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Bachelor of Arts in General Studies

Alumnus helps international student earn bachelor’s degree

Through the generosity of one Western Illinois University alumnus and his son, an international student’s dream of earning a bachelor’s degree from WIU is coming true as they help him navigate the process.

Zack Stamp ‘75 received his degree in political science and is a former member of the WIU Board of Trustees. His son, Perry Stamp, met Emmanuel Kabwe while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer, and the two helped Kabwe become a student in the Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS) program at WIU.

Perry and Kabwe worked together on projects for the community, such as protecting wells, distributing dental hygiene products and forming women’s groups and HIV/ AIDS support groups. Through this, the pair became good friends, and he and his family looked after Perry while he was there.

“Without their support, my service in Zambia would have been far less successful,” said Perry. “He provided translation of educational seminars I taught, helped me cut through cumbersome Zambian bureaucracy, provided me with contacts and generally helped me to understand the problems our community was facing.”

One of the biggest accomplishments Perry and Kawbe saw was establishment of the Smile Train program. This ensured 15 community members with facial deformities had a chance to have surgery. Together, the two men convinced parents of facially deformed children to seek care. Successful treatment was facilitated for cleft lips, cleft palates, clubfeet, bowed legs, claw foot, tumors and burns.

The two men also founded Girls Leading Our World (GLOW), which served as an income generator for girls studying whose families struggled to pay tuition. With donor money from the Peace Corps, they were able to buy the group a sewing machine and materials to produce uniforms for the other students. This project was successful in providing 15 girls with money for tuition, supplies and school uniforms.

After working with Kabwe and seeing his passion to help others, Perry recommended him as a candidate for a language coordinator position in the Peace Corps. Kabwe received the job, which entails teaching language and ways of life to Peace Corps volunteers in the area, after his first interview.

Even though he has become a very successful trainer within the Peace Corps, Kabwe needs a bachelor’s degree to advance in his career. Zack is helping Kawbe meet the costs of his degree by providing all his supplies and books. The opportunity to pursue a degree at an American institution was unthinkable to Kabwe until recently, and this degree is very valuable in Zambia, where most people do not have bachelor’s degrees.

Despite the success that Kabwe has achieved in the Peace Corps, he is still lacking the finances to complete his degree at WIU. He is currently enrolled in the general studies program at WIU part-time and hopes to eventually become a full-time student

Summer Science and Math Camps get Support from Alumni

When College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Associate Dean Russell Morgan moved into his new position four years ago from psychology professor, he was encouraged to establish a new signature outreach program for the college.

As an educator and research scientist, he wanted to offer area high school students who had a budding interest in the sciences the opportunity to explore a variety of scientific experiences through hands- on scientific discovery. It was through those ideas that the “Discovering the World Through Science” Summer Program was born.

Morgan received assistance and ideas from the college’s science and math department chairs, faculty members and WIU’s Department of Non-Credit Programs.

Promising young students with at least one year of high school science can come to Western for a week and explore a variety of disciplines, including biology, chemistry, geology, mathematics, neuroscience, geography, meteorology, nursing, physics and astronomy. Through hands-on investigation of scientific principles and methodology, students work directly with WIU faculty and department chairs who are highly experienced scientists, mathematicians and nurses.

One of these instructors is a WIU alumnus, Physics Department Chair Mark Boley ‘87 M.S. ‘89 , who has been a part of the program since its inception in 2011.

“We have done computer-simulated activities in astronomy, accompanied by solar telescope, including solar telescope daytime viewing and night sky-viewing activities, and studies and measurements of gravitational forces and fundamental electrical properties of materials,” Boley said. “The main objective has been to challenge the students to see the fun and advantages in pursuing a science-related career, or at the minimum, to have an appreciation for science even if they choose other careers.”

Last summer, several WIU alumni with science degrees came forward to help students who could not afford the $500 camp admission fee. Their generosity created opportunities for some future scientists.

Read more on page 8 of the Western News.

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