FirstWord: Winter 2025

In less than a year as president of Illinois State University, I have witnessed countless examples of Redbirds working together to accomplish shared aims. Seemingly everywhere I turn, I see faculty working with staff or collaboration between students from different majors or alumni invested in the success of their alma mater.

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Illinois State: Winter 2025

I am truly inspired when I see Redbirds united to achieve our common goals.

A perfect example of this came earlier this semester when Illinois State teamed with State Farm and U.S. Hunger to host the “Million Meal Pack” at CEFCU Arena.

I was just one of approximately 4,500 volunteers who came together on one marathon day to pack and assemble one million meals to be distributed by Midwest Food Bank. It was so rewarding to be part of the team that day.

And, speaking of teams, our Illinois State team has grown! Another record-setting freshman class has our enrollment above 21,000 students for the first time in several years. The Office of Admissions led the recruitment charge, of course, but you probably played a role, too. Simply sharing your Redbird experience or showing your Redbird pride helps! The impressive percentage of “legacy students”—ones with a parent, guardian, grandparent, or sibling who attended the University—who enroll at Illinois State speaks volumes to the roles our Redbird alumni play in student recruitment.

When Redbirds unite, it makes our campus—and our world—a better place. Some other recent examples of Redbird teamwork include:

• Redbirds near and far came together to surpass all goals during #RedbirdImpact Month last June. Over 780 hours of service were tracked by our civically engaged alumni and friends.

• Undergraduate students from our agriculture and international business programs teamed up to earn a first-place finish at an international conference and competition in Almeria, Spain, last summer with their innovative solution to a real-world agribusiness problem.

• Students from a variety of majors, with support from faculty and staff, helped our Solar Car Raycing Team to a pair of top-three finishes in races over the summer, while also promoting sustainable forms of energy.

• Illinois State donors from around the globe contributed more than $35 million during the 2024 fiscal year to fund new scholarships and provide students with opportunities they otherwise would not experience.

I celebrate these remarkable achievements as they demonstrate time and again that, when we work together, we can achieve great things.