UIS unveils new Shakespeare Garden, marking the 400th anniversary of the writer’s death

The University of Illinois Springfield unveiled a new Shakespeare Garden on September 29, 2016, marking the 400th anniversary of the poet and playwright’s death in 1616. The unveiling ceremony included the reading of Shakespeare sonnets, period music and remarks.

The themed garden, located in the Patton Park area just north of Brookens Library, features plants often mentioned in William Shakespeare’s work. It includes signs near each plant with the relevant quotation and reference to the appropriate play or poem, as well as a fountain, walkways and benches.

“Thanks to a generous gift from the University of Illinois Chester Fund, this new Shakespeare Garden is giving new life to Patton Park – creating an educational resource and a place of enjoyment for students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus,” said UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch.

The centerpiece of the Garden is a life-sized bronze sculpture of the writer, titled “Shakespeare,” by renowned sculptor Gary Lee Price. The sculpture depicts Shakespeare relaxing on a garden bench – an open invitation for visitors to sit beside him for a chat or a photo.

Shakespeare is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language. He often used plants and gardens as metaphors for life, with many important scenes taking place in garden settings.

Other Shakespeare events happening on campus include, the UIS Theatre production of “Macbeth”, October 28-30 and November 3-6 and the ECCE Speaker Series screening of the documentary film “Shakespeare Behind Bars” on November 7.

Enrollment increases at the University of Illinois Springfield for Fall Semester 2016

Fall 2016 census numbers show an increase in the number of students taking classes at the University of Illinois Springfield. After the first 10 days of classes, a total of 5,428 students are enrolled, up from 5,402 students in fall 2015. That makes it the second largest student body in UIS history.

“One of our highest priorities has been growing our enrollment and we are pleased with this fall’s census,” said UIS Chancellor Susan J. Koch. “When students and families make the decision to pursue their educational goals at UIS, they know they will receive a high quality personalized experience at the same time they are earning their University of Illinois diploma.”

Online learning also continues to grow at UIS, with 1,665 (30.7 percent) students enrolled in online degree or certificate programs. That’s an increase of 4.3 percent overall from Fall Semester 2015. This semester, UIS online students reside in 46 states, 74 counties in Illinois, and 9 foreign countries.

“We are excited to see the continued growth of online enrollments at UIS, particularly at the undergraduate level where we saw a nearly ten percent increase this fall,” said Ray Schroeder, UIS associate vice chancellor for online learning. “We continue to serve as a national leader in providing access to high quality learning opportunities for adult learners in Illinois and beyond.”

There are a total of 626 African American students enrolled this semester comprising 11.5 percent of the student body. Students who self-identify as Hispanic comprise 5.7 percent (312) of this year’s student body, Asian students comprise 3.6 percent (193).

Illinois residents make up 67 percent of the student body. International students encompass 20 percent of the students enrolled and 13 percent are non-Illinois residents. Many of the 1,088 international students came to UIS from India and China. Computer Science and Management Information Systems are the most common majors chosen by international students.

UIS is one of three campuses of the University of Illinois and provides students with a high-quality liberal arts education, exceptional public affairs opportunities, and outstanding professional preparation programs.

UIS has four core strengths: (1) a teaching-focused academic experience; (2) an abundance of opportunities to collaborate; (3) a right-sized supportive community; and (4) a tradition of educating public servants and leaders.

For more information, contact Derek Schnapp, director of public relations, at 217/206-6716 or dschn3@uis.edu.