MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – It is with great sadness that Western Illinois University shares the loss of its beloved retired mascot, Col. Rock III (Rocky). Rocky passed away peacefully the morning of Jan. 25. He would have celebrated his 11th birthday on March 3. Rocky joined the Western Illinois University family on May 15, 2010 as a 10-week-old puppy, and for more than eight years, Rocky (aka Col. Rock III), WIU’s first official four-legged mascot since the 1970s, charmed people on and off campus with his winning personality, tricks and Bulldog smile. Rocky, who lived with his people, Joe (executive... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL — Beginning the week of Feb. 1, Western Illinois University will begin COVID-19 surveillance testing and continue as the semester progresses. Additional open appointment times may be added periodically for those who would like to be tested,but have not been selected as part of the surveillance test population. Each week, approximately 700 students, faculty and staff will receive an email encouraging them to get a free COVID test provided by Beu Health Center. According to Executive Director of Auxiliary Services and Risk Management Joe Roselieb, the University is using the... Read More

A yearly donation from the Illinois Farm Bureau, earmarked for student development projects in Western Illinois University’s School of Agriculture, has been transitioned because of the COVID-19, and used to purchase technology to enhance remote student learning. School of Agriculture Director Andy Baker said he asked Illinois Farm Bureau representatives to revise spending requirements for the funding after the pandemic hindered the ability of students to travel or participate in traditional development activities. “They graciously agreed to allow us to spend $2,500, so we have purchased... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Western Illinois University has been selected as the winner of the second annual Regroup Ready Award after demonstrating exceptional implementation and usage of mass notifications to serve its campus community. According to Regroup Mass Notification, which is the provider for Western’s Emergency Alert System (WEAS), the Regroup Ready Award program was created to recognize organizations and institutions that use the power of mass communication in exceptional ways. This includes implementing day-to-day communications to improve operational efficiency and emergency messages... Read More

As part of the 2021 celebration of Black History Month at Western Illinois University, University of Missouri-Columbia Associate Professor Keona Ervin will deliver the keynote address, “Reimagining Liberation: Black Feminism from the Combahee River Collective to the Movement for Black Lives,” virtually from 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2. The address will provide an overview of the organizing work of radical Black feminists from the 1970s to present. It will include a discussion of the ways Black feminism has uniquely shaped and critiqued movements for social democracy. The virtual address... Read More

The annual Smokin’ Hog fundraising event, put on by Western Illinois University’s Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) fraternity, raised $10,000 for the WIU School of Agriculture and the WIU Food Pantry. This was the 28th year for the event, which had to be altered slightly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The food was delivered in a drive-through format from the AGR house on North Lafayette Street. “We faced a lot of diversity this year due to current COVID-19 restrictions, not being able to have in person dining or a concert preceding the event,” said AGR President Cameron Kessling,... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – For more than 20 years, the Western Illinois University and Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of McDonough and Warren counties connection has been strong, with nearly 73 percent of “Bigs” in McDonough and Warren counties composed of WIU faculty, staff, students and alumni. Because of that connection, members of the WIU community are invited to take part in the organization’s annual trivia contest fundraiser, which, like everything else these days, has gone virtual. The contest will be held over four days, and individuals and teams (up to 12 players) can participate... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – A total of 678 students earned academic degrees or post-baccalaureate certificates after the Fall 2020 semester at Western Illinois University. Bachelor’s degrees were awarded to 508 graduates. Academic distinction was awarded to baccalaureate graduates who achieved high grade point averages. This includes: Summa Cum Laude, 3.90 GPA or higher on a 4.0 scale; Magna Cum Laude, 3.75-3.89 GPA; and Cum Laude, 3.6-3.74 GPA. Master’s and doctoral degrees were earned by 171 graduates, including two Ph.D. graduates and seven doctoral graduates. Graduates, grouped by... Read More

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 for Monday- Friday, Jan. 25- 29 includes: • Monday, Jan. 25 – All day, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – University Counseling Center Kinder Monday, in-person at Memorial Hall – 7 p.m. – TASC Leatherneck Success Leader Information Session – virtual • Tuesday,... Read More

The Western Illinois University School of Music Brass Faculty and BCA present BRASSFEST 2021 on Sunday, Jan. 24. The annual BRASSFEST is an all-day event that features performances by the WIU Faculty Brass Quintet and guest artists, instrumental masterclasses, clinics and opportunities to play in and learn about various brass ensemble settings. Due to measures to protect against the novel coronavirus, BRASSFEST 2021 will present live one-hour virtual masterclasses with featured guest artists: David Bilger, principal trumpet, Philadelphia Orchestra; Elizabeth Freimuth, principal horn, Cincinnati... Read More