Just a few years ago a new approach was hatched (pardon the bird pun) to bring together new Illinois State University employees during their first month or two on campus to eat, drink, talk, and learn more about what it truly means to be part of the Redbird family.

The Vice President for Finance and Planning Strategic Plan was the guiding force, and a committee comprised of individuals from all divisions including Academic Affairs, University Advancement, Student Affairs, and Finance and Planning met, researched, and devised the original plan for what this “Day 2 Orientation” might look like. With that structure in place, Human Resources, with help from presenters across all four divisions, piloted the “All About ISU” second-day orientation program as a monthly event for new members of the Illinois State Redbird Family.

As part of the “All About ISU” orientation program, new employees from across all divisions at the University are invited to breakfast at one of our fantastic dining centers on campus, introduced to fellow new(er) employees on campus, and tasked with sharing thoughts on what it means and feels like to be a Redbird.

Covered in the session is the foundation and history behind the creation of Illinois’ oldest public university, the guiding force of our strategic plan, a virtual tour of our campus and properties, staff commitment to individualized attention, and perks of working for Illinois State. A bonus? Sometimes a feathered friend makes a surprise guest appearance.

New full-time employees within their first month or two at Illinois State are invited through their supervisors to participate regardless of role or location at the University. If you are fortunate enough to be joining the Redbird family as a full-time employee, or you are the supervisor of one of these fantastic new Redbirds and want more information, please reach out to us via email at hr@ilstu.edu.

Dates for the event are typically the last Thursday morning of each month, and more information can be found here.