Alumni

RockeNews

Athletics School of Global Education and Outreach

Athletics

  • WIU Athletics completes Western Challenge.
    • Wednesday, April 24, was a big day for Western Illinois University and WIU Athletics as the third annual Western Challenge, in conjunction with Purple and Gold Day, raised over $180,884. The 'Day of Giving' is a 24-hour online fundraising campaign that challenges alumni, students, employees, and friends to give back to support their favorite areas of Western. WIU Athletics raised $23,810, besting last year's total by over $6,400. In total, WIU Athletics received 163 gifts, which is the second-highest total since the event started in 2016.
  • Surprenant named Western Illinois Director of Athletics.
    • Interim Western Illinois University Director of Athletics Danielle Surprenant has been named director of WIU Intercollegiate Athletics, effective June 1. A press conference will be forthcoming to highlight the future of Leatherneck Athletics. Surprenant was named interim director of WIU Athletics in May 2018. She is the second female athletic director in WIU's history. Helen Smiley was the first female athletic director at WIU, serving in that lead role from 1994-2001.
  • Women’s tennis player Ana Bjelica adds yet another award to her resume.
    • This semester, Bjelica was selected unanimously by the Department of Chemistry for the Chairman's Award Scholarship. Each year the department recognizes an outstanding student in a freshman chemistry class for his/her achievements throughout the academic year by bestowing the Chairman's Award. She was named an ITA Scholar-Athlete last year and helped her team record the highest term grade point average (3.816) in the Western Illinois Athletic Department.
School of Global Education and Outreach
  • Global Education and Outreach Scholar
    • Christina A. Seward (Macomb, IL), the General Studies Departmental Scholar, will graduate this Spring with a bachelor's degree in general studies. While At Western, Seward was active in the Golden Key International Honor Society and the Psi Chi International Honor Society. After graduation, Seward plans to pursue a master's in business administration (MBA) and hopes to eventually teach in higher education. Her academic interests include psychology and her pre-MBA classes. Seward is married to Robert Seward. 
  • Congratulations to all the hardworking executive board members and International Friendship Club (IFC) general members. IFC received four awards at WIU's leadership awards for all their time and dedication in 2018-2019. IFC as a whole won Most Improved Student Organization and Outstanding Multicultural Event; & Vice President Opeyemi Opsy  Yemzy Oduniyi won the Gordon A. Taylor Student Leadership Awards and advisor Aimee Jones won Outstanding Student Organization Advisor. These soon-to-be alumni helped make IFC great. Pictured in the photo are l-r: Israel Adebisi, Caitlin Hoy, Opeyemi Opsy Yemzy Oduniyi, Koyo Masore, Aimee Jones,  Hemangi Mhatre, Erik Xhyra and Dana Sistko.