Spring 2018
Over 2,000 family members and friends cheered for their students as they received their diplomas. I love Commencement Day! It is the most important annual event in the life of the college. Dr. Kallia Wright, associate professor of communication and rhetorical studies, gave a rousing Commencement address that brought 216 students to their feet.
At the close of this year’s Commencement ceremony, I charged the Class of 2018 to engage fully in all that is ahead in their professional and personal lives, to open themselves to new experiences and to be ambassadors for Illinois College wherever they go in the world. These students will change the world, just as they have changed all of us who have had the privilege of walking alongside them throughout their Illinois College journey.
Earlier this year, Illinois College launched a sports management concentration within the business major. The response has been terrific! Under the leadership of Professor John Drea, this program emphasizes participation in hands-on projects with professional sports teams as part of the curriculum. Last fall, students collaborated on a project with Robert Brown ’15, who works for the National Basketball Association’s Indiana Pacers. Their semester-long case study included analyzing tickets sales during the period of the basketball season that overlaps with the professional football season. Students reported how valuable they found this experience.
Other new academic programs we announced last spring are also drawing lots of attention from prospective students and their families, including agribusiness, health sciences and criminal justice.
All of these programs are grounded in IC’s commitment to a high-quality liberal arts education. We will continue to add programs where our strengths align with student interests and needs. I am particularly pleased to report the addition of a neuroscience program that will be based in Illinois College’s highly successful Department of Psychology and led by Professor Jeremy Turner. Stay tuned to learn more about growth in IC’s curricular and co-curricular programs.
It is that exciting time of year when I hear from seniors about their plans for next year. Faculty and staff have challenged these students to discover their deepest passions, greatest gifts and knowledge about themselves and the world they could not have imagined four years ago. Their curricular and co-curricular accomplishments are impressive. I can say with conviction that the Class of 2018 will Graduate READY to enter the next stage of their professional and personal lives with confidence, grit and the capacity to make a difference in the world. Please join me in congratulating IC’s future alumni.
All the best,
Barbara A, Farley
President
