Tag: College of Arts & Sciences

USF News

USF Art Gallery Exhibition Featuring Works of USF Alumni

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) Art Gallery in downtown Joliet invites the community to enjoy the creative works of USF alumni. The Alumni Exhibition, which runs through Thursday, September 29, will feature the works of several USF alumni, including: Megan Altmyer (2013); Jessica Baron (2013); Roger Carlson (2006); Jessica Cuevas (2014); Katia Hunt (2019); Sydney Jarrard (2019); Christopher Jones (2015); Dora Moore (2008); Meghann O’Hara (2001); Autumn Panzera (2011); Boris Peshev (2016); Joe Santillo (2017); Egzon Shaqiri (2014) ;Marguerite Stoiber (1973); Lauren Tuider (2020); Odessa Villarreal (2021), and; Ryan Wolfe (2004). The USF Art Gallery is located at 25 E. Van Buren Street in Joliet, is open to the public Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit stfrancis.edu/artgallery/ for more information. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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USF Awarded ComEd Green Region Grant to Support Prairie Restoration

ComEd Green Region Grant award banner
Joliet, Ill. – Once covering over 21 million acres, less than 0.1% of Illinois’ native tallgrass prairie remains. A $10,000 matching grant awarded to the University of St. Francis (USF) and its ‘Reestablishing Illinois Prairie Land: Ongoing Tallgrass Prairie Restoration at Charlotte Codo Prairie in Frankfort, IL’ project through the ComEd Green Region Grant program looks to reverse that trend. The Charlotte Codo Prairie, gifted by the Codo family to USF, is a local prairie restoration site approximately 15 miles east of Joliet. The restoration was initiated by the Codo family in 2014 and is maintained by USF today. Currently, this 47-acre property houses 24 acres of restored tallgrass prairie. Tallgrass prairie fields are used by USF faculty and students for research and educational purposes, including studying biological diversity, learning species identification, and contributing to future restoration practices. Codo Prairie is a site of active restoration. “We plan to expand the acreage of the restored prairie in a multi-year, multi-stage project,” said Chloe Lash, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at USF and project director for the university’s ComEd Green Region grant. “Seventeen acres of alfalfa field on the property will be the next stage of prairie restoration at Codo. While restoring native tallgrass prairie, we also wish to expand public engagement at Codo,” Lash said. The project, supported by $10,000 in matching funds by USF, will be pursued through four stages, including (Stage 1) the establishment of native plant seed gardens, (Stage 2) the expansion of community outreach at Charlotte Codo Prairie, (Stage 3) the harvesting seed from the seed gardens, purchasing seed to supplement harvested seed, and planting of the native seed in the alfalfa field (using current best practices for prairie restoration), and (Stage 4) the planning of controlled burns at the restored site. The ComEd Green Region grant will support efforts for Stages 1 and 2 of this multi-phase project. Lash sees the benefits of this project reaching beyond USF. “This project will not only benefit the University of St. Francis (USF) community but will engage the broader local community in prairie restoration. USF faculty and students will continue to use Codo Prairie for engagement in scientific research and education. Beyond USF, the Codo Prairie Committee is working on establishing approval processes for research by universities and other scientific groups beyond USF affiliates. We are also working on making Codo Prairie more accessible to the public through community partnerships and long-term plans for the property,” Lash said. Ultimately, Lash sees the restoration of native Illinois habitat in Will County as the ultimate goal and is grateful to the ComEd Green Region Grant program for helping USF to embark on that journey. “We are so thankful for the support from the ComEd Green Regions Grant. This award will allow us to build on our educational efforts at the Charlotte Codo Prairie and will support the next stage of prairie restoration at this USF property. Increasing prairieland will support local pollinators, enrich local biodiversity, improve soil health, and assist in climate resiliency research. We are so excited to contribute to restoring native Illinois habitat in Will County,” Lash said. For more information on the ComEd Green Region Grant program, click here. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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Recording Camp at University of St. Francis for High School Students

Joliet, Ill. – This summer, the University of St. Francis (USF) is hosting a recording camp in the university’s state-of-the-art Digital Audio Recording Arts (DARA) facility.

Students will study the architecture of 21st-century music production using audio loops, MIDI composition, and traditional audio capturing utilizing excellent microphones, tracking room, booths, control room, and editing suite. The week will conclude with the completion of a recording project through which participants will be able to showcase their new skills

The camp, which will run from June 20 through 24, 2022, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily in the DARA studio (the studio is located in Tower Hall on USF’s main campus at 500 Wilcox Street in Joliet), is open to area high school and college students. Cost per participant is $199. Space is limited, so contact Jeff Jaskowiak at jjaskowiak@stfrancis.edu or visit darausf.com to register.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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Free USF Noyce STEM Camp for Area Students

Joliet, Ill. – Area students entering grades 6 through 9 are invited to join University of St. Francis (USF) Noyce Scholars and local middle school teachers for a free STEM summer camp experience from July 11 through 15, 2022. This year’s camp will focus on the environment. Participants will learn about local environmental issues, such as ​declining biodiversity, habitat loss, and water quality. Participants will then use science, technology, engineering, and math concepts and approaches to develop ways to tackle these issues. Come learn science and mathematical problem-solving approaches for environmental topics. The camp will take place on USF’s main campus (in classrooms and labs), and will also include travel (via USF shuttle bus) to Codo Prairie and​/or Pilcher Park for field-based work. “Research suggests that the middle school years are a time when kids start thinking about jobs,” said Lisa White-McNulty, Ph.D., USF Noyce STEM Educators Program Director. “Our program exposes campers to STEM experiences and hopefully motivates them to pursue careers in STEM fields.” “With this camp, we aim to grow the pipeline of students who are interested in STEM, fostering a passion for mathematics and science. If we can do this we will open doors for students in a variety of exciting and in-demand careers,” she added. The camp will meet daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Daily drop-off and pick-up will take place at the Brown Science Center, which is located at 530 Wilcox Street in Joliet (on USF’s main campus, across from the Pat Sullivan Center). Box lunches will be provided. To register for this free camp experience and for additional information, please visit stfrancis.edu/noyce. Space is limited and registration requests will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have specific questions about the experience, please contact camp director Dr. Chloe Lash at clash@stfrancis.edu. The USF Noyce STEM Educator Scholarship and Noyce STEM Educator Stipend are made possible through the generous support of the National Science Foundation, grant #1755631. Its goal is to help recruit, prepare, place, and mentor excellent STEM educators in high needs schools in Joliet and the surrounding communities. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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USF Art & Design Department to Host Art Fair and Sale on April 13

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) Art and Design Department will host an Art Fair and Sale on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Marian Hall Abbey (604 Taylor Street, Joliet, IL 60435). The event, which is open to the community, will consist of student-produced artworks for sale, including drawings, paintings, stickers, clothing, jewelry, accessories, and other ephemera. Proceeds from the sale will be used to assist students with purchasing materials to support advanced studies in art and design over the summer. This event is free and open to the general public. Attendees will be required to adhere to the university’s COVID-19 safety protocols, which include providing proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test dated within one week of the visit to campus. Face coverings are optional (but recommended). For more information, please contact professor Michael “Chester” Alamo-Costello, MFA, at mcostello@stfrancis.edu. For more information on the USF Art and Design Department, visit stfrancis.edu/art-design. : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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USF Department of Recreation and Sport Management Inducts New Honor Society Members

USF Alpha Iota Chapter of the Rho Phi Lambda National Honor Society 2022 inductees

Joliet, Ill. – On Tuesday, March 15, the University of St. Francis (USF) Recreation and Sport Management (RSM) Department hosted a special induction ceremony to welcome four new members to the USF Alpha Iota Chapter of the Rho Phi Lambda National Honor Society. The 2022 inductees include Makayla Barfield, Madison Massaro, Kayla Sistos and Shannon Smith.

The Rho Phi Lambda National Honor Society is dedicated to outstanding students within the USF Recreation and Sport Management Department. The honor society’s purpose is five-fold:

  1. to recognize superior students in the USF RSM program;
  2. to encourage the development of professional standards for the leisure service profession;
  3. to stimulate the personal development of individual members’ professional growth in the leisure field;
  4. to cultivate, foster and promote a sentiment of amity among the students of the leisure profession, and;
  5. to recognize those persons who have made outstanding contributions to the field of recreation/parks/leisure.

Eligibility criteria for induction consideration include: a 3.0 overall GPA, 3.2 GPA in the RSM program, 45 credit hours completed at USF, and 12 credit hours completed with the RSM program. To be considered for candidacy, students must also apply for membership and develop an electronic Rho Phi Lambda portfolio.

Also at the induction ceremony, the USF RSM Distinguished Professional Award was presented to Ron Dodd for his distinguished service to the field of parks, recreation, and sport. Dodd has achieved international recognition throughout his career as a public agency park professional. The Ottawa, Ill., native’s career was spent serving a variety of park districts and municipalities, including the Chicago Park District and the Joliet Park District, where he served from 1990 until his retirement in 2004. During Dodd’s tenure at the Joliet Park District, the district received the National Gold Medal Grand Award from the National Recreation and Park Association. Dodd has also served as a visiting professor and adjunct instructor in the USF Department of Recreation and Sport Management. He continues to this day as a member on the RSM Advisory Council and participates in the senior RSM student poster session reviews. Previous recipients of the USF RSM Distinguished Professional Award include: Mike Selep (2019), Dr. Lyle Hicks (2018), Charles Szoke (2018), Jeff Boubelik (2017), and Renee Gauchet (2016). : : The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu. University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose. # # #
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