One of the most beloved of Jewish texts is Pirkei Avot, (The Ethics of the Fathers), a collection of wise sayings attributed to the Jewish sages who lived during the last several centuries before the Common Era and the two centuries following. Avot (as it is called for the sake of brevity) is a tractate […]
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Reality imbued with the hidden presence of God
Days after hanging out with 50,000 other Catholics at the Indianapolis Convention Center for the 10th National Eucharistic Congress, I was back in Springfield with a much smaller crowd. About 200 of us assembled on a sticky Monday afternoon to honor the life of Sonya Massey, grieve her loss and call for accountability. The gathering […]
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UIS Career Development Center supports student and graduate success
Students pursue higher education and advanced degrees for many reasons. Getting a job or advancing in a career are some of the top reasons that consistently show up in surveys. The University of Illinois Springfield provides various resources and services to help students find jobs when they graduate. The UIS Career Development Center is one […]
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Learning opportunities at West Lake Nature Grove
Nestled along Springfield’s West Lake Shore Drive, shaded by large trees, hosting a new orchard and buzzing with the daily activities of honeybees is Lincoln Land Community College’s newest outdoor learning lab — West Lake Nature Grove. Dedicated in June 2023, West Lake Nature Grove is a 2.1-acre plot of land the college uses for […]
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Coming and going
Jesus said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going.” – Mark 6:31 Anne Morrow Lindbergh, in her book Gift from the Sea, echoes the call of Jesus to his disciples to come away and rest a while. In our coming and […]
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A transformed terrorist
He was committed and unmovable in his personal and religious convictions. He was operating on his own. Yet he had the full support of his religious leaders. Everybody he could find who had veered from the teachings of the faith were subject to his incarceration to be brought back for trial and subsequent punishment. He […]
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The destiny of America
Some years ago, a well-known comedian (Johnny Carson, perhaps), had a routine which began with the question, “Would you believe?” This was followed with an absurdly improbable proposition, and the routine took off from there. Lately, my own “would you believe” inquiry has been increasingly on my mind: Would you believe America is destined to […]
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Stepping up: My next steps as board chair of United Way of Central Illinois
As I prepare to step into the role of board chair for the United Way of Central Illinois, I’m filled with a mix of excitement, gratitude and a deep sense of responsibility. This organization has been a part of my life since 2013, and I’ve watched it grow, evolve and make a profound impact on […]
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Independence Day reflections
The Fourth of July is an occasion for picnics, parades, fireworks and patriotic oratory celebrating our history and heritage as a country. As a child I enjoyed having my Dad home from work on a weekday, going out as a family to eat, and, after nightfall, watching the fireworks that were shot off from the […]
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UIS School of Education partners with District 186 to ‘create magic’
In 2002, while working as an elementary school teacher, I frequently walked past the gymnasium and noticed a physical education teacher’s remarkable way of handling student behavior. She masterfully motivated students to buy into a team approach, where everyone looked out for each other and regularly “helped a friend.” The same students who challenged me […]
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Worried that artificial intelligence is coming for your job?
This concern has become very real for many of us. I am a Generation Xer (born 1965-1980), and we have been a witness to much of the tech revolution and what a few years ago was science fiction has quickly become reality. The truth is, there are many jobs that will be automated in the […]
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United Way works to empower families, create pathways to prosperity
In a concerted effort to uplift ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) families across the state, United Way of Illinois, the Association of United Ways across the state, convened stakeholders and policymakers for a lobby day at the state Capitol earlier this month. UWI’s programs and initiatives are instrumental in empowering ALICE families and creating […]
