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Volume 20 • Number 1 • Summer 2019
Meeting the national need for teachers
America is facing a critical shortage of teachers, and Illinois State University is working to help fill the gap.
Diamond memories: Redbird baseball’s 1969 national championship team
The Redbird baseball team won the 1969 College Division World Series, still the only team national championship in Illinois State University history.
Heart strings: ISU music program reaches out to Bloomington-Normal youth
When the fourth grader was told she would have to turn in her cello at the end of the semester, she hugged her instrument.
Different kind of cure: Alum’s academy teaches critically ill children
Illinois State University alum Megan Nickels is the founder and faculty director of PedsAcademy at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida, which creates educational experiences tied to a patient’s disease or condition.
Better and brighter: Bone Student Center revitalized
The first phase of the Bone Student Center’s transformational revitalization was completed during the spring semester, with more work finished throughout the summer.
ISU surpasses $150 million Redbirds Rising campaign goal; campaign to continue through June 2020
Illinois State University has surpassed the $150 million goal set for Redbirds Rising: The Campaign for Illinois State. Alumni and friends have contributed more than $155.4 million to the campaign, helping the University achieve the goal 13 months ahead of schedule.
Where are they now? Roger Cushman
A grimy summer job of detasseling corn gave me enough money in 1951 to buy an old jalopy and plunk down $55 for tuition, activity fees, and book rental for my first semester at Illinois State Normal University.
Redbird Softball signs Team IMPACT recruit
Illinois State softball head coach Melinda Fischer announced the signing of eight-year-old Coen Frambes at a press conference held at Redbird Arena tonight.
Redbirds capture MVC All-Sport Trophy
For the first time since 2009-2010 season and the 13th time overall, Illinois State has been crowned the Missouri Valley Conference All-Sports Champion.
Baseball team in NCAA tournament
For the fourth time in program history, the baseball team appeared in the NCAA Tournament in the spring. The team earned an at-large bid and advanced to the regional finals, finishing the season at 36 wins with a loss to Louisville.
Tennis coach earns 100th victory at ISU
Six years after joining the University to lead the men’s Redbird tennis team, Mark Klysner captured his 100th win as a head coach.
Golfer, coach top MVC
Trent Wallace was named the 2019 Missouri Valley Conference Golfer of the Year, becoming the first to take the honor since Matt Miller in 2007.
Civic engagement: Redbirds strong advocates for higher education
Thanks to dedicated students and alumni, citizens of the state continue to hear about the need to support higher education in Illinois.
Stay connected to ISU
Check out the Facebook pages of ISU affinity groups and Redbirds by geographical locations for news and events. Networks are listed at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Networks.
Directors chosen for Alumni Association
There is new leadership within the Alumni Association following the annual meeting in June.
Legacy family event
Anyone with a sibling, parent, or grandparent who attended the University is part of a Redbird legacy family. Legacy families with current students attending Illinois State will be recognized at the annual Legacy Brunch during Family Weekend on Sunday, October 6. Register at Alumni.IllinoisState.edu/Legacy-Brunch.
Redbird uses hair to create, teach and inspire
Redbird Christal Schanes lives a life that now revolves around custom wigs, toupees, hairpieces, and facial hair and love every minute of it.
Pause for applause
We applaud these Illinois State alumni featured in the August 2019 issue.
How we met: Arielle De Lisle and Kyle Cadagin
Arielle De Lisle ’15 was a sophomore University Studies major focusing on sociology when she met Kyle Cadagin ’13 during a game of beer pong at an off-campus party.
Redbird legacy: Family’s Redbird ties extend across 3 generations
Barbara (Dunn) Raycraft finished high school in 1953 and chose teaching over nursing and secretarial work—which were the career options for young women at the time.
Scholarship makes all the difference to theatre major from Texas
Scholarship support made all the difference for Texas native Daija Nealy ’19. The theatre major came to ISU as a freshman after having been recruited by universities across the country.