From University Relations:
Western Illinois University Department of Communication Assistant Professor Chris Carpenter was invited to debate at the Oxford Union Society in England in May. Carpenter, who has done extensive research on social media issues, was invited to speak on the motion, “This House Believes Social Media has Successfully Reinvented Social Activism.”
The Oxford Union, which [...]

The officers are pleased to announce that Associate Professor Brian Locke of Western Illinois University has been elected to a two-year term as president of the American Musicological Society (AMS)–Midwest Chapter.
Congratulations Brian!!
The American Musicological Society was founded in 1934 to advance research in the various fields of music as a [...]

Susan Czechowski reports that Jesse Bernhardt, BA 2012, history major and art minor, has created prints for the PBR Art Gallery.
Jesse studied printmaking this past year with both Bill Howard and Susan.  This spring Jesse found a passion combining silkscreen and Pabst Blue Ribbon.  He entered work in the online PBR [...]

Jeremy Soule is not a WIU alum but he was a student of Paul Paccione’s….when he was 11 years old!  And Soule has become one of the most renowned video game composers ever!
From an article in Keokuk’s Daily Gate City online publication,
A Keokuk High School graduate who has been described as the “John Williams of [...]

Bruce Walters has received a Major Artist Grant from the Iowa Arts Council for the Exploring NASA project.  He was awarded the maximum amount of $10,000.  Congratulations Bruce!
He has uploaded two HD quality sections of Exploring NASA to youtube.  Check out the Exploring NASA website and don’t forget to “like” the Exploring NASA Facebook page.
Exploring [...]

Congratulations to School of Music Associate Professors Jennifer Jones and Brian Locke who have received tenure.  Way to go!!!

From the Beyond the Belltower blog:

Western Illinois University theatre major Aaron Zetterlund, of Keokuk, Iowa was guaranteed an American Idol audition with his Saturday, July 7, win of the Tri-State Idol contest in Quincy.
Zetterlund will move on to his audition for the American Idol television show on Thursday, July 12, in Chicago.
“I’m most [...]

Darcie Shinberger, BA Mass Communications 1989, and Teresa Koltzenberg, BA Theatre 1992, have both been promoted within University Relations recently.  Congratulations to both.
From University Relations:
Teresa Koltzenburg has been named assistant director of University Relations at Western Illinois University, effective July 1, according to Director of University Relations Darcie Shinberger. Koltzenburg replaces Bonnie [...]

From University Relations posted by Jodi Pospeschil:

Western Illinois University graduate and former Miss Macomb titleholder Megan Ervin, 2012, was crowned Miss Illinois Saturday night in Marion.
Ervin, a 22-year-old Rushville native, graduated from WIU in the spring with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a minor in dance. She was competing in [...]