Colleges/Departments

Upcoming Alumni & Friends Events

Popular Links

Recent Alumni & Friends Events Around the World

• Leatherneck Social in Rock Island
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• Bulls vs. Suns in Chicago
• Town & Gown
• 4th Annual All Leatherneck Reunion
• Student vs. Alumni Basketball
• WIU vs. Iowa Baseball

Leatherneck Social
in Rock Island

Visit WIU mobile, and enter Leatherneck Country right from your phone at m.wiu.edu!

In this Issue

PAC Groundbreaking | 2011 Distinguished Alumni Awards | WIU Receives Governor's Award | Online Western News | Save the Date for Homecoming 2011 | Join Us in Tennessee, Oregon & Washington

Performing Arts Center Groundbreaking

It was a grand day on Tuesday, April 26 as the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Western Illinois University Performing Arts Center took place on the WIU-Macomb campus. In addition, a seven-figure bequest from retired WIU administrator Tate Lindahl to support the center's operation was announced.

Legislators, local organizations and campus and community members have worked together over the years to lobby for the center.

"Through partnerships and collaboration, the WIU Performing Arts Center has become a reality. I cannot thank enough our local legislators, our campus community and our many friends, Gov. Pat Quinn and Capital Development Director Jim Underwood for their support of this cultural center, which will be an incredible asset to this region. I would also like to recognize Tate Lindahl's generosity for, and support of, this project and Western Illinois University," noted WIU President Al Goldfarb.

Read more.

Photo: Governor Pat Quinn discusses the PAC project.

2011 Distinguished Alumni Awards

The outstanding accomplishments of three Western Illinois University graduates will be recognized Saturday, May 14 at the Spring 2011 Commencement Exercises.

The recipients of the 2011 WIU Distinguished Alumni Award are Bill Bund, senior vice president and managing director for the Central Sales Division of the ABC Television Network, Chicago; Dave Lumley, CEO and president of Spectrum Brands, Madison, WI; and Gordon "Gordy" A. Taylor, Jr., former associate vice president of alumni programs at WIU, Macomb. Bund and Lumley will be recognized at the 9 a.m. ceremony, while Taylor will be recognized at the 1 p.m. ceremony.

The Distinguished Alumni Award, given since 1973, recognizes alumni who have reached the pinnacle of their careers and have brought credit to the University and themselves through their professional accomplishments or community service at local, state or national levels and have extended meritorious service for the advancement and continued excellence of WIU.

Read more.

Photos from top: Bill Bund, Dave Lumley & Gordy Taylor.

WIU Receives Governor's Award

For the second time this semester, Western Illinois University has been recognized for its exemplary efforts in providing outstanding educational and informational resources for student veterans.

Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs (IDVA) Director Dan Grant presented the Governor's Award for Excellence in Veterans Education to WIU President Al Goldfarb during a ceremony at the Wright Residence Veterans Resource Center in recognition of Western's implementation of the Higher Education Veterans Service Act. Gov. Pat Quinn signed the legislation in August 2009 to expand resources and information for student veterans at Illinois' colleges and universities.

Read more.

Online Western News

Western News, a complimentary Alumni Association publication, is published quarterly and mailed to over 95,000 alumni and friends of the University. Western News contains information about academics, athletics and organizations, class notes, and special features on alumni who distinguish themselves through outstanding accomplishments.

Read the Western News online.

Save the Date for Homecoming 2011

Celebrate your Western ties and join us for Homecoming 2011 on September 30-October 1. Past, Present and Future: Once a Leatherneck, always a Leatherneck is this year's Homecoming theme.

The weekend kicks off at the Alumni House on Friday, September 30 with a social from 5-10 p.m. Bring your friends and enjoy complimentary food and drinks. Then, on Saturday, you can participate in the 25th Annual Old Stompin' Ground Runaround. Registration is from 7-7:45 a.m. at the Alumni House and the race starts at 8 a.m. Coffee and donuts will be served at 9 a.m. Then head out to the front lawn of the Alumni House to enjoy the Homecoming Parade at 10:30 a.m. It should arrive at the Alumni House by 11 a.m. Following the parade, head to "The Right Place" tent for a cookout from noon-3 p.m. Then, the Fighting Leathernecks take on Southern Illinois University at 3 p.m. Wrap up the great weekend after the game at the Saturday Night All-Alumni Social and Reunion Recognition Event celebrating the classes of 1961, 1971 and 1986. The induction of our newest members to the Half-Century Club will also take place that evening at the Alumni House.

For more information on any of these events or to register online, visit the Homecoming website or go directly to the online registration form. We hope to see you on campus for Homecoming 2011!

Join us in Nashville, Memphis (Complimentary), Portland & Seattle

Your WIU Alumni Association is visiting the great states of Tennessee, Oregon and Washington in May! President Al Goldfarb, President-Elect Jack Thomas, Vice President for Advancement and Public Services Brad Bainter '79 '83 and Alumni Director Amy Spelman '98 will be your hosts for some of these events.

We will be at historic Union Station in Nashville on Tuesday, May 10 for a social beginning at 6:00 p.m. On Wednesday, our complimentary social at AutoZone Park in Memphis starts at 6:05 p.m. before the Memphis Redbirds battle the Sacramento River Cats. Join us at Portland's BridgePort BrewPub on Thursday, May 19 for a 6:00 p.m. social. Finally, we will visit Redhook Ale Brewery in Seattle on Friday, May 20 for a special evening beginning at 6:00 p.m.!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Nashville Alumni & Friends Social
Union Station
Mercury Room (4th Floor)
1001 Broadway
Nashville, TN
Social: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Complimentary Memphis Alumni & Friends Event - Memphis Redbirds
vs. Sacramento River Cats Social & Baseball Game
AutoZone Park
Cardinals Suite (2nd floor Club Level)
200 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN
Social: 6:05 p.m., Game: 7:05 p.m.
Call 309-298-1914 to register or email A-Association@wiu.edu.
Thanks to the wonderful generosity of 2006 Honorary Doctorate recipient Norm Teeter ’67 and 2006 Honorary Doctorate recipient Carmelita Teeter.

Thursday, May 19, 2011
Portland Alumni & Friends Event
BridgePort BrewPub
1313 NW Marshall St.
Portland, OR
Social: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Friday, May 20, 2011
Seattle Area Alumni & Friends Event
Redhook Ale Brewery
14300 NE 145th St.
Woodinville, WA
Social: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

****Congratulations to the May winner--Tom Setina '09. He found Rocky on the Athletics webpage.

Can you find this exact Rocky (in black and white) somewhere else in the eNewsletter? If you find him, email us at A-Association@wiu.edu and let us know where he was placed. One winner will be picked from all the entries emailed on the first day of the month and will get a WIU Prize Pack! Good luck!

****Congratulations to the April winner--Dick Tabb '72. He found Rocky on the Business & Technology webpage.

Your WIU Alumni Association is pleased to launch our 2011 alumni directory project! Be sure to call 877-303-6590 (toll free) to
update your information when you have a chance.
For more on the project, visit our website.

You are receiving this newsletter because you are an alumnus or friend of Western Illinois University. Email us to unsubscribe.

Back to top