normal, or teaching, school, Western Illinois University has established the Arlington & Arlene Seymour Center for Rural Education, Advocacy, Policy and Research – the first center of its kind in Illinois and one of a few in the United States – to honor the commitment and dedication of two lifelong educators. In November 2020, the Illinois Board of Higher Education approved WIU as the site for the state’s rural education center. The center, housed within the School of Education in the College of Education and Human Services, is made... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – – Western Illinois University has named Cassandra Standberry executive director of Human Resources and Title IX coordinator, effective Dec. 23. Standberry has served as the interim executive director of Human Resources and Title IX coordinator since August 2023. In her permanent position at WIU, she will also oversee the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (EOA). “Cassandra brings a wealth of experience, talent and knowledge to this position. I am excited about working with her in this role,” Vice President for Finance and Administration Paul Edwards... Read More

Rock Island Police Department and Rock Island Fire Department took part in the annual Police and Firefighters for Christmas event Friday at Walmart. The officers and firefighters were paired up with 40 children chosen by the Rock Island-Milan School District to go shopping for gifts for their loved ones. When shopping was done, the presents were transported back to the Police Department where elves wrapped the gifts while the kids enjoyed a holiday meal. #rockisland #Christmas  Read More

The Rock Island Rocks wrestlers took 2nd place at the Jim Boyd Invitational at Riverdale. Taking first place were Truth Vesey, Daniel McGhee, Amare Overton, and Andrew Marquez. Winning lower weight Outstanding Wrestler was Daniel McGhee, and the upper weight Outstanding Wrestler was Amare Overton! Antonio Parker took 2nd, Merrick Stockwell and Temar Hudson took 5th, and Taven Richardson took 6th.  Read More

In November, all Davenport Schools fifth-grade students participated in Junior Achievement BizTown at JA World. JA BizTown combines several weeks of in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town. This popular learning experience allows elementary school students to interview for the job they want to do for the town, then go on-site to run the town by operating banks, managing restaurants, writing checks, and voting for mayor. This is a premier experience for students to connect the dots between what they learn in school and the variety of career pathways available to them. We are... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — An esteemed ceremony acknowledging the academic and personal triumphs of Western Illinois University students and alumni is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16 in Macomb. This special event will honor graduates at all levels, representing both the Macomb and Quad Cities campuses. The number of students eligible to participate in the Fall 2023 Commencement ceremony is 646, which includes 381 undergraduate students, of which 60 are in the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies degree program; 262 are master’s-level graduate students; and four students are earning their... Read More