Three international students journey from Africa to Illinois State University and discover what life is like as Redbird graduate students.
International students embody persistence and enhance global perspectives

Three international students journey from Africa to Illinois State University and discover what life is like as Redbird graduate students.
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If you’re an employer, register early for the fall career fairs. Spaces are limited and fill-up quickly.
The master’s in criminal justice sciences program at Illinois State has given students many real-world, hands-on experiences. For Bothwell Piason, a graduate student within the Department of Criminal Justice Sciences, becoming a #GradBird has allowed him to explore more opportunities within his research in the criminal justice field.
Redbirds shared their spring commencement experiences on social media all weekend long. Check out this year’s roundup of some of the best tweets, Instagram posts, and photos to see why Illinois State is #RedbirdProud of our new graduating class.
The winner of the 2022 Clarence W. Sorensen Distinguished Dissertation Award is Dr. Maggie DeMaegd Ph.D. ’21, who earned her doctorate in the College of Applied Science, School of Biological Sciences.
Illinois State graduate student Colleen Kickbush is fond of a line from the late Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood fame.
Dr. J. Michael Durnil ’83, M.S. ’84, was surprised by the response to The E.W. Scripps Company announcing he would serve as the executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee last spring. He was soon interviewed by The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on National Public Radio.
Dorothy Stone, graduate student in English, has received a prestigious Fulbright to study in Cambodia in 2022-2023.
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