MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – – The Western Illinois University-Quad Cities Student Honors Association will host Physics and Mathematics alumnus Michael Baxa to speak on “The Importance of Protein Dynamics: From Folding to Function and Everything in Between” at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5 in Riverfront Hall, room 212. Baxa graduated from WIU with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics and Mathematics in 2002 and went on to complete his Ph.D. in Physics in 2009 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010. Since then, Baxa has been working as a... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – – Western Illinois University was recently awarded a grant of $136,919 from Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust to equip and expand science laboratories on the Quad Cities campus. “We have known for some time that there is an unmet demand in the Quad Cities area for affordable, high-quality, STEM-focused programs that will provide the sort of skilled labor that area businesses are seeking,” said College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Dean Jim Rabchuk. “We are so excited that the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust has offered this support to expand WIU-QC’s... Read More

The Western Illinois University Department of Art and Design Talent Grant and Tuition Waiver Exhibition opens Wednesday, Nov. 16 in the University Art Gallery. The exhibit, which highlights the work of WIU art students, runs through Friday, Dec. 9. A reception for the artists will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29. Exhibiting artists include art majors: senior Kaylee Agans, of Macomb; junior Rivers Ashton, of Lincolnton, NC; senior Alex Bassen, of Pekin, IL; junior Molly Borth, of Towanda, IL; senior Teresa Chaidez, of Beardstown, IL; senior Yahzyah Crutcher-Hanna, of Chicago; junior Claire... Read More

Nearly 40 percent of Western Illinois University’s newest freshman class is composed of First Generation students. As part of the University’s overall retention and recruitment initiatives, Western’s First Generation Society (W1GS) provides these students with the resources and tools to be successful in college. Today (Nov. 8) is National First Generation College Celebration Day, which also honors the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act (HEA) of 1965. Much like other hallmark legislation of the 1960s, the HEA was created to level the playing field for individuals... Read More

The Western Illinois University Department of Theatre and Dance will present “The Importance of Being Earnest,” at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9-Saturday, Nov. 12, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13 in Hainline Theatre. The production is being directed by WIU graduate student Taylor Dahlberg, of Jefferson, IA, as her thesis project. The production, written by Oscar Wilde, is a “madcap farce about mistaken identities, secret engagements, and lovers entanglements still delights theatre goers more than a century after its 1895 publication and premiere performance. The rapid-fire wit and... Read More

MACOMB/MOLINE, IL – Because of the successful efforts of, and new initiatives put into place by, the Western Illinois University Office of Retention Initiatives to ensure student success, WIU recently received EdSights’ Inaugural PERSIST Excellence in Execution Award. The Office of Retention Initiatives is led by Executive Director Justin Schuch. Under Schuch’s leadership, the office, which is part of the Division of Enrollment Management, has launched a number of new, student-focused efforts to enhance the student experience. Students are able to text “Rocky” 24 hours... Read More

Members of the Western Illinois University chapter of the International Honor Society Phi Beta Delta will host “A Taste of Spain,” international scholarship fundraiser, beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, at the Campus Students for Christ House, located at 1545 Riverview Drive. The event will feature authentic Spanish cuisine, entertainment and an international marketplace. All profits benefit scholarships supporting international education at WIU. Tickets purchased in advance are $12 for adults and $7 for students. Tickets at the door are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Tickets... Read More

Stacey Macchi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at Western Illinois University, recently gained status as a Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) through the National Resume Writers’ Association (NRWA). To earn this certification, Macchi attended a five-week live training program; completed course preparation and weekly homework assignments with passing scores; and passed a final exam. Additionally, Macchi had to show understanding of best practices to “find, build and nurture networks online, and of how to leverage LinkedIn’s network power and... Read More

The Western Illinois University School of Music will present a Faculty Recital at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26 in the College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC) Recital Hall. Professor and clarinetist Eric Ginsberg and pianist Jeffrey Brown, director of the School of Music, will perform Poulenc’s Sonata for clarinet and piano, and will be joined by Assistant Professor and cellist Kenny Lee to perform Beethoven’s Trio in B-flat Major for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano, Op. 11. This performance is open free for general audience seating. PROGRAM Sonata for clarinet and piano – Francis... Read More

MOLINE, IL – The Western Illinois University-Quad Cities Psychology Club will host Game Night on the WIU-QC campus from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27 in QC Complex C, Room 2222. Compete against your peers in games you know and love; play new games; meet new people, and have snacks all evening. “We hope that through relaxation, some competitiveness and laughter, we can help students build relationships and take their minds off the stresses of college, if only momentarily,” said Psychology Club President Brooklyn Denney. All are encouraged to attend at any time throughout the evening. For... Read More