A Western Illinois University School of Agriculture alumna has been chosen to attend a 10-day training at Texas State University (TSU) to bring more detailed agriculture mechanics skills to her high school students in Chester, IL. Emily Millburg, a 2019 graduate with a degree in agriculture education, is in her second year as an agriculture teacher at Chester High School near St. Louis, MO. Between July 25-Aug. 5, Millburg will attend the Agriculture Mechanics Academy at TSU, which will include training in small gas engines, electricity and welding. “The Academy is geared toward providing... Read More

Western Illinois University emergency management students, along with professional emergency personnel and educators, have the benefit of hands-on training and numerous other learning opportunities as a result of a collaborative partnership between the WIU GIS Center, WIU School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA)‘s emergency management degree program and the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Executive Institute (ILETSBEI) based at WIU. Recently, a hands-on (drone) sUAS Flight Operations Course was held on the WIU-Macomb campus, where participants learned... Read More

A Western Illinois University junior music education major is transitioning the lessons from her academic experience into leading a children’s theatre production. “The Odd Kingdom” was written by and is being directed by Racquel Rawlins, of Beardstown. Rawlins said the park district’s program director asked her to stage a children’s production this summer because of her experience leading a choir for young girls in the area. “I had directed shows previously to raise money for the opera house,” she said. The show, which includes 14 area children ranging... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – As the “to mask or not to mask” debate rages on amidst the ongoing pandemic Western Illinois University Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA) Professor Dean Alexander, who also leads WIU’s Homeland Security Research Program, and LEJA Professor Christopher Bitner have researched the challenges of mask enforcement. Their work was recently published in the June issue of Security magazine. In May 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced a significant change in its COVID-19 mask mandated policy. Namely, the CDC stated that... Read More

A Western Illinois University School of Agriculture alumna has been chosen to attend a 10-day training at Texas State University (TSU) to bring more detailed agriculture mechanics skills to her high school students in Chester, IL. Emily Millburg, a 2019 graduate with a degree in agriculture education, is in her second year as an agriculture teacher at Chester High School near St. Louis, MO. Between July 25-Aug. 5, Millburg will attend the Agriculture Mechanics Academy at TSU, which will include training in small gas engines, electricity and welding. “The Academy is geared toward providing... Read More

Western Illinois University fire science majors, within the WIU School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration (LEJA), recently underwent rigorous testing for Basic Firefighters and Hazardous Materials Operations Certifications as part of the Illinois Fire Service Institute’s (IFSI) Pro-Board Certification process. During the Spring 2021 semester, freshman fire science students traveled to Quincy to participate in a six-week, hands-on program focusing on a range of active fire situations including exposure to live fire, drills, hose advancement, ladder deployment, search and rescue... Read More

The family cattle operation, run by two Western Illinois University alumni, has been recognized as the 2021 Illinois Beef Association Commercial Producer of the Year. Larry Joe O’Hern, a 1982 agriculture graduate, and his son, Patrick, a 2004 agriculture graduate, are two of the owners of O’Hern Stock Farms, a 5,000-acre operation. Both men were members of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity during their time as students at WIU. O’Hern Farms was nominated for the award based on its operation in Vermont, IL, about 30 miles southeast of Macomb. In addition to raising cattle, the operation... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — For 11 years running, Western Illinois University has been selected as a Military Times “Best for Vets College” by Military Times magazine. Western is one of two Illinois public institutions in the top 25. According to the Military Times, 136 schools – from four-year to two-year, public, private and trade schools – responded to a survey detailing programs, policies and resources for veterans. Institutions were evaluated in five categories: university culture, student support, academic policies, academic outcomes/quality, and cost and financial aid. “Western... Read More

Western Illinois University and The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) entered into a formal partnership on June 17 by signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, the signing was held virtually and broadcast online in the Barbados. Under the agreement, Caribbean students seeking to take advantage of degree programs at WIU will benefit from the matching of coursework requirements at WIU against the CXC syllabus, which will allow for a seamless transition, said WIU Director of Global Studies Randy Glean. “We are delighted to partner with CXC. We... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – More than 33,700 individuals considered Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) reside in Illinois, according to the Migration Policy Institute. To help these childhood arrivals to the United States achieve their dreams, one Western Illinois University professor has created a scholarship for DREAMers (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors). Political Science Professor Julia Albarracin-Green has established the WIU DREAMer Scholarship Fund to provide the opportunity for a few undocumented students to attend Western. According to Albarracin, each year, nearly... Read More