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Fall 2019 Illinois State cover with Wonsook Kim

Inspirational journey: Alumna Wonsook Kim came to ISU as a poor international student. Now an acclaimed artist, she has transformed the College of Fine Arts.

Volume 20 • Number 3 • Fall 2019

Drawn to Excellence: Artist traces her global fame to ISU

Wonsook Kim is true to her name, which in Korean means “seer.”

Ill child in bed with the founder of an academy that helps ill children

Different kind of cure: Alum’s academy teaches critically ill children

Illinois State University alum Megan Nickels is the founder and faculty director of PedsAcademy at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida, which creates educational experiences tied to a patient’s disease or condition.

Watershed moment: Scholar’s studies on lakes worldwide sound environmental alarm

Nobel Peace Prize-winning scientist Catherine O’Reilly has been leading international research teams that have discovered climate change has been warming lakes worldwide, threatening the fish and humans depending on them.

Path to power: Women rise in politics 100 years after suffrage

Michelle Buckwalter-Schurman ’92 encourages women to step up to the forefront in the political world.

Overhead shot of a building on a University campus

Expanding housing: Plans developing for new residence hall project

The University is moving forward with efforts to construct a residence hall that will add up to 1,200 beds, and anticipates having the building ready for use by fall 2022.

Where are they now? Frank Suggs

Former Music Professor Frank Suggs discusses his time teaching at Illinois State.

Hall of Famer Mike Prior paying it forward to youth players

When Mike Prior ’85 first put on an Illinois State uniform, he never thought much about playing professionally.

Couple receives highest Redbird honor

Bloomington residents Dave and Jane Kruger are the 2019 recipients of the Joseph F. Warner Golden Redbird Award.

Reggie Redbird posing in Hancock Stadium bleachers

ISU Hall of Fame 2019 inductees selected

Four alums were inducted into the Illinois State Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame during Homecoming.

The Illinois State football team runs on to the field at their Sept. 7 home opener vs. Morehead State.

Football team faces Illini in the fall 2020 season

Redbird fans will want to cheer for Illinois State’s football team as it takes on University of Illinois players September 5, 2020.

a photo of the stands full of fans at Hancock Stadium

Illinois State Athletics to offer beer and wine sales at select events

The Illinois State Athletics Department announced today that it will offer beer and wine sales at public concession stands in general seating areas at Hancock Stadium and Redbird Arena beginning in the fall of 2019. Plans to allow beer sales at Adelaide Street Field, Marian Kneer Stadium and Duffy Bass Field are also being finalized.

Alumni royalty: Redbirds couple chosen as Homecoming queen, king

Victor and Carol (Miller) Palomino were chosen as alumni queen and king to represent all alumni for Illinois State’s Homecoming.

Alumni to return for milestone anniversary

Graduates from the Class of 1967 will celebrate their 50th class reunion on April 28 and 29 during the annual Half Century Club event.

Large bell surrounded by flowers and set in stone landscaping, with academic buildings in the background

Physical education women’s reunion set

Alumnae who graduated from the physical education program in the late 1960s to early 1970s are invited to a special reunion July 18 and 19.

Illinois State student Kaitlyn Remian loads a discarded tire onto a boat on the Mississippi River as part of a cleanup during an Alternative Breaks trip to Grafton, Illinois.

Spring celebrations for two campus groups

The Interdenominational Youth Choir will celebrate five decades on April 24-26.

The Acafellaz performing in the Prairie Room in the Bone Student Center.

In perfect harmony: Acafellaz celebrate 20th anniversary

This year, the oldest active a cappella group on campus is celebrating its 20th anniversary. The 19-member, all-male Acafellaz started as a registered student organization in 1999.

Pause for applause

We applaud these Illinois State alumni featured in the November 2019 issue.

Couple sitting in front of bench that reads "To those who fell in love at ISU"

How we met: Charlie and Susan Celenza

Charlie Celenza ’82 and Susan Goode ’83 first met at a social function for their Dunn-Barton and Walker residence halls.

Family of six holding up signs of the years they graduated.

Redbird legacy: Four children follow couple’s lead

An apartment choice made independently by Bob Mathes and Susan (Hawkins) as they completed undergraduate degrees in agriculture and chemistry respectively resulted in romance and creation of an ISU legacy family.

Passing on a love of science

Sher ’71 and Todd Rockway are passionate about encouraging students to embrace science by establishing the Sheryll (Renken) and Todd Rockway Endowed Scholarship in Biology, giving more than $37,000 to support the fund.

Reggie Redbird reads his new children's book

Reggie Reads: November 2019

Illinois State is proud to be able to acknowledge the work of graduates who are successful authors.