College of Arts and Sciences

Spring 2001 News Archive

  • New Release: Annual Creative Writing Festival to be held at WIU
  • News Release: Spring Journalism Day at WIU March 26
  • News Release: CAS Honors Students. Student Council Honorary Recognition Awards were presented to outstanding seniors in three disciplines including Michelle Standridge, an English major from Winthrop Harbor, was the humanities award recipient. Standridge, who plans to teach English at the high school level and eventually to pursue higher academic degrees, was inducted in Phi Kappa Phi this spring. She has served with the English department's grade appeals committee, is president of the student affiliate of the National Council of Teachers, is a member of the Mathematics Association of America and is a literacy tutor.
  • News Release: CAS Honors Faculty. Bruce Leland, English, receives the outstanding faculty award for service from CAS Dean Phyllis Farley Rippey. (Download print-quality image)
  • News Release: Case Endowment Supports Writers-In-Residence Program. A $450,000 gift to the Western Illinois University Foundation from the late Fred E. Case in honor of his wife Lola Austin Case will be used to bring visiting writers to the campus of WIU. Prior to the Cases’ gift, national writers were only able to visit WIU for two- or three-day residencies. According to College of Arts and Sciences Dean Phyllis Farley Rippey, the endowed fund for extended residencies for visiting writers will offer greater opportunities for more interaction between students and established writers. The gift will also enable WIU to enhance the environment in which budding writers can flourish, she added. "The Fred Ewing Case and Lola Austin Case Visiting Writers-in-Residence Professorship is an extraordinary gift to the department of English and journalism and its programs," Rippey said. "The gift is an endorsement of an already wonderful program and will bring an infusion of stellar writing talent into the department on a regular basis."The late Lola Austin Case earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Western in 1942. Her professional career included teaching assignments in Neponset, Montrose, CO, Indiana University, Los Angeles Metropolitan College, the University of California and San Fernando Valley State University. Fred Case was a professor emeritus of the graduate school of management at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr. Case was one of America’s leading real estate experts and the author of over 18 books, 31 monographs, 106 articles in professional journals and over 80 other reports and reviews. His insights on national and regional real estate markets benefited financial institutions; local, state and federal governments; universities and real estate companies. "Western Illinois University had a positive, lasting impact on the life of Lola Austin Case and this endowment is a wonderful testament to two outstanding and dedicated higher education professionals," said Larry Mortier, vice president for advancement and public services at WIU. "We are grateful to Dr. Case for creating this unique endowment and the opportunities it presents for our students."
  • News Release: 30 Years of Service - Jay Balderson, English; John Mann, English; Karen Mann, English; 15 Years of Service - James Courter, English; Jerry Hansen, English; Ronald Walker, English; 10 Years of Service - Linda Hess, English; Bill Knight Jr., English
  • News Release: WIU students earn creative writing awards. Six Western Illinois University students were recognized and given monetary awards from two endowed English and journalism department scholarships for their creative writings. The winners of the Lois C. Bruner Literary Nonfiction Award were: first place, Brooke King, a sophomore English major from Bloomington; and second place, Natalie Smith, a freshman English major from Chicago [60614]. King also placed second in the fiction and poetry category. Five students earned highest recognition for the Eula Cordell Larner Writing Award in Poetry and Fiction: Carey Hubbard, a senior English major from Macomb; Nick Rausa, a senior English major from Hanover Park; Vicki Rakowski, a junior English major from Oak Park; Jessica Smucker, a junior English major from Macomb; and Marie Watson, a senior English major from Macomb. Second place awards went to: Erica Potterbaum, a senior English major from Elgin; Robert Marcks, a senior English major from Macomb; and Kristy Stachelski, a junior sociology major from Schaumburg. Honorable mentions in poetry and fiction writing went to Rebecca Cox, a sophomore pre-law enforcement and justice administration major from Colchester; Kiana Daniels, a sophomore English major from Chicago [60620]; Mandy Gourley, a junior English major from Danville; Colin Hargreaves, a junior individual studies major from Indianapolis, IN; Brittney Hester, a sophomore sociology major from Chicago [60643]; Jackie Kluk, a junior English major from Naperville; Kelsey Simpkins, a freshman general studies student from Prairie City; Hunter Brock, a senior English major from Wheaton; Nicole Brown, a junior journalism major form New London, IA; Scott DeRosa a senior communication major from Mishawaka, IN; Tim Mulcrone, a freshman journalism major from Des Plaines; and Bradford Nadzjieko, a senior English major from O'Fallon.