UIS to hold virtual grand opening for the new Center for Lincoln Studies

On President Abraham Lincoln’s 212th birthday, the University of Illinois Springfield will hold a virtual grand opening for the new Center for Lincoln Studies at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 12 via Zoom. The Center will be a national base for scholarship, teaching and public history about Lincoln's life, leadership and legacy.

The goal of the Center for Lincoln Studies is to encourage continued research on Lincoln and his time here in Illinois where he spent a quarter century of his life, and to connect the character of Lincoln to the nation today.

"The study of past is vital to understanding our present,” said Anne Moseley, acting director of the UIS Center for Lincoln Studies. “Just like all of us Lincoln had success, failures, sadness and joy throughout his life that made him into icon we admire today. He is an example of an ordinary man made extraordinary. It is my hope that through the Center for Lincoln Studies we will cultivate the next generation of Lincoln Scholars who will continue dive into the life and legacy of Lincoln.”

The public is invited to tune into the webinar as UIS cuts the virtual ribbon on the center, which will be followed by a lively discussion among Lincoln scholars.

Panelists for the discussion include Christian McWhirter, Lincoln historian at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum; Justin Blandford, superintendent of state historic sites in Springfield; Sarah Watson, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (Looking for Lincoln); Timothy Good, superintendent of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site; Michael Burlingame, Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at UIS; and Graham Peck, Wepner Distinguished Professor of Lincoln Studies at UIS.

Registration is required for the event. Please register online at go.uis.edu/LincolnCenter. A Zoom link will be emailed to those who register. 

The Abraham Lincoln Association will be hosting additional Lincoln programs throughout Lincoln’s birthday weekend. Visit abrahamlincolnassociation.org for more information.

For more information on the grand opening, contact Anne Moseley at 217-206-8663 or asutt4@uis.edu. 

UIS celebrates 50th anniversary by reflecting on a bold legacy and looking forward to a bright future

The University of Illinois Springfield (UIS) is celebrating its 50th anniversary during academic year 2020-21, as the public liberal arts university reflects on a bold legacy and looks forward to a bright future as an educational leader in central Illinois and beyond.

Billboards featuring UIS’ 50th anniversary logo and tagline “Bold Legacy. Bright Future.” are now up in Springfield. UIS also plans to celebrate the anniversary on its social media channels.

Reflecting on the anniversary, UIS Interim Chancellor Karen Whitney notes how UIS began as an upstart campus in a temporary building and is now ranked as the No. 1 public regional university in Illinois by U.S. News & World Report.

“UIS’ star is bright!” Whitney said. “Our unconventional start, our culture of thinking outside the box, our stamina and grit – these qualities continue to propel us forward, no matter the situation or the challenge. Hard work, determination and collaboration advances our mission to provide a uniquely student-centered educational experience both in and out of the classroom.”

Bold Legacy 

In 1960, a group of central Illinois citizens, united in their goal of bringing a four-year university to the capital city, formed the Springfield Committee for Higher Education. Theirs was not the first attempt to bring such an institution to Springfield, but it was successful. On June 10, 1969, Gov. Richard Ogilvie signed legislation creating Sangamon State University (SSU), which would later become UIS.

SSU was a child of its time. Conceived as an “upper-level” three-year institution, a “capstone” to the state’s community college system, SSU offered junior, senior and graduate courses.

On Sept. 28, 1970, 45 charter faculty members began teaching 811 students in temporary classrooms at Springfield’s First United Methodist Church. The first classes on UIS’ present day campus were not held until Oct. 5, 1970, due to construction delays.

Karen Hasara, who was the second person in line to register for classes and later would become a state senator and Springfield mayor, would say later many times that the establishment of SSU/UIS was the greatest thing to happen to Springfield in the last quarter of the 20th century.

“The community was very excited about having a university,” said Hasara, who was also the first UIS alumna on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. “I always say that I think it was one of the best things that happened to Springfield. It brought in a lot of people who weren’t from here, and we needed that.”

For nearly 25 years, Sangamon State University thrived, awarding its first degrees in 1971, as campus grew with the addition of Brookens Library, the Public Affairs Center (housing Sangamon Auditorium) and on-campus housing. In 1991, SSU enrolled 4,192 students, breaking the 4,000 mark for the first time.

However, changes were ahead as the state decided to reorganize higher education in Illinois. On Feb. 28, 1995, Gov. Jim Edgar signed into law legislation that made Sangamon State University the third campus of the University of Illinois. Thus was born the University of Illinois Springfield on July 1, 1995.

UIS would continue to grow in the 1990s enrolling even more students and would become a nationwide leader in online learning.

On Aug. 22, 2001, a group of about 120 freshman students would change the campus forever. The newly approved Capital Scholars Honors Program brought high-achieving first-year students to campus for the first time. In 2005, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees approved a new general education curriculum, making UIS a full-fledged four-year university.

“Both going with the University of Illinois and gaining four-year status meant a different future for this institution,” said UIS Chancellor Emeritus Naomi Lynn, who led SSU and UIS from 1991 to 2001. “It changed its future, determined what was going to happen. It put us in a different category.”

UIS saw a large physical growth on campus in the 2000s with the addition of Lincoln and Founders residence halls, University Hall, the Colonnade and The Recreation and Athletic Center.

“Newcomers to Springfield just take it for granted that there’s a four-year institution out here on the south side of town,” said UIS Chancellor Emeritus Richard Ringeisen when he retired in 2010 after leading the university for nine years. “I’m absolutely confident that UIS has a great future.”

UIS continued to grow in the 2010s, becoming a full-fledged member of NCAA Division II athletics in 2010 and enrolling a record 5,431 students in fall 2014. Academic programs also been expanded with the addition of programs in information systems security, data analytics, theater, exercise science, and a new bachelor of science in nursing through a partnership with University of Illinois at Chicago and Memorial Health System. In 2018, UIS also cut the ribbon on a new $21.75-million Student Union that serves as the campus’ living room.

“The Student Union was important for many reasons, but fundamentally it was important because the university experience is really about relationships,” said UIS Chancellor Emeritus Susan Koch, who led from 2011 to 2020. “It’s about building community. It’s about togetherness. It’s about meeting people and having conversations. The Student Union has been all of that and more.”

50th Anniversary Events 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UIS has delayed planning in-person activities to celebrate the anniversary but plans to mark the anniversary on campus when it is safe to have larger gatherings.

The UIS Office of Advancement will host a virtual Lunch & Learn Series as part of the 50th Anniversary celebration. The first of six events is planned for Thursday, Oct. 8. Visit go.uis.edu/LunchFall20 for details.

For more on UIS’ history and future planned events celebrating the 50th anniversary, visit 50.uis.edu.

UIS cuts ribbon on Sangamon Experience, a new exhibition telling the history of central Illinois

The University of Illinois Springfield held a grand opening for Sangamon Experience, a new on-campus exhibition telling the history of the Sangamon Region of central Illinois, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020.

Chancellor Susan J. Koch welcomed a crowd of almost 300 people to the exhibit on the lower level of the Public Affairs Center.

The multifaceted initiative includes a 5,300-square-foot space featuring multimedia and interactive exhibits, historical maps and photographs, a small theater and interpretive text developed by teams of UIS students, faculty and community partners.

“Our opening exhibit has some interactive flat screens featuring different historical images through the years and a wall that covers the years 1800 to 1860 in the Sangamon Region,” said Devin Hunter, UIS assistant professor of history and faculty lead on the project.

Hunter is assisted on the project by a community advisory board that provides feedback and suggests direction for the creation and sustaining of Sangamon Experience.

Beyond the Sangamon Experience space itself, the project includes a dynamic website to share and promote local historical activities, online historical research and customized community partnerships.

The Sangamon Experience space was designed by FWAI Architects, Inc. of Springfield. It was made possible by an anonymous, major private gift to the University of Illinois Springfield.

UIS unveils statue of young Abraham Lincoln

The University of Illinois Springfield unveiled The Young Lawyer, a 6' 4" statue of Abraham Lincoln sculpted by renowned artist George Lundeen, on May 10, 2016. The statue is located on the quad between the Public Affairs Center and University Hall west of the colonnade.

“Every campus needs significant landmarks that create a sense of identity and history,” said Chancellor Susan Koch. “UIS is a young campus and the only such landmark on the campus (until today) has been our beautiful colonnade.”

The statue depicts a happy Lincoln as he would have appeared when he was studying to become a lawyer in his late 20s or early 30s.

“It seems to me in this remarkable statue that George has captured the vital spirit of the young lawyer in Springfield,” said Michael Burlingame, the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair for Lincoln Studies at UIS.


Chancellor Koch was joined at the unveiling by University of Illinois President Timothy Killeen and student Faith Hook, who helped to uncover the statue.

“I imagine years from now Lincoln’s outstretched hand on this statue will appear gold, as students grasp it for good luck,” said Hook.

Lundeen, an artist known for his highly polished bronze statues of historical figures, spoke thanking the university and those who helped him create the statue.

“This has been a fairly long process,” said Lundeen. “We started this about three years ago, but it’s been a wonderful journey and I want to thank Chancellor Koch.”

The statue was made possible by the John N. Chester Estate Fund, an endowed gift fund created with the intent of adding to the attractiveness of the University of Illinois campuses.

Burlingame closed the ceremony by reflecting on what he thinks Lincoln would have to say about the statue.

“Here we have Lincoln smiling and I would like to think he is saying to the students, as they admire the statue, work, work, work, quarrel not at all, and enjoy your time here and thank god you’re getting a college education,” said Burlingame.

Strawbridge-Shepherd House added to the National Register of Historic Places

The National Park Service has added the 1840s-era Strawbridge-Shepherd House to its National Register of Historic Places. The Sangamon County home was restored by the Elijah Iles House Foundation and is located on the southern edge of the University of Illinois Springfield campus. It was officially listed on June, 8, 2015.

James Welt, who graduated from UIS in May with a master’s degree in history, led the effort to have the house added to the registry. He spent more than 200 hours researching and writing a proposal, which was submitted to the National Park Service.

“Buildings, like the Strawbridge-Shepherd House, provide us a visual connection to the past that you can't get from a history book,” said Welt. “Now that it is granted, I feel a bit of relief and satisfaction that the house has a level of protection.”



In 1970, the university, then Sangamon State, purchased the two-story house from the Shepherd family, ending that family's nearly 90-year ownership.

Since 2007, UIS has leased the historic home to the Elijah Iles House Foundation, which performed a major restoration effort. They have spent over $200,000 of its funds raised from mostly private donations for restoration and their volunteers have spent thousands of hours on the project and those volunteer hours continue.

The first floor of the house is currently used by the Illinois State Historical Society as office space. The second floor serves as home to the Springfield and Central Illinois African-American History Museum.

Thomas Strawbridge, Jr. built the original two-story house around 1845 after acquiring the land for farming in 1841. Another addition around 1865 changed the house into its present L-shape. Charles M. Shepherd purchased the property in 1883 after Strawbridge died in 1880. He subsequently made a number of alterations to the house including adding porches to the 1865 addition.

“Presently, the house is an eclectic mix of Greek Revival and Queen Anne styles. The house appears much as it would in the late nineteenth century with each construction phase remaining true to its respective time period,” said Welt.

Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.

UIS history class tweets "as-live" coverage of Lincoln's assassination and funeral train

A University of Illinois Springfield history class is using Twitter to educate people about the events leading up to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln and what happened following his death.

Assistant Professor of History Kenneth Owen’s HIS 515 History and Digital Media class will be tweeting "as-live" coverage of Lincoln's assassination and funeral train back to Springfield.

“We’ll be putting up tweets as events happened,” said Owen.

Lincoln was shot just after 9 p.m. central time on April 14, 1865 and died the following morning. The majority of tweets on the @AbesLastRide account will begin after 7 p.m. on April 14.

“Our tweets will start around the time Lincoln is going to the theater, but the bulk of the project will unfold over the next couple of weeks, as we trace funeral arrangements and public viewings as the funeral train makes its way to Springfield,” said Owen.

Owen says the idea behind the History and Digital Media class is to introduce students to ways in which historical research and public history can be carried out through digital media, including online databases, Twitter feeds, blogs, podcasts, and crowdsourcing projects.

“The idea with the Lincoln project was to think about how to present historical information in new ways. Condensing events to a series of 140-character tweets is challenging, both in terms of research and in writing,” said Owen.

He says one of the most interesting aspects of the project is being able to see the interest it develops as more people follow the account.

“I hope it will give students a real sense of accomplishment to see the project come to fruition and engage new audiences with the story of Abraham Lincoln,” he said.

UIS receives grant from the Illinois Humanities Council to produce Old State Capitol documentary

The University of Illinois Springfield is pleased to announce that it has received a Media Production maximum grant award of $5,000 from the Illinois Humanities Council (IHC) to support the production of The Old State Capitol: A Witness to History, a documentary on the Old State Capitol Building.

“The Old State Capitol has significant connections to our country’s history.” said Jerry Burkhart, director of UIS’ Office of Electronic Media (OEM), which will produce the HD video. “From Abraham Lincoln to the present, A Witness to History will engage visitors at the Old State Capitol and create enthusiasm among those who watch the documentary at a school or local library.”

In collaboration with Old State Capitol Site Manager Justin Blandford, local historian Tara McAndrew will write the script, with a final 55-minute video expected in 2013. In addition to being shown at the Old State Capitol, the video will be appropriate for public television. It could also be used by history and luncheon clubs, at library presentations, and on the internet. Plans are to distribute the documentary to schools throughout Illinois. Essential support for the project is also provided by the Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund.

“The Illinois Humanities Council is proud to support not-for-profit organizations that promote the importance of the humanities in private and public life. Through their efforts, Illinoisans have greater access to lifelong learning opportunities,” said IHC Executive Director Kristina A. Valaitis. “These champions of the humanities make their communities and our whole state more vibrant.”

The IHC’s Community Grants program is its oldest. Since 1974, the IHC has welcomed grant proposals from not-for-profit groups that have a story to tell about the state, or who have a way to use the humanities to enrich community life. Not-for-profit organizations may apply for Mini Grants up to $2,000 and Major Grants up to $10,000.

For more information about the Illinois Humanities Council, please contact the IHC offices at 312/422-5580 or visit their website at www.prairie.org.

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University of Illinois Springfield is the liberal arts campus of the world-class University of Illinois. About 5,000 students enroll each year seeking a U of I degree but also the intimate learning environment of a private college. Located in the state capital, UIS has a special mission in public affairs and has produced thousands of leaders in government and non-profit organizations in Illinois. 

The Illinois Humanities Council is an independent, nonprofit state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, dedicated to fostering a culture in which the humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities. The IHC creates programs and funds organizations that promote greater understanding of, appreciation for, and involvement in the humanities by all Illinoisans, regardless of their economic resources, cultural background, or geographic location. The IHC is supported by state, federal, and private funds.

Burlingame's new book tells Lincoln's life story in photos

Dr. Michael Burlingame, the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield, has partnered with photographer Robert Shaw to write a unique book on Abraham Lincoln.

Abraham Lincoln Traveled This Way—The America Lincoln Knew weaves Burlingame’s writing and Shaw’s images together to tell Lincoln’s life story. Burlingame uses the historical record and Lincoln’s own words as part of the photographic journey.

“I am delighted to have been a part of this remarkable project,” said Burlingame. “My one major regret when Abraham Lincoln: A Life was published was that it contained so few illustrations. I wish Robert Shaw's exceptionally beautiful photographs could have been included in the biography.”

The new book depicts the buildings where Lincoln lived and worked, the routes he took riding the circuit as a lawyer, and the places that helped shape him and his destiny. Shaw carefully composed and edited the images to eliminate any modern intrusions, so the resulting images depict as closely as possible the actual scenes Lincoln would have seen.

The journey to develop the 276-page book took five years and covered more than 100,000 miles, including such locations as Lincoln’s boyhood home in Indiana, numerous Illinois sites, the White House, key battlefields of the Civil War, and Ford's Theater.

Copies of the book are available in the Springfield area. For more information, visit Shaw's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/robertshawphotography.

UIS looks back at a "Year in Video 2010"

The University of Illinois Springfield is taking a look back at the Year in Video 2010.

DVD copies of this presentation are available free of charge, upon request by contacting Blake Wood, UIS Campus Relations Multimedia Writer & Producer at 217/206-8404 or bwood8@uis.edu.

This video has been produced by the UIS Office of Campus Relations and Office of Web Services.

UIS celebrates 40 years of achievement and service

The University of Illinois Springfield is celebrating 40 years of history, while looking forward to educating future generations of leaders in government, public service, business and the liberal arts and sciences.

The 40th anniversary celebration at UIS began this month and will run through January 2011 with a variety of special events to mark the occasion. As part of the celebration, look for special banners throughout downtown Springfield that have been placed on light poles.

Founded in 1969 as Sangamon State University the school has awarded more than 32,600 bachelors, masters and doctorial degrees over the last 40 years. UIS has alumni living in all 50 states and 44 foreign countries. In Sangamon County alone the university has 9,709 living alumni members. UIS had educated 28% of the college-educated workforce residing in the city of Springfield.

“This is a very exciting time for the community and our university as we celebrate the 40-year history of our university. Our students, our faculty, staff, our many friends in the community, and of course our families and even our pets have at one time or another been an integral part of our history. This celebration is for everyone, so I hope the entire community, on and off campus, will enjoy our celebratory events. We all feel excited about what this university has become and are equally excited about the road ahead,” said Richard D. Ringeisen, UIS chancellor.

In the beginning, the 746 acre campus was an upper-division university for undergraduate juniors and seniors and graduate students. On July 1, 1995, Gov. Jim Edgar signed legislation reorganizing higher education in Illinois. Sangamon State University became the third campus of the University of Illinois. UIS welcomed its first group of freshman students in August 2001, when the Capital Scholars Honors Program was launched. The Board of Trustees later approved a new general education curriculum in September 2005, which allowed UIS to welcome even more freshman to campus.

UIS has not only grown academically over the years, but physically. When the campus was founded it consisted of a handful of temporary buildings surrounded by open fields. Construction of Brookens Library, the first permanent building on campus, began in 1972 and later opened in 1976. The Public Affairs Center featuring Sangamon Auditorium would later open its doors in 1980. The campus would continue to grow with the addition Health & Sciences Building, Lincoln Residence Hall, the state-of-the art University Hall, The Recreation and Athletics Center (TRAC) and Founders Residence Hall.

Today, UIS is known around the world as the liberal arts campus of the University of Illinois. Students thrive in small classes and engage the world through relevant courses and internships. UIS is known for preparing leaders for government and public service, and is recognized nationally for online learning. UIS has four colleges: business and management; education and human services; liberal arts and sciences; and public affairs and administration. The campus offers more than 40 degree programs.

For more information on the anniversary contact Derek Schnapp, director of Public Relations at 217/206-6716. For a complete history of SSU-UIS, 40 years in photos and a complete list of all 40 year anniversary events visit www.uis.edu/40years

Burlingame's biography of Lincoln wins 2010 Lincoln Prize

A two-volume biography that was 30 years in the making, by one of the foremost living authorities on Abraham Lincoln, has won the 2010 Lincoln Prize.

Michael Burlingame will receive the $50,000 Lincoln Prize for his book, “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” (Johns Hopkins University Press), as well as a bronze replica of Augustus Saint-Gaudens life-size bust, “Lincoln the Man.” Burlingame is the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair of Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield. The prize, sponsored by Gettysburg College and the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, will be awarded April 27 at the Union League in New York.

The prize was co-founded in 1990 by businessmen and philanthropists Richard Gilder and Lewis Lehrman, co-chairmen of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History in New York and co-creators of the Gilder Lehrman Collection - one of the largest private archives of documents and artifacts in the nation. The Institute is devoted to history education, supporting magnet schools, teacher training, digital archives, curriculum development, exhibitions and publications, as well as the national History Teacher of the Year program.

The book is a comprehensive look at Lincoln’s life - from growing up impoverished in rural Kentucky and Indiana, to building a career as an ambitious politician that led him to become the 16th president of the United States. Burlingame writes about the trials and tribulations Lincoln experienced as commander-in-chief and focuses on his leadership during the Civil War. From private sorrows to public disasters, Burlingame tells the whole story of one of America’s greatest presidents.

“Burlingame’s massive biography of Abraham Lincoln is a landmark of American historical scholarship. Nothing surpasses Burlingame’s comprehensive and detailed research into the entire life of Lincoln,” Lehrman said. “His prose and arguments are always clear and straightforward, even if some judgments will be vigorously debated. Because the author of this extraordinary biography has unearthed new evidence and reviewed all previous scholarship, these debates will have to contend with the vast document-based evidence, which this Lincoln Prize winner brings to bear on the life of Lincoln. Every member of the literate general public, interested in Abraham Lincoln, is surely indebted to Burlingame for his tireless research into archives and newspapers never before examined.”

“Michael Burlingame’s “Abraham Lincoln: A Life” is meticulously researched and provides a multi-faceted portrait of a man who grew into greatness,” said Janet Morgan Riggs, president of Gettysburg College. “Though its length may be intimidating to some, Burlingame’s narrative is accessible and engaging. No one who reads this powerful work will ever look at Lincoln quite the same way again.”

The three-member 2010 Lincoln Prize jury - Douglas Wilson, the George A. Lawrence Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus and co-director of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College; Joseph R. Fornieri, Associate Professor of Political Science at Rochester Institute of Technology; and James Oakes, Distinguished Professor and Graduate School Humanities Professor at CUNY Graduate Center - considered 118 titles for the award before recommending the finalists to the Lincoln Prize board which makes the final decision. In addition to Lehrman, Gilder and Riggs, the Board includes James G. Basker, President of the Gilder Lehrman Institute; Gabor Boritt, Fluhrer Professor of Civil War Studies emeritus at Gettysburg College; and Edwin T. Johnson, Gettysburg College Trustee emeritus.

Finalists for the prize included Robert McGlone’s “John Brown's War Against Slavery” (Cambridge University Press) and Mark Wahlgren Summers’ “A Dangerous Stir: Fear, Paranoia, and the Making of Reconstruction” (University of North Carolina Press).
Past Lincoln Prize winners include Ken Burns in 1991 for his documentary, “The Civil War,” Allen Guelzo for his books, “Abraham Lincoln: Redeemer President” in 2000 and “Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation: The End of Slavery in America” in 2005 and Doris Kearns Goodwin in 2006 for her book, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.” Last year's co-winners were James McPherson for his book, “Tried by War: Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief” and Craig Symonds for his book, “Lincoln and His Admirals: Abraham Lincoln, the U.S. Navy, and the Civil War.”

About Burlingame
Born in Washington, D.C., Burlingame attended Phillips Academy, Andover. As a freshman at Princeton University, he enrolled in the Civil War course taught by the eminent Lincolnian David Herbert Donald, who took him under his wing as a research assistant. When Donald moved to Johns Hopkins University, Burlingame followed him upon his graduation from Princeton. Burlingame received his Ph.D. in 1968 from Johns Hopkins University and joined the history department at Connecticut College in New London, where he taught until retiring in 2001 as the Sadowski Professor of History Emeritus. He joined the faculty at the University of Illinois Springfield in 2009.

Burlingame is the author of “The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln” (University of Illinois Press, 1994) and has edited volumes of Lincoln primary source materials. Burlingame has received the Abraham Lincoln Association Book Prize (1996), Lincoln Diploma of Honor from Lincoln Memorial University (1998) and an Honorable Mention for the Lincoln Prize (2001). He was inducted into the Lincoln Academy of Illinois in 2009.

Founded in 1832, Gettysburg College is a highly selective four-year residential college of liberal arts and sciences with a strong academic tradition that includes Rhodes Scholars, a Nobel laureate and other distinguished scholars among its alumni. The college enrolls 2,600 undergraduate students and is located on a 200-acre campus adjacent to the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.

The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, founded in 1994, is a not-for-profit organization that oversees the Gilder Lehrman Collection and conducts history education programs in all fifty states, serving more than 3,000 teachers, their students and their communities, across the country every year.

Lincoln life mask donated to UIS by McGraw family

The Rick and Dona McGraw family of Springfield has donated one of only 15 bronze cast of an original Abraham Lincoln life mask to the University of Illinois Springfield.

The original plaster mold was taken of Lincoln’s face by sculptor Clark Mills on February 11, 1865, just two months before his assassination. The mask shows the great toll the Civil War had taken on Lincoln's health with his tired eyes and face full of wrinkles.

“It’s just an incredible piece of work. The first time I saw it I was really taken aback. It’s like seeing what Lincoln really looked like,” said UIS Chancellor Richard D. Ringeisen.

The McGraw family acquired the mask when they bought the McDonald’s restaurant in downtown Springfield. It was the only item the family saved from the restaurant when they decided to remodel the building.

“We kept him because my dad said he was the only thing worth keeping, so we kept him and he kind of moved around from one location to another,” said Dona McGraw.

The McGraw’s approached UIS Associate Chancellor for Development Vicki Megginson about donating the cast to the university. They saw UIS as a perfect fit, where the public could enjoy the mask.

“I think here, he will be special. We’re thrilled he now has a final home,” said McGraw.

McGraw jokes that the mask has been stored in the family’s home for years in locations such as the basement, a bedroom, and even looking out a window.

“He’s been around in our family for years,” said McGraw.

The family was encouraged that UIS was the right home for the Lincoln mask because of nationally recognized faculty experts, such as Dr. Michael Burlingame, Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies.

The university is making plans to display the mask at Brookens Library.

More information on the life mask can be found online at: http://www.npg.si.edu/exh/travpres/lincs.htm

Looking Back: A decade in review at UIS

The University of Illinois Springfield became a part of the University of Illinois system in 1995, and the small liberal arts college in Central Illinois has been gaining momentum ever since. UIS has experienced positive growth over the last 15 years like never before.

The new century was particularly exciting for the university with the construction of major campus buildings such as University Hall, Lincoln and Founders residence halls and The Recreation and Athletic Center (TRAC) as well the appointment of a new chancellor and other top administrators and the reception of numerous prestigious awards in areas like online learning.

Here is a look back at some of the major news and accomplishments on the UIS campus over the past decade:

2000

Educational leadership online program is first of its kind in the nation
February 28
UIS begins to offer an online master’s degree in education, the master of arts in educational leadership (EDL) with a master teacher leadership (MTL) concentration. It is the third online degree offered by UIS and is designed for full-time, place bound teachers seeking career advancement.

Construction begins on UIS entrance marker
April 17
Construction of the first and only permanent campus entrance marker for UIS begins. The marker, funded by faculty and staff, is to be located at the intersection of 11th Street and Ernest Hemingway Drive

UIS receives largest gift in its history to establish Lincoln chair
May 15
The Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies is established with a $1.25 million gift from Dr. Richard E. Vaden and his family. Philip Shaw Paladun, one of the nation’s leading scholars on Abraham Lincoln, becomes the first chair in 2001.

Chancellor Lynn will stay on temporarily
May 30
UIS Chancellor Naomi Lynn delays her retirement at the request of U of I President James Stukel as the search for a replacement continues.

Lincoln Residence Hall groundbreaking ceremony
July 10
A groundbreaking ceremony is held for UIS’ first residence hall - the future home of students enrolled in UIS’ new four-year baccalaureate honors program.

UIS, Japanese institute sign sister school pact
October 18
An academic exchange and cooperation agreement between the Ashikaga Institute of Technology (AIT), Japan, and the University of Illinois at Springfield is signed in a formal ceremony.

2001

New UIS Chancellor Chosen
February 1
Richard D. Ringeisen, the senior academic officer at East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C., is the choice of the U of I Board of Trustees to become chancellor of the University of Illinois Springfield. View State Journal-Register front page coverage

University of Illinois at Springfield to offer MBA program in Peoria
March 15
The University of Illinois Springfield’s College of Business and Management announces a new master’s in business administration program to be offered at its Peoria Center.

UIS announces appointment of new provost
May 7
Michael R. Cheney is named provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs.

Legislature approves funding for University Hall
June 1
The Illinois General Assembly includes money for the construction of University Hall in the FY 2002 state budget. University Hall will become the first major classroom building constructed at UIS in more than a decade.

UIS welcomes first freshman class in its history
August 20
UIS welcomes 119 freshman students in the new Capital Scholars program. Total campus enrollment climbs to 4,284, an increase of 342 undergraduate and graduate students.
View additional State Journal-Register coverage

2002

UIS Announces the addition of men’s basketball and hires Coach Kevin Gamble
March 27
Kevin Gamble, who led Springfield’s Lanphier Lions basketball team to a state championship in 1983 and went on to play for the Big Ten’s Iowa Hawkeyes and the NBA’s Boston Celtics, is named UIS’ first men’s basketball head coach.
View additional State Journal-Register coverage

UIS announces new dean of College of Business and Management
June 3
Ronald D. McNeil is appointed as dean of the College of Business and Management and professor of Business Administration.

Comedy is first production of new UIS theater program
October 16
The theater program at the University of Illinois at Springfield kicks off its first season with a production of It’s Only a Play, a comedy by Terrence McNally.

Groundbreaking ceremony for University Hall
October 28
The University of Illinois Springfield breaks ground on a new classroom/office building in a ceremony attended by Gov. George H. Ryan and several other dignitaries.
View additional State Journal-Register coverage

2003

UIS' Innocence Project achieves first major victory
January 15
Faculty and students in the the UIS Downstate Illinois Innocence Project commend former Gov. George Ryan for granting clemency to Keith Harris, a Belleville resident who spent more than 20 years in prison for armed robbery and attempted murder. The Project worked to overturn Harris’ wrongful conviction.

UIS to offer new degree in Environmental Science
June 19
UIS begins to offer a master of science degree in Environmental Science in the fall semester of 2003.

2004

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. gives presentation at UIS
March 3
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. speaks at the University of Illinois Springfield on the topic “Our Environmental Destiny.”

UIS announces new dean of College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
May 17
Margot I. Duley is named dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of History

U of I Board of Trustees approves TRAC construction
June 17
Plans to build a recreation and fitness center at UIS move a step closer to reality when the U of I Board of Trustees approves the project to construct a $16 million 66,000-square-foot multipurpose facility. UIS students approve raising student fees to build TRAC, prompting a local businessman to pledge an additional $1 million.

UIS adds undergraduate degree in philosophy
July 27
UIS begins to offer a bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy in the fall semester of 2004.

UIS holds dedication ceremony for University Hall
August 18
UIS reaches another milestone in its history when university administrators, dignitaries, and members of the public gather to dedicate a $31.3 million University Hall building, featuring smart classrooms, computer labs and lecture halls.
View additional State Journal-Register coverage

U of I’s new president visits Springfield campus
November 2
B. Joseph White, the former interim president and dean of the business school at the University of Michigan, is selected as the 16th president of the U of I by the Board of Trustees.

2005

UIS unveils design of new recreation and fitness center
July 13
The state-of-the-art TRAC, designed primarily to provide recreation and fitness opportunities for UIS students, includes a 3,000-seat gymnasium capable of expanding to a 4,000-seat performance arena.
View additional State Journal-Register coverage

Statewide political magazine celebrates 30 years
September 8
Former Gov. Jim Edgar moderates a panel discussion on the state’s future at a special luncheon honoring Illinois Issues magazine’s 30th Anniversary.

Approval of new curriculum makes UIS full four-year university
September 8
The University of Illinois Springfield becomes a full four-year university for the first time in its 35-year history. For the first time, both honors and non-honors freshmen and sophomores can be admitted.
View additional State Journal-Register coverage

Harry Berman named permanent provost
September 9
After serving in the role of interim provost the U of I Board of Trustees names Harry Berman UIS provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs.

2006

UIS student trustee given voting rights for first time
July 18
For the first time, Governor Rod Blagojevich designates the UIS student trustee an official voting member of the U of I Board of Trustees. Sarah Doyle became the first student trustee from UIS ever to be given official voting rights.

UIS breaks ground for TRAC
July 27
UIS breaks ground for a $16.2 million recreation and athletic center on campus. The state-of-the-art center is part of the university’s strategic plan to create a more vibrant campus for a growing number of residential and commuter students.

IBHE approves construction on second residence hall and new townhouses
August 17
The Illinois Board of Higher Education approves two new building projects at UIS: an $15.8 million residence hall and six new townhouses.

UIS creates Experiential and Service-Learning Programs
October 16
UIS implements the Experiential and Service-Learning Programs, consisting of nontraditional, outside-the-classroom learning. The new entity encompasses existing programs in Applied Studies and Credit for Prior Learning, with the addition of the new Service-Learning program.

Judd is named National City Distinguished Professor
November 13
Richard Judd, longtime business professor at UIS, is named National City Distinguished Professor in Banking and Finance. Judd also serves as director of the Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business and Management.

2007

UIS becomes iTunes U campus
January 23
UIS becomes an iTunes U campus. As such, UIS will be able to provide lectures, presentations, or other programs as downloadable files for students and others to access anytime and anywhere.

College of Business and Management accredited by AACSB
April 17
The College of Business and Management at UIS is accepted for accreditation by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the world's premier accrediting agency for collegiate schools of business. Fewer than 15 percent of business programs worldwide and about 28 percent in the U.S. presently have this accreditation.

WUIS launches digital signal
August 7
WUIS-WIPA, the local NPR affiliate at UIS, launches its digital signal, becoming the first radio station in Springfield to offer clearer sound and the possibility of more than one program stream.

TRAC opens with ribbon-cutting ceremony
September 26
UIS holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new, state-of-the-art recreation and athletic center (TRAC) in front of a packed crowd of campus and community members.

UIS receives award for online learning from Sloan Consortium
October 22
In recognition for the university’s leadership in the area of online learning, the Sloan Consortium announces that it has selected UIS as the recipient of the Excellence in Institution-Wide Online Teaching & Learning Programming award.

2008

McDermott named first Ameren Endowed Professor
April 2
Dr. Karl McDermott is named UIS' first Ameren Endowed Professor in Business and Government. The professorship was established through a $500,000 gift to UIS from the Ameren Corporation and is housed within UIS' College of Business and Management.

Emiquon Field Station holds dedication
April 26
A big crowd celebrates the dedication and ribbon-cutting of the new Emiquon Field Station at the Emiquon Preserve located near Havana, Illinois, along the Illinois River. The field station is the premier research facility associated with one of the largest river floodplain restorations in the country.

U.S. News and World Report's ranks UIS as fourth best in the Midwest
August 22
U.S. News & World Report’s 2009 Edition of America’s Best Colleges ranks the University of Illinois at Springfield as the best public university - Master’s category - in the state of Illinois and the fourth best public university in that category in the entire Midwest. The prestigious rankings placed UIS at 26 on a list of 71 top public and private colleges and universities in the 12-state Midwest region.

UIS adds Global Studies major
September 15
UIS begins to implement the Global Studies major in Fall 2009 within the College of Public Affairs and Administration.

UIS joins Great Lakes Valley Conference
October 8
UIS announces that its athletic programs will be joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference for the 2009-2010 academic year after receiving an invitation into the conference. The move is part of the university's transition to NCAA Division II.

UIS receives online education award from Sloan Consortium
October 14
UIS is the recipient of the 2008 Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education from the Sloan Consortium. The award is given for innovative work in using quantitative data in a process of continuous quality improvement to assure excellence in online teaching and learning.

BOT approves new Campus Master Plan
November 14
The Board of Trustees approves updating the UIS Campus Master Plan to include land owned by the university outside the ring road. The update was needed as UIS anticipates the need for modest campus expansion, additional services, and potential development outside the ring road, such as a campustown.

2009

House of Reps sworn in at UIS
January 14
The Illinois House of Representatives gathers at UIS as each of the new members of the 96th General Assembly is sworn into the House. The House made history during the meeting as a new vote was made for the impeachment of the Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich.

UIS placed on national Community Service Honor Roll
February 10
UIS is placed on the 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for exemplary service efforts to the local community.

Swan named first James Stukel Professor of Educational Leadership
February 17
Dr. Karen Swan, professor in the College of Education and Human Services at UIS, is named the first James J. Stukel Distinguished Professor of Educational Leadership.

New MIS degree approved
March 11
UIS establishes a new bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems at UIS within the College of Business and Management.

Holden is named Wepner Professor of Political Science
April 29
Dr. Matthew Holden, Jr., is designated as the first Wepner Distinguished Professor in Political Science at UIS.

Miller appointed as Schewe Professor
May 5
Keith W. Miller is appointed as the first Louise Hartman Schewe and Karl Schewe Professor in Liberal Arts and Sciences. The Schewe Professorship is the first named Professorship in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Ermatinger selected as College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean
May 8
Dr. Harry Berman, Provost at UIS, announces that Dr. James W. Ermatinger has been selected as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Barnett hired as new Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
May 26
The University of Illinois at Springfield appoints Timothy L. Barnett to the position of Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.

Burlingame becomes second Lincoln Chair
May 27
UIS announces that preeminent Lincoln Scholar Michael A. Burlingame has accepted the position of Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies. The appointment will be in UIS’ History Department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

UIS approved for membership in COPLAC
June 24
UIS is unanimously approved for membership in the distinguished Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC). The vote places UIS among a select group of 25 public liberal arts institutions representing 23 states and one Canadian province.

UIS accepted by Apple for listing in iTunes store
August 18
The University of Illinois Springfield is accepted by Apple for listing in the iTunes Store. Content from UIS is now available without charge to more than 200 million iTunes users worldwide.

UIS alumna to serve on U of I Board
September 4
Governor Pat Quinn appoints former Mayor of Springfield and UIS alumna Karen Hasara to fill a vacant position on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

UIS Peoria Center moves to new location
October 30
UIS’ Peoria Center moves to new downtown location in the Illinois Central College Perley Building, increasing its space and becoming more convenient to adult learners in downtown Peoria.

Students share stories about studying abroad in Peru

A dedicated group of nine University of Illinois Springfield students spent 17 days this summer learning in Peru. It’s the first time UIS has sent a study abroad group to South America.

The students shared their experiences with the UIS campus during a presentation on September 17, 2009.

The students lived in the former imperial capital of Cusco for a week, they climbed Machu Picchu, a place of retreat for an Inca king and one of the new Seven World Wonders; they navigated Lake Titicaca located 12,500 feet above sea level and stayed with host families on Amantani Island, and also took 28 hours of immersion Spanish!

As part of the class activities and requisites, students in the Peru study abroad course kept a bilingual journal where they wrote (in Spanish) about culture and many learning activities of the day, and they wrote (in English) critical reflections about issues related to social responsibility, environmental practices, cultural practices, history, and political resistance.

Students say they’d love to have the chance to go back to the country and say next year’s study abroad trip is already being planned.

For more information on Study Abroad visit the Office of International Programs website or contact Veronica Espina at 217/206-8300 or vespi1@uis.edu.

Renowned Lincoln Scholar Michael Burlingame accepts Lincoln Chair

The University of Illinois at Springfield has announced that preeminent Lincoln Scholar Michael A. Burlingame has accepted the position of Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies. The appointment will be in UIS’ History Department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Dr. Burlingame’s first monograph, The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln (University of Illinois Press, 1994) has been described by reviewers as “a revelation,” “a triumph,” “the most convincing portrait of Lincoln’s personality to date.” His second book, An Oral History of Abraham Lincoln (Southern Illinois University Press, 1996), was awarded the prestigious Abraham Lincoln Association Book Prize. His recently released two-volume biography of Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln: A Life (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008) is already receiving accolades and has been described as the definitive study.

A review written by James L. Swanson in the November 3, 2008 issue of Publishers Weekly, describes the biography as “the most meticulously researched Lincoln biography ever written” and one that “supercedes all other biographies.”

Acclaimed Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin said of the book: “Lincoln scholars have waited anxiously for this book for decades. Its triumphant publication proves it was well worth the wait. Few scholars have written with greater insight about the psychology of Lincoln. No one in recent history has uncovered more fresh sources than Michael Burlingame. This profound and masterful portrait will be read and studied for years to come.”

“We are truly grateful to have attracted this remarkable teacher and scholar to UIS,” said UIS Chancellor Richard Ringeisen. “Professor Burlingame has outlined an ambitious research agenda, including a new look at Lincoln and the Civil War as well as several editorial projects. His presence at this university will strengthen our academic prowess and hasten our efforts to become one of the best small public liberal arts universities in the nation.”

Dr. Burlingame taught at a premier liberal arts institution, Connecticut College, for over 30 years, achieving the rank of full professor in the early 1990s. While there, he taught numerous courses on Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War era, and 19th century American history. He retired from the college’s History Department in 2001 as the May Buckley Sadowski Professor of History Emeritus. He took retirement at that time in order to work on his recently completed biography of Lincoln.

He received his Ph.D. in History from Johns Hopkins University in 1971.

Dr. Burlingame talks movingly of the impact upon himself when as an undergraduate student at Princeton University he worked under the mentorship of a distinguished historian at the National Archives for a summer. It set him upon a life-long path. He hopes to do the same for students at UIS through involving them in research projects at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and other Lincoln research venues.

As a psychohistorian, Dr. Burlingame tries to apply the insights of depth psychologists like Freud and Carl Jung to the study of the past. His view that history is “psychology teaching by examples” informs his writings and his teaching, especially his course on “Psychohistory and the American Presidency.”

Dr. Burlingame also has a distinguished record of service. He is on the Board of Directors of the Abraham Lincoln Association, the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College, and the Abraham Lincoln Institute in Washington, D.C. He makes frequent presentations to both professional and public audiences, and has been engaged in an ambitious, year-long series of speaking engagements to mark the Lincoln Bicentennial.

Recently, Dr. Burlingame was a keynote speaker and panelist for the February Lincoln Bicentennial celebrations in Springfield, and he was inducted into the Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

The distinguished chair in Lincoln Studies was established in 2000 when Dr. Richard E. Vaden and his family donated $1.25 million for that purpose to honor their longtime friendship with then-UIS Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn and her husband, Robert. Dr. Lynn retired as chancellor on March 30, 2001 after serving nearly 10 years in that capacity.

The distinguished chair was first occupied by Phillip Shaw Paludan, who served from August 2001 until his death in August 2007. He was one of the nation’s foremost authorities on Lincoln and the Civil War and recipient of the prestigious Lincoln Prize for his 1994 book The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln.