3.18.24

Hello, Prairie Stars:

WHAT: The University of Illinois Springfield and Lincoln Land Community College are excited to announce the 2024 Career Connections Expo. Students and alumni from the hosting institutions, as well as community members, are invited to attend the free event to explore career opportunities and network with participating employers.

Five distinguished graduates of the University of Illinois Springfield’s Public Affairs Reporting program will be inducted this summer into the Bill Miller PAR Hall of Fame.

The inductees – Jeremy Finley, Daralene Jones, Phil Jurik, J. Jacqueline McLean and Christine Tressel – were selected by a committee of current PAR Hall of Famers.

Remember when Uncle Ben told Peter Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility?”

That quote rings true, especially when we talk about AI in higher education.

Simply put, it means that having a lot of power means you've got a big responsibility to use it wisely. And that's exactly what we're facing with AI in universities.

On one hand, there's a rising concern on college campuses about the potential misuse of generative AI tools like ChatGPT.

UIS adjunct instructor Heath Bruce says,

Laci Engelbrecht has been named the University of Illinois Springfield Employee of the Month for March 2024. She is the director of financial aid.

Her supervisor, Vickie Cook, said that Engelbrecht is extremely reliable and productive.

“I rely on her to ensure that the university is meeting the heavily regulated work of financial aid,” Cook said. “Laci is very dependable and her work is greatly appreciated.”

Engelbrecht’s first nominator praised her for being a rare leader.