Individuals and groups across the campus and community were honored with the 2025 Civic Engagement Awards as part of Illinois State University’s annual Civic Engagement Celebration. The event was hosted on April 8 by the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE).
Illinois State University President Aondover Tarhule assisted in the presentations in eight categories. Winners were announced by Provost Ani Yazedjian, Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Levester “LJ” Johnson, CCE Associate Director Paige Buschman, and CCE Director Dr. Katy Strzepek.
“We received 25 nominations that included recognition of the civic engagement work of over 60 individuals, departments, and units on campus and in our community,” said Buschman. “It is clear that we are collectively living out our core value of civic engagement every day here at Illinois State University.”
The 2025 Civic Engagement Award winners are listed below.
2025 Community Partner Award
The Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal received the Community Partner Award. This award recognizes a community organization that is significantly involved with Illinois State University. These organizations and the individuals who comprise them contribute to student learning and support student engagement with the community in a curricular or cocurricular setting.
The Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal is a community organization serving youth and families since 1992. Its programming is rooted in academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character, and citizenship. Its nominator noted that the club has been especially supportive of field experiences for preservice teachers, large-group volunteer experiences, and service-learning collaborations.
The club’s partnership with the University’s Art for Elementary Schools course is particularly impactful, as it allows Illinois State University students to teach interdisciplinary art lessons to K-5th grade club members and culminates in a pop-up exhibition at University Galleries. Elementary education major Madi Cumberland described her time working with the Boys & Girls Club as one of the most rewarding clinical experiences she has ever had.
2025 Interdisciplinary Award
The Redbird Voter Chatbot Working Group received the Interdisciplinary Team Award. This award recognizes a group, team, or initiative that is a multidepartment effort of a civic engagement initiative or activity. This recognition acknowledges that civic engagement has no boundaries, and that collaboration is often necessary for success.
The Redbird Voter Chatbot working group is being recognized for its innovative interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at increasing political engagement among students at Illinois State. The chatbot was the brainchild of Lyndsay Jones and Saqlain Khurshid, master’s students in Politics and Government who won the Paul Simon Democracy award to implement the chatbot.
Jones shared that she learned a lot through their collaboration with Technology Solutions, who helped bring their vision to life. The collaboration resulted in a tool that facilitates civic engagement by providing trustworthy, vetted information about voting to students who engage with it. Joshua Staton, manager of the Technology Support Center, emphasized the project’s lasting value, stating, “The chatbot is easily updated from election to election, meaning that this service will continue to be a community asset for years to come.”
2025 Student Award
Keara Gray received the Student Award, which recognizes a student who is significantly involved in civic engagement activities at Illinois State University and/or in the broader community, embodying the ideal of an informed and engaged global community member.
As a public health major with a minor in civic engagement and responsibility, Gray has actively participated in and led various civic engagement activities, demonstrating her dedication to social change and community involvement. Gray founded the registered student organization (RSO) Devotees to Democracy, organizing civic education and voter engagement events, including a pre-election program with former Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti and a postelection watch party.
She has led multiple Alternative Break trips, including efforts to clean the Mississippi River and support communities in Kenya and Costa Rica. Gray has also interned at the Ecology Action Center, working on environmental justice initiatives, and has served as a Peace Corps ambassador and peer leader, developing inclusive programs for the campus community. One of her nominators noted that, “Keara has a keen sense of social justice and is a leader who puts her beliefs into action.”
2025 Registered Student Organization Award
Redbird Red Cross was honored with the Registered Student Organization award. This award recognizes an RSO that has been significantly involved in civic engagement at Illinois State University or in the broader community.
Redbird Red Cross has been critical to helping the American Red Cross save and improve lives through much-needed blood donations. The Red Cross provides about 40% of our nation’s blood and blood cell components to donors. Blood donations are used for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment, and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries.
The Redbird Red Cross plans and executes all blood drives for the Illinois State University student community alongside the American Red Cross, and their work includes securing event locations, engaging donors and publicizing the events, scheduling appointments, and recruiting volunteers to work the drives. In the past year, they have been strong partners with the Center for Civic Engagement putting on blood drives as part of the CCE’s September Service Days and Spring Into Service Days. Its nominator wrote that Redbird Red Cross’ tireless work impacts not just Illinois State University, but the broader community as well.
2025 Staff Award
Lawrence Lair was honored with the Staff Award. This award recognizes a staff member who is significantly involved in civic engagement activities at Illinois State University and/or in the broader community. This recognition honors staff members who contribute to the public good and embody the core value of civic engagement personally and/or professionally.
Lair leads civic engagement and advocacy initiatives focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion through roles on Civil Service Council, Queer Coalition, AsiaConnect, and the President’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council. Karmine Beecroft, co-president of Queer Coalition, emphasized that, “Lawrence has truly gone above and beyond to champion the public good at ISU through advocacy, service, fundraising, and engagement since their hire in 2021. Over and over again, he has raised his hand to take on the grinding but necessary work to create a more just and equitable society with no thought of reward.”
Lair has also graciously donated their time as part of the Illinois State University Strategic Planning Group B, creating goals and objectives for nurturing EDIAB across the institution, and assembled and designed the 2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Annual Report.
Lair also volunteers with the Ecology Action Center and provides graphic design services to the Prairie Pride Coalition. Bryan Hinman and Dave Bentlin of Prairie Pride Coalition shared, “Lawrence has graciously volunteered their time to update our organization’s logo and create a new brochure, helping us better serve the LGBTQIA+ community.”
2025 Unit Award
University Galleries received the Unit Award. This award recognizes a unit or department that has developed a civic engagement initiative or activity reflecting the department’s commitment to the public good.
University Galleries bridges Illinois State University’s campus and community, both physically in its location in Uptown Normal and intellectually through its commitment to fostering a greater understanding of contemporary art and providing support for artists at pivotal points in their careers. The team has led numerous activities that highlight its dedication to community service, civic learning, and activism.
University Galleries has presented 14 exhibitions during this academic year, including works by artists addressing themes such as health, wellness, environmental activism, and accessibility. It has partnered with Bloomington High School for seven years to organize the Teen Art Group, providing students with insights into various art professions and culminating in a student-led exhibition.
Monica Estabrook, an art teacher at Bloomington High School, shared that she relies on University Galleries’ consistent efforts to help support what she does in the classroom. University Galleries also hosts workshops, artist lectures, and community events, including banner-making for the Pride Festival and collaborations with the organization Visual AIDS for World AIDS Day. University Galleries has created opportunities connected to its exhibits such as sound walks through Uptown Normal and the Quad, guided meditations, sensory-friendly hours, and poetry readings.
2025 Faculty Award
Dr. Mike Hendricks was recognized with the Faculty Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who has contributed significantly to incorporating civic engagement into their teaching, scholarly, and creative productivity and whose commitment to the public good and advancement of civic engagement within their discipline is clear.
As an assistant professor in the Department of Politics and Government, Hendricks integrates civic engagement and social justice into every aspect of his work. He serves as the faculty advisor for several politically engaged student organizations. He also teaches a graduate seminar on community development, inviting guest speakers to connect students with real-world experiences, and integrates civic engagement into his other courses through the use of deliberative dialogues.
Hendricks is actively involved with the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development, the Normal Rotary Club, and BN-Welcoming. He co-founded the MOST Policy Initiative, which connects scientists and policymakers to improve community livelihoods.
His fellow co-founders and the current board president highlighted that he “has shown a commitment to communicating complex scientific concepts to the public and illustrating why science should be an essential part of policymaking.” Hendricks’ commitment to civic engagement extends to his research, including a recent project on the social impacts of green infrastructure, specifically floating gardens on the Chicago River.
2025 Centering EDI Award
Dr. Brea Banks was recognized with the Centering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award. This award recognizes an individual or group that has developed a civic engagement project that exemplifies the center’s vision of a more just and equitable world cultivated through the co-creation of knowledge, mutually beneficial partnerships, and collective action.
As an associate professor and director of the African American Studies Program, Banks has significantly contributed to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) through various civic engagement initiatives and events.
Banks organized the program’s inaugural film series during Black History Month, which featured two films and a staged reading by Illinois State University students. Banks collaborated with multiple units across campus and the community to ensure the success of the series, yielding high attendance with up to 125 participants at each event.
Dr. Heather Dillaway, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, shared that, “Brea purposely created panels to represent both ISU and the larger community, importantly including members of the local NAACP, so that audience members could witness dialogue about race-related topics, including how to pursue racial justice and positive social change.”
2025 Friend of Civic Engagement
Hannah Johnson was honored with the Friend of Civic Engagement Award. While the other Civic Engagement Awards come from campuswide nominations and are determined by an independent selection committee, the Friend of Civic Engagement award was created by Center for Civic Engagement staff to recognize those who are going above and beyond to help the center fulfill its mission.
Johnson’s commitment to civic engagement can be observed in her work as an inclusive educator, community builder, and cultural advocate with eight years as education coordinator at the McLean County Museum of History and, most recently, as the executive director of Illinois Art Station. She has opened the doors of Illinois Art Station outside of her working hours to CCE staff for a professional development field trip and over the summer to faculty participating in the (Re)Design Your Course for Civic Engagement workshop.
Johnson’s dedication to civic engagement has been especially remarkable as a member of the Carnegie Task Force. As a community partner, service to Illinois State University is not in her job description, but she graciously accepted the invitation to join the task force. The final application was over 160 single-spaced pages in Microsoft Word, and Johnson read every single one of those pages to edit and offer constructive comments. Her feedback was always incredibly insightful with a keen attention to detail and thoughtful questions, and with an inspiring dedication to the proper use of commas, Oxford and otherwise.
Johnson’s commitment to community and collaboration is evident in everything she does, and the Center for Civic Engagement is grateful for her continued partnership and lucky to count her as a true friend of civic engagement.
