Enrich Engagement
Alumni Mentor Network
The Alumni Mentor Network is a program that connects students with alumni who are specifically volunteering to serve as mentors. Students can tap into the professional expertise of alumni. Alumni have an opportunity to share their time and talent while making an impact in the lives of future professionals.
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Reusable Water bottle
Replaced 13,000 single-use plastic water bottles distributed annually on campus with ISU branded reusable and infinitely recyclable aluminum water bottles utilized during events such as Admissions and Preview.
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VISUALIZE
Athletics launched VISUALIZE, a comprehensive program designed to educate and engage student-athletes on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) topics. This initiative provides top-tier programing, knowledge, insights, and resources for student-athletes to position them for success with NIL promotional opportunities.
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Bone Student Center Visitors
The Bone Student Center welcomed over 1.24 million visitors to the building in FY22.
Illinois Tutoring Initiative
The College of Education is spearheading the Illinois Tutoring Initiative in partnership with the Governor’s Office, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). The program will provide tutoring for approximately 8,500 Illinois students during a two-year period. The Illinois Tutoring Initiative is designed around strategic partnerships with local school districts that COVID disproportionately impacted, have high percentages of students and families with low-income, and have low funding adequacy.
Department of Special Education Grants
Faculty from the Department of Special Education continued to implement two grants of over $1 million each that directly impact PK-12 schools and students, one from the Illinois State Board of Education to prepare teachers to work with students on the autism spectrum and another from the U.S. Department of Education to prepare future educators of infants and toddlers who are deaf or blind.
Deliberative Dialogues
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) collaborated with University College to provide instruction and Deliberative Dialogue facilitation for all sections of IDS 128 and IDS 108, providing first-year and transfer students with information about civic engagement as well as ways for them to be involved in the campus community and their local community.
Engaging the Power of Your Liberal Arts Education
Career Services collaborated with the College of Arts and Sciences to develop and implement a career development program for students entitled “Engaging the Power of Your Liberal Arts Education.” The program is for students without a linear path to a profession such as those in the humanities and social sciences.
Wellness coaching practices are enhanced for users and coaches
A new Wellness Coaching program is available for students, faculty, and staff. Certified coaches meet with individuals for an average of 10 sessions. A new online platform was deployed allowing wellness coaches to interact with participants using online coaching tools.
Alternative Spring Break
In FY22, 109 individuals completed 3,436 hours.
First Alternative Break Alumni Trip offered
Illinois State University alumni and friends went to Costa Rica on the first-ever ISU Alternative Breaks Alumni Trip.
Food Security
The Food Insecurity Committee implemented several measures to enhance the University’s resources and capacity for response to support students reporting food insecurity. Support included grab-and-go food bags during university closures, mini food pantries hosted by departments across campus, and short-term meal plan options for students to access campus dining centers. Another new initiative included training select professional staff within the Student Affairs division and a group of student employees to further assist students in need regarding food insecurity, as well as housing and financial insecurity, utilizing resources both on campus and in the local community.
College Tour Series
Admissions and University staff members partnered with The College Tour, a streaming television series, to film an episode featuring ten students from Illinois State to capture their individual Redbird experiences. The College Tour episodes will be featured on streaming video platforms, such as Amazon Prime, in fall of 2022.