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WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield’s Center for State Policy and Leadership will host a Constitution Day panel discussion focusing on issues related to the 2024 election, such as the Electoral College, voter registration and the role of the media. The event is free and open to the public.

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 17

WHERE: UIS Lincoln Residence Hall Great Room, 2160 Vachel Lindsay Drive, Springfield

DETAILS: Experts from UIS and the Springfield community will discuss selected topics concerning the Constitution. Panelists include:

• Jason Piscia, director of the Public Affairs Reporting Program at UIS
• Tyshianna Bankhead, executive director of the Faith Coalition for the Common Good
• Matthew Geras, assistant professor in the UIS School of Politics and International Affairs
• John Transue, associate professor in the UIS School of Politics and International Affairs

The discussion will be moderated by Isabel Skinner, assistant professor in the UIS School of Politics and International Affairs.

The Springfield 'Un-Debate' and 'Ask a Voter' event will explore reproductive health.

Candidate debates rarely enlighten the electorate. Instead; NPR Illinois, the University of Illinois System Institute of Government and Public Affairs, Columbia College, and the Chicago Sun-Times will explore critical issues likely to motivate voting in the 2024 presidential election.

The main activity will be a panel discussion open to the public about the issue of reproductive health. Experts on the issue will lay out the facts and policies with opportunity for civil discourse with attendees with the goal of minimizing misinformation.

Panelists:

• Careyana Brenham, MD: Professor, Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education, Office of Graduate Medical Education
  
• Robin Fretwell Wilson: Mildred Van Voorhis Jones Chair in Law, UIUC School of Law
  
• J. Ricardo Loret de Mola, MD: Chair and Professor of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Director of St. John's Hospital Women’s Services, Director of the SIU Fertility and IVF Center
  
• Sara Jane Peal: J.D. candidate at UIUC, member of Exceptions and Misconceptions Research Team at UIUC Law.

Moderator: Sean Crawford, Managing Editor, All Things Considered, State Week, Statewide host; NPR Illinois

More on Un-Debates

Parking & Directions:

• Parking map at this link:  https://www.uis.edu/sites/default/files/2021-01/2020_MasterVisitorParking_Map.pdf. Guests should use lots G or J on either side of the Union (building 13 on the map).
• Transit Instructions: https://www.uis.edu/visit/travel-accommodations

Join the UIS Center for State Policy and Leadership for its annual showcase of how it interacts with and affects policies. This year's event is moderated by NPR Illinois' Sean Crawford and will include a live version of State Week looking at the year in Illinois policy and how Illinois may be affected by the 2024 national elections. The Government Public Service Internship (GPSI) awards will also be featured.

Ambassador Daniel Fried, over a forty-year career in Foreign Service, played a key role in designing and implementing American policy in Europe after the fall of the Soviet Union. He served as Special Assistant and NSC Senior Director for Presidents Clinton and Bush, Ambassador to Poland, and Assistant Secretary of State for Europe. He became the U.S. government’s foremost expert on Central and Eastern Europe and Russia.
Fried will share his insights on Poland as an important U.S. ally, Poland’s support for Ukraine, and its relationships with Russia and its European neighbors.

SPRINGFIELD – The University of Illinois Springfield Visual Arts Gallery is pleased to present “Continuum” by Springfield-based artist and Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) Professor Laura Anderson. “Continuum” will open on Sept. 26 and run through Oct. 17. A reception for this exhibition will be held at the gallery from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 26. This event is free and open to the public.

“Continuum” will feature a series of recent works that examine the structural frameworks of the microverse, exploring the interplay between natural and man-made structures. Anderson’s focus on cellular forms, fungi and mycelium serves as both subject and metaphor, revealing the interconnectedness of all living systems.

Natural imagery within the works depicts qualities of growth, decay and regeneration. The pieces combine elements of nature with found objects to reflect the gradual transformation of man-made artifacts back into their organic origins. This synthesis reflects the perpetual cycles of creation and destruction, emergence and dissolution, exploring the underlying structures that sustain life at its smallest scales.

Anderson is an artist, designer and educator whose creative practice is rooted in a lifelong fascination with the complexities of nature. Originally from a small town on Chicago's southeast side, Anderson's passion for art developed alongside a connection to the natural world. This early inspiration has continued to shape her artistic identity, drawing on themes of plant and animal life that consistently inform her creative work.

Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University and a master’s degree in fine art from the University of Kansas. Her work has been exhibited both locally and nationally. Anderson’s fascination with design led her to a successful career in graphic design in California, where she contributed to corporate and agency environments while maintaining a thriving freelance business.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency. The UIS Visual Arts Gallery is centrally located on the UIS campus in the Health and Science Building, room 201 (HSB 201). Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For more information and future exhibitions, visit the UIS Visual Arts Gallery website.

Subject to change as details are still being negotiated.

The vice presidential debate hosted by CBS News is set for Oct. 1 in New York City, between Democratic Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota and Republican Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Moderated by "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell and "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan.

NPR intends to secure simulcast rights to broadcast and stream the debate including on NPR Illinois and at nprillinois.org.

The Chicago 'Un-Debate' and 'Ask a Voter' event will explore immigration.

Candidate debates rarely enlighten the electorate. Instead; Columbia College, NPR Illinois, the University of Illinois System Institute of Government and Public Affairs, and the League of Women Voters will explore critical issues likely to motivate voting in the 2024 presidential election.

The main event will be a panel discussion open to the public about the issue of foreign affairs. Experts on the issue will lay out the facts and policies with opportunity for civil discourse with attendees with the goal of minimizing misinformation.

Panelists:

• Adriana Cardona-Maguigad: Immigration Reporter, WBEZ Chicago
• René D. Flores : Associate Professor, The University of Chicago
• Xóchitl Bada: Associate Professor, University of Illinois Chicago
• Michelle Jacobson: Immigration Lawyer, Partner, Fragomen Global LLP

Moderator: Curtis Lawrence, Block Club Chicago

More on Un-Debates

Parking & Directions:

“Park 1” outdoor lot at 525 South Wabash (adjacent to Columbia’s campus building, 33 East Ida B. Wells). RATES: 2 hours $8, 6 hours $12, 10 hours $15. 312-922-4128.

Doors Open 11 am | Lunch 11:30 am | Program 12-1 pm

2025 will mark the 125th anniversary of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which spawned the classic 14-book series. Prolific author L. Frank Baum spent much of his life in Illinois, writing and producing children’s books and literature. He penned 41 novels, 83 short stories, over 200 poems, and at least 42 scripts. The 1939 adaptation of the first Oz book became a landmark of 20th-century cinema.

Presenter: Mark W. Sorensen, Past President, Illinois State Historical Society

U.S. Election Day 2024. Presidential and other races depending on location.

NPR Illinois will have coverage throughout the day and results as available after polls close.

2024 marks the 19th class of high school seniors NPR Illinois will ask to share what they believe. This I Believe was started by radio journalist Edward R. Murrow in 1951 to allow anyone able to distil the guiding principles by which they lived.

This year, another culminating event will occur, details and location to be announced soon.

NPR Illinois will air the essays in their authors’ voices the last two weeks of October (at approximately 7:45 am and 4:45 pm). The audio will also be streamed at nprillinois.org. Previous essays are available on the website at nprillinois.org under the “Community Voices” tab.

The Rotary Club of Springfield Sunrise has partnered with NPR Illinois since the program began and provides a monetary award to the selected authors. The Illinois Times also provides support to the program by printing the essays in the weekly paper.

Doors Open 11 am | Lunch 11:30 am | Program 12-1 pm

Tracey Maras is best known for her realistic pastel paintings of the natural world around us and life interacting with it. Her paintings convey a sense of serenity and connectedness. Working with the pure pigment of pastels, her pieces convey subtle vibrancy that capture moments and sensations that instill a sense of peace.

Presenter: Tracey Maras, Award-winning Artist

Save the date for our annual celebration of you!

Venue, registration, and more posted soon!.

Doors Open 11 am | Lunch 11:30 am | Program 12-1 pm

In the summer of 1824, the Illinois General Assembly was on the brink of changing our state constitution to permit slavery outright. Though the Northwest Ordinance designated Illinois a “free territory" in 1787, proslavery sentiment in southern Illinois was strong and challenged the efforts to keep the new state of Illinois free. Dr. Caroline Kisiel, Illinois Humanities Road Scholar, will present on the people and events that culminated in Illinois remaining a free state.

Presenter: Dr. Caroline Kisiel, Illinois Humanities Road Scholar