United Voices of Western Singers (Tenors), headed by Dr. Alphonso Simpson.
Outreach
The African American Studies Department's outreach program aims at directly impacting the immediate and larger community in Macomb, west central Illinois, Chicago and the Quad Cities areas, the United States and the African World as a whole. It is geared at strengthening the scholarly and community service activities of the department. The department strives to be a leader in its outreach programs and to directly impact on the WIU community, the Macomb community, the west central Illinois region and other parts of our immediate and global world.
Among other outreach missions of the department are:
The United Voices of Western Inspirational Singers
The United Voices of Western Inspirational Singers (U.V.O.W.I.S.) was organized under the advisorship and direction of Dr. Alphonso Simpson, Jr., Associate Professor of African American Studies. The core group was predominantly students and also included faculty and staff. In 2007, Dr. Simpson met with the Executive Boards of U.V.O.W and W.I.S (Western Inspirational Singers), a smaller more exclusive group of auditioned singers who were formed under the leading of Ms. Ashley Davis (Western Alumnae S’07) to propose the merging of the two organizations for greater unity on campus for visibility and purpose. When the choirs merged, the numbers of the choir grew to a 35+ voiced organization. Today, under the advisorship of Dr. Simpson and a very active and supportive Executive Board, the choir has reached a membership of 75+ voices. The choir has performed numerous times at local churches, on and off campus, as well as engagements out of the Macomb area. To mark the end of every semester the choir hosts a concert. This past semester, for the very first time, the choir produced a live DVD (not for sale) at The Crossing church. Membership is open to any student, faculty or staff member at Western Illinois University. Rehearsals are held on Thursday nights from 7 to 9 p.m. in room 101B of Morgan Hall. There is no audition necessary.
In the past, the choir has attended the Illinois States Annual Gospel Music Workshop. Recently, the choir had the opportunity of sitting under the instruction of Mr. Darius Brooks, a prominent gospel music recording artist from Illinois. The choir got a chance to interact with other gospel choirs across the state as well as an opportunity to sing in an amazing 350+ voiced choir under the leadership of Mr. Brooks. The choir has also performed with Minister Rose Harper of Shekinah Glory Ministries at a workshop held in 2007. The choir also performed during Homecoming Weekend for the Family Weekend Breakfast which was held in the University Student Union.
The choir plans to host an annual Fall workshop in 2009. The choir also plans to record a CD that will be for sale to support the organization. If you are interested in having the choir perform at an event you are sponsoring, please contact Dr. Alphonso Simpson Jr. at A-Simpson@wiu.edu. Please allow the choir at least 2 - 4 weeks notice before your scheduled event.
WIU Black Alumni
- The department wants to strengthen the relationship with WIU Black alumni and collaborate with them in ventures that are of immediate and
long-time benefit to the Black community in Illinois and around the world. The department also needs the help of alumni
in recruiting students for the AAS degree programs.
Student Recruitment
- The department organizes visits and cultural programs in
community colleges, High schools, and other places as part of its drive to
recruit more students to the African American Studies degree program. It
collaborates with alumni, the AAS Department Club, Interested Back Sorority and
Fraternity, in organizing its student recruitment events.
African American Studies Department Alumni
- The alumni of the department of African
American Studies are regularly updated about the progress of the department,
and are invited to send ideas and suggestions that will strengthen
department's offerings and support extra curricular activities for students and
faculty. The department looks at its alumni as its ambassadors to the immediate
and larger world communities and strives, from when they are students on
campus, to provide them the best of the African American Studies discipline,
and make them always choose WIU's African American Studies as the exemplary
post-secondary education discipline that enhance their chances of becoming
leaders of their community and prepare them to be relevant in the social,
economic and political arenas of our global community, ensuring a strong and
satisfactory careers for them and ensuring their strong background for further
graduate training.
WIU Foundation
- Through WIU Foundation, the African American Studies department
provides opportunities to its alumni to support the educational and community
outreach ventures of the department. AAS Alumni and others interested in
supporting a strong African American Studies discipline have opportunities to
institute scholarship programs, support department's Visiting Professors
Program, support student recruitment, department's general operations or any
other area of their interest.
Indigenous Africa and Diaspora Discourse Project (IADDP)
- Founded and directed by Dr. Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah, the IADDP's Lecture Series
invites to WIU campus every semester scholars and researchers from the United
States and abroad to present on topics relevant to the culture and peoples of
Africa and the African Diaspora. IADDP also has other cultural and scholarly
programs to incorporate African materials into the curriculum. For more
information about IADDP see: www.wiu.edu/iaddp
African American Studies Lecture Series
- The African American Studies Department annually presents a lecture series to provide a forum through which students can get to know faculty members and their areas of research. The series is held on the first Wednesday of each month during the academic year. This program was organized by Dr. Jo-Ann Morgan in 2008, with AAS faculty each giving presentations. The series continues with featured lecturers invited from other disciplines to speak about the benefits of studying African American history and culture.
