MACOMB, IL – A Western Illinois University alumna has been awarded a United States Department of Energy, Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) award to study at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory this summer and fall. Hannah Drake, a 2016 WIU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in forensic chemistry, is currently pursuing a PhD in chemistry at Texas A&M University, specializing in light responsive materials for gas storage and separations. She is in her fourth year of doctoral study, studying under Professor Hong-Cai Zhou, who is considered to be one of the world experts... Read More

MACOMB, IL – Two Western Illinois University Department of Broadcasting and Journalism students are finishing the school year strong after a semester no one will soon forget. The Illinois News Broadcasters Association (INBA) conference, set for late April, was cancelled due to COVID-19. The convention was supposed to be held in Champaign-Urbana, but organizers moved the competition for student awards and scholarships online. WREX in Rockford broadcasted the awards live on Facebook April 25. WIU students won seven different awards for outstanding television newscast, soft television program, radio... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – This year’s 15th annual celebration of Western Illinois University authors, originally planned for April, will be held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The project, put together by University Libraries, honors anyone who published during the 2019 calendar year, while employed or enrolled at Western. This year’s published works include books, chapters, articles, reviews, poetry, audio recordings, software and exhibitions. University Libraries has compiled a bibliography that includes 260 citations, which represents the work of 185 different WIU authors.... Read More

MACOMB, IL — The Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center (GBCC) at Western Illinois University is accepting applications for its annual Black Alumni Scholarship. The scholarship is open to full-time, currently enrolled, students with a GPA of 2.5 or better, and a record of community service. New, incoming, first-year and transfer students are also eligible to apply. The application deadline is Aug. 1. “Scholarships provide an opportunity for many students to earn an education,” said Brandon Smith, a graduate student with the GBCC. “Without assistance from an outside source, most... Read More

MACOMB, IL – As the COVID-19 pandemic has altered nearly every aspect of higher education delivery, Western Illinois University College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Dean Sue Martinelli-Fernandez has taken steps to promote work by CAS faculty and students beyond the traditional classroom. Martinelli has been working since late April with several campus offices to develop a college-based podcast series. She collaborated with the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Research, uTech and Tri States Public Radio to set up the series “CAS Chats,” which already has two episodes on file and... Read More

MACOMB, IL – When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and St. Paul School Principal Laura Cody was looking for ways to reach students, she came up with a unique idea that includes assistance from two Western Illinois University students. Before the pandemic began, Laura had been trying to find a way to get her son Drew, a junior Spanish education major, into St. Paul’s classrooms to teach her elementary school students Spanish. Drew had been tutoring at Spoon River College as part of his WIU Spanish class and enjoyed the opportunity. “I wanted to try and get him more experience in the classroom,... Read More

MACOMB, IL – A Western Illinois University alumna has been awarded a United States Department of Energy, Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) award to study at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory this summer and fall. Hannah Drake, a 2016 WIU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in forensic chemistry, is currently pursuing a PhD in chemistry at Texas A&M University, specializing in light responsive materials for gas storage and separations. She is in her fourth year of doctoral study, studying under Professor Hong-Cai Zhou, who is considered to be one of the world experts... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Last month, Western Illinois University established the WIU Student Emergency Fund to assist its students affected by the ongoing pandemic. To date, more than 2,000 students have received emergency funding. “I want to say thank you for allowing setting up this emergency care fund. I am very grateful for everything Western has done to help me and my fellow students succeed,” said a grant recipient. “I’ve said this in every email and I’m going to say it again, I am incredibly thankful the University offered this and you all really came through and... Read More

MOLINE, IL — COVID-19 may have canceled the in-person celebration, but this year’s four winners of the annual Michaela Romano Scholarship at Western Illinois University are no less worthy winners of the award than their predecessors. The most prestigious honor given by the WIU-QC College of Arts and Sciences, and funded entirely by annual faculty donations, the award has been given each spring since 2009. In 2015, the awards were named in remembrance of Michaela Rae Romano (1988-2015), daughter of Western Illinois University emeritus professors of biology Michael and Susan Romano. A... Read More

WQPT, PBS for the Quad Cities Region and the QC VET Center will host the 3rd Annual Patriot Derby Challenge on Saturday, February 15th at Western Illinois University – Quad Cities Campus (3300 River Drive, Moline). This unique pinewood derby race allows military veterans to race their service-themed pinewood derby cars against cars that scouts have built in a friendly competition that encourages interaction between the men and women who have served our country, and children who have benefited from their service. The event is FREE and open to the public. Any Scout (i.e., Cub Scout, Boy Scout,... Read More