MERCER COUNTY, Illinois—As school districts across the region consider how education will be delivered this fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two largest school districts serving Mercer County students in Illinois will continue their pursuit to ensure every single student has access to technology. The Looser-Flake Foundation, a private foundation administered through the Quad Cities Community Foundation, is awarding $212,000 in grants to promote equity in access to learning through technology. This is not the first time that the Looser-Flake Foundation has provided technology support to... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University’s virtual summer orientation experiences are underway, and will continue throughout June. Incoming new first-year students on the Macomb campus can sign up for their virtual summer orientation day by logging into their STARS account. During virtual summer orientation, students will meet their orientation leaders and begin to learn how to be a successful student at WIU. New students will continue to have opportunities to engage with staff and have opportunities through the summer to take part in extended online new student orientation sessions.... Read More

The deadline is quickly approaching to be a part of the Final Phase of the Western Illinois University Alumni Plaza brick project. The last date to purchase a brick, which will be installed in July, is Monday, June 15. More than 750 donors, representing 31 states have already placed about 800 bricks in the plaza, raising more than $110,000. The plaza is a brick patio, just north of the anchoring the North entry to the University Union. Once the project is complete, it will adjoin a Mascot Memorial Plaza, paying tribute to WIU’s live mascots, “Rocky” and “Ray.” The... Read More

WARNING: Contains language some may find offensive. The language is used for context and is not gratuitous, but may trigger or offend some individuals. The Keaton bullying video brought tears to my eyes and broke my heart. As anyone who went to junior high with me knows, I was bullied mercilessly seventh and eighth grade years. I was a skinny, awkward, artsy, goofy kid with messy hair who loved art, writing, Dr. Who, David Bowie, Duran Duran and all kinds of other so-called “faggot things.” I was poor and had ripped clothes and went to a rich kids’ school. I was pitifully awkward with girls... Read More