Blue Review All Access: An interview with Millikin Professor, Dr. Eduardo Cabrera

Dr. Eduardo Cabrera, chair of the Department of Modern Languages at Millikin University, was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. But he didn't immigrate to the United States in search of economic opportunities.

He came for love.

Cabrera had accepted an offer from a friend to spend a year teaching in El Salvador. He was involved in local theater and television programming, when he met and hired a Salvadoran actress. They fell in love, and eventually moved to Los Angeles. "We were lucky to end up in California, a very progressive state. We were met with openness and opportunities," he recalls.

In their neighborhood in L.A., the young couple developed a Spanish theater school. There they began their family and had three children. Boasts Cabrera, "We inspired them to love art."

In California, Cabrera also took the opportunity to expand his studies and completed a Ph.D. in Spanish with a specialization in Latin American Literature and Theater. The experience opened him to the American academic world, and soon he received a job offer from a university in Kentucky. The entire family moved to the Midwest. "It was a very resounding change," says the professor. "Kentucky is a conservative state, with very few Latinos."

Following his acceptance to another university in Texas, Cabrera moved his family again, only to find similar mindsets and cultural dynamics. "We found Texas was also a conservative place for our family. For the first time I felt like a foreigner," he said.

Eventually, Cabrera applied to be the chair of the Department of Modern Languages at Millikin University. "For me and my family, one of the appealing characteristics of Millikin was the quality and prestige of its music program. And we were thrilled at the chance to move to Illinois, such a progressive state."

Today, Cabrera and his wife live in Decatur, Ill., where he spends his time teaching Spanish and Latin American Literature and Culture. He has published a number of articles about literature, theatre, culture and politics. He is also the author of the books "Teatro Argentino: The Theater Direction in Buenos Aires" and "Theater Brief for the Class and the Stage," which are being used in high schools and universities across the country.

One of the things that Cabrera is most proud of is his contribution to a radio program at Millikin University, where he disseminates topics on Latino culture, from Latin American and Spanish politics, to topics of interest for the entire Hispanic community, like immigration.

In his latest book, "Nine Tales of Immigrants in the United States," Cabrera draws inspiration from his personal experience as a Latino immigrant. One of his stories, for example, features an immigrant who must move for work from California to Kentucky. "In my stories I explore how daily life looks so different across states in our country," said Cabrera, recalling the cultural shock that his family had when they moved to the Midwest for the first time. "After living in California where one feels welcome, to moving to more conservative climates, many of us endured discrimination for the first time," he said.

"The issue of immigration continues to be a very important source of inspiration in my career," says Cabrera.

Additionally, Cabrera was honored at the 2018 International Latino Book Awards for "Nine Tales of Immigrants in the United States,"winning first place in the category of Best Latino Focused Fiction Book.

Apart from writing, what Cabrera loves most is his job as a professor at Millikin University. "We do not teach only Spanish language, but a whole culture," he says. "I value the connection with very enthusiastic Millikin students who love to learn about the cultures of Latin America, Spain and U.S. Latinos. The fact that my students develop critical thinking skills, become familiar with global issues, and get better equipped to enter the job market, makes me very happy."

When asked what he looks most forward to, Cabrera replied, "I have great belief in the next generation of leaders; I have great hope in Young Americans."

Members of Dissonance share love of a cappella with campers

Millikin University a cappella group Dissonance was started for not just the idea of competing against other a cappella groups, but for educating music and for the love of performing.

The group also knows the importance of enriching the community through performance, and their summer camp "Project A Cappella" speaks to that in many ways.

Started in summer 2018, Project A Cappella is three days of sessions focused on introducing and immersing students, grades 9-12, into contemporary a cappella. Students learn about vocal percussion, singing solos and varying vocal styles while also performing in their own a cappella ensembles. It all leads to a finale concert on the last day of camp in Kaeuper Hall on Millikin's campus.

The camp originated from Dissonance co-founder and 2019 Millikin vocal music education graduate Mairyn Dodson, who started the camp as part of her James Millikin Scholars (JMS) project. Dodson, along with Alex Bravos, also a 2019 Millikin vocal music education graduate, returned to campus this summer to lead the camp with help from current members of Dissonance who served as coaches.

"I was looking for something that would suffice a two-year long project. I had worked at a cappella camps before and this was something I was familiar with," said Dodson.

During the camp, the students are put into ensembles that are separated by voice parts. Dodson and Bravos selected the music for this year's camp since both previously served as music director and assistant music director of Dissonance. Dissonance was founded in 2016 starting with eight members, and the group grew to 18 members after having their first auditions.

In an interview with the Herald & Review, Alex Naranjo, a senior musical theatre major from Dallas, Texas, and current president of Dissonance said, "Dissonance has a specific sound. For us, we like more eclectic music, things that have jazzy chords. We really look beyond top 40 songs, we like to do songs that are less well known. We have a big sound and we like big chords. We like to have dissonant notes," he said.

Dodson says the music selections for last year's camp were difficult because they didn't know how many students were going to attend the camp. With 13 students this year, including some returning campers, Dodson and Bravos were able to select more challenging arrangements. A few of the students traveled from as far as Indiana and the St. Louis area to attend the camp.

"These are arrangements from the group Blue Harmony, a women's a cappella group at Millikin," said Dodson. "These kids are performing collegiate level a cappella arrangements."

Dodson, who was recently accepted for a teaching position at a middle school in Troy, Mo., says the process of the students learning the music and choreography is "magical," especially during the last concert.

"Seeing the students trying to sight-read these difficult pieces to putting on a full show and giving their all, especially in front of their families, is really moving," she said.

Just this past year, Dissonance won the quarterfinals in the International Championship Collegiate A Cappella competition and fourth place in the finals. Taylor Bailey, a senior vocal music education major from Oswego, Ill., was named Outstanding Soloist at the competition for her performance on the song "Make Me Feel" by Janelle Monae.

"We each have an individual strength we bring to the group," Bailey said. "We learn from each other. Sometimes we go to the executive board or the group and ask for song suggestions of things they want to sing. We get songs from different genres. We may do a pop song, we may do a song that has an R&B feel to it, we may do some indie stuff."

Olivia Tharpe, last year's president of Dissonance and a senior musical theatre major from Lafayette, Ind., says the idea of Dissonance is birthed from someone who just loved a cappella. "It's really cool to be able to make all of those sounds, and I've grown so much as a singer and that adds to the enjoyment," said Tharpe.

A cappella music can be defined as a group or a soloist singing without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The genre has quickly become popular thanks to films like "Pitch Perfect" and groups such as Pentatonix. It became a "norm" for everyone as Dodson describes it.

"It became popular and cool to do it, and it's continued to grow and become even more successful with each performance that Dissonance does," said Dodson. "I enjoy the teaching aspect of a cappella – it fills my heart. It's something I know I can teach well because I've done it so much. It's a really accessible genre and kids buy into it."

Dodson added, "I'm so appreciative of the members of Dissonance because they are volunteering their time to teach at this camp. This camp wouldn't run without them."

International fraternity traces roots to Millikin University

Better Men for a Better World. That is the motto for Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE), one of the largest collegiate men's social fraternities with over 270,000 members. TKE's purpose is to contribute to the advancement of society through the personal growth of its members, and service to others, and its roots can be traced to Millikin University.

Founded on Jan. 10, 1899, Tau Kappa Epsilon has 290 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Among those is Millikin University's Beta Chapter which was founded ten years later on April 17, 1909.

The Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon frequently participates in service and volunteer hours with other member organizations of Millikin's Fraternity and Sorority Community.

"The Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon has been an avid supporter of blood drives and organ donor initiatives on our campus for well over 20 years," said Raphaella Prange, vice president for student affairs and dean of student development at Millikin. "The chapter encourages Millikin students to participate in these important public health programs."

Prange added, "The men of Tau Kappa Epsilon have also recently focused on domestic violence and sexual assault awareness programming, organizing hygiene product drives and participating in the 'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' event which highlights survivor support services."

Jay Geanopoulos, a senior accounting major from Frankfort, Ill., serves as the current president of the Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon.

"We do lots of philanthropy," Geanopoulos said in an interview with the Herald & Review. "Some of our local high-profile fundraisers and activities include TKE Toys for Tots, gift wrapping parties and blood drives."

The fraternity's "No More Cancer" rally with Delta Delta Delta sorority was also a successful fundraiser for the Millikin community.

"The event won us an award as Co-sponsor Event of the Year," Geanopoulos said. "We raised $3,000 in 24 hours."

Alex Baker, chief information officer for TKE headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., says the Millikin chapter has an important role in the history of the organization.

"The impact we can make on young men is outstanding," said Baker. "The leadership is making a huge impact on their lives. We are proud that Millikin's chapter is part of the triangle."

Following Spring Commencement in May 2019, the Beta Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon now has 33 members, and the Millikin members expect to continue their philanthropy skills after they graduate.

Millikin Chemistry Camp helps discover the fun in science

"This camp isn't about grades, it's about trying things and experimenting," Dr. Anne Rammelsberg explained to a group of science-minded high school students in a lab at Millikin University's Leighty-Tabor Science Center.

The students were on Millikin's campus the week of June 24-28 taking part in the University's annual summer Chemistry Camp, hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences and Center for Entrepreneurship. The students spent the entire week exploring biochemistry through lab experiences to find what parts of chemistry they enjoy.

For their first day of camp, the students experimented with a technique called gel electrophoresis – the migration and separation of charged particles under the influence of an electric field. During this experiment the students used electricity to separate colored dyes. For this to happen, negatively charged dye molecules are loaded into the gel. When a current is passed through the gel, the molecules migrate towards the positive terminal, with smaller molecules moving faster than larger ones. This separates the different color molecules.

Dr. Rammelsberg, associate professor of chemistry at Millikin, has been teaching the camp for a number of years with the idea to help students discover the fun in science.

"The whole point of the camp is to give them experience and exposure with chemical concepts," Rammelsberg said in an interview with the Herald & Review. "To give them experience and exposure with doing things in the lab, because a lot of high schools don't have lab materials or equipment, so we try to expose them to some things they might never see until they get to college. By giving them this early exposure, we hope that encourages them to move into the field of science, so they come to college as science majors and even say chemistry is their major, perhaps."

In addition to electrophoresis, students also have the opportunity to conduct research on Lyme disease, researching how the disease spreads and what might inhibit that transmission. The students also look at preventatives, diagnosis and treatments.

"Later on in the week, they're going to run gel electrophoresis products they're getting from ticks," said Rammelsberg.

Hannah Yohannes, from Pleasant Plains, Ill., was among the students taking part in the camp. "I'm really interested in chemistry," said Yohannes. "I thought this was a good opportunity to check it out before I take the classes in high school. We went to a STEM fair and they were talking a lot about chemistry programs, and especially the ones at Millikin, so we decided to come here."

In addition to performing hands-on research, the camp includes presentations by area health professionals and experts.

"By giving them this early exposure, we hope that encourages them to move into the field of science, so they come to college as science majors and even say chemistry is their major, perhaps."

The camps concludes with a complimentary dinner event with local employers, family, faculty and teachers. During the dinner event, students present the results of their work.

"Part of what we are doing is doing it until you feel comfortable," said Rammelsberg as she observed the work of the students. "One of the goals of the lab is getting comfortable doing things in a lab."

Rammelsberg says many of the experiments during the camp are standard for first-year students in college.

"This gives students exposure to chemistry in a more playful environment, an environment where they can guide and direct what we discover," she said. "Anytime students do independent projects, it looks good on their resume and it looks really good in terms of giving them something to talk about in their interviews. It shows that they've actually been in a chemistry lab and done some chemistry experiments, and that's a really good selling point for them."

Campus expected to reopen July 8

Due to routine electrical maintenance, Millikin University's campus will be closed Monday, July 1 through Sunday, July 7, 2019, with an expected reopening at 8 a.m. Monday, July 8.

The campus south of Main Street in Decatur, Ill., will remain open for a limited number of scheduled classes.

All Information Technology services will be unavailable starting at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 30 until the University reopens, including but not limited to: Internet service, voicemail, phones, email, Banner, myMillikin and Moodle.

Millikin Public Safety will remain on campus during the week and will be available at 217.464.8888 or 217.424.8649. For more information, visit millikin.edu.

Members of the Class of 2019 share Big Blue memories

Commencement is one of the most celebrated events. It's a time when graduates embark on the next chapter of their journey, leaving with the skills they've developed to follow their passions and engage in exciting challenges.

It's also a time for reflection – a chance for graduates to think back on their accomplishments and favorite memories. So we decided to catch up with a few graduates from the Millikin University Class of 2019 to recap their Big Blue experience, from describing Millikin in "three words" to impersonating their favorite professor.

Jordan Griglin, an elementary education graduate from Cape Coral, Fla., says Dr. Ngozi Onuora, associate professor of education at Millikin, played an integral part during her college experience. "She's always been there to support me, to inspire me, and to show me how to be a better teacher," she said.

When asked to choose a celebrity to be the face of Millikin, Azhalaun Haley quickly responded with former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. "She's a very powerful woman," said Haley of Rockford, Ill. Haley earned a Bachelor of Science in Sociology.

"Through my experiences at Millikin, I've grown to be a more powerful woman within myself and I'm excited to see how I can use those attributes that I've learned in the real world," she said.

Griglin was also asked to describe Millikin in three words. "Artistic, leadership, creative," she said. When asked the same question, MBA graduate Dwight Brown of Chicago simply said, "Great Performance Learning."

Communication graduate Sophia Schwalbach was asked to give a word of advice to the freshmen version of herself. "I would say the most important thing you can do during your years in school is networking and landing internships because you don't know where that can take you," she said. "Focus on yourself because at the end of the day what's going to land you a job is the people you met, the impressions you made and the projects you completed. Word hard because everything happens for a reason."

In May 2019, more than 300 Millikin University graduates crossed the stage at the Decatur Civic Center to receive their degrees. It was a momentous time for the Class of 2019 highlighted by incredible speakers, including student speaker Gabby Catlin and Judge Lisa Holder-White.

"It costs nothing to care for people and it's worth everything," Caitlin said. "I've been at Millikin from 2015 to 2019, and I've seen a lot of growth and change. You have the power to change your life and take it in whatever direction you want."

How a local Millikin student and an international student formed a lasting friendship

Madeline Bethard, a senior communications major from Decatur, Ill., transferred from Richland Community College prior to the start of her junior year. At first, she was having a difficult time adjusting to her transfer. Bethard was excited to meet new people and get to know the students at Millikin, but was concerned she wouldn't find new friendships right away.

"As a transfer, I initially was struggling meeting students since a lot of people already knew each other. But I eventually connected with other students through group work in my classes, and I also met a lot of exchange students as well," said Bethard.

One of the exchange students Bethard ended up meeting was Narumi Kokaji, a sophomore English literature major from Japan. Kokaji arrived in August 2018 coming from one of Millikin's sister schools, Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts in Kyotanabe, Kyoto. Just like Bethard, Kokaji was excited to meet the Millikin family.

"I love Millikin, people are so friendly here. I would meet one student and then they would introduce me to their other friends, so I've gotten to know so many people," said Kokaji.

After Bethard and Kokaji initially met, they would exchange small conversations when seeing each other around campus. One day, Kokaji reached out to Bethard asking her if she wanted to get lunch together. From there, Bethard and Kokaji's friendship grew immediately.

"One of the first times we hung out was when I invited Narumi to the James Millikin Homestead during Homecoming Week," Bethard said. "In fact, at Christmas we actually went back to the James Millikin Homestead with my family and we took some pictures there together."

Kokaji added, "We've also cooked a lot together. I've had her over to my apartment and we make Japanese food. It's such a fun time."

The two not only enjoy spending time together, but they help each other in more ways than one. Kokaji has been working on her English for some time now and would love to teach English back in Japan. However, she currently struggles to fully comprehend the English language.

"Madeline helps me understand my assignments since sometimes I don't always know what is being asked of me," Kokaji explained. "She's so encouraging. I always make mistakes with my English, but she is so patient and helps me correct it."

Bethard is more than willing to help, and rightfully so since she also has a passion for teaching others English. Her most recent internship involved teaching English online to students in Brazil.

"I love being able to talk about my experiences and culture with others. And I especially love helping teach them the English language," said Bethard.

Bethard and Kokaji are quite the duo, however, Kokaji's time at Millikin recently came to an end as she returned to Japan following the spring 2019 semester.

"I had mixed feelings about leaving. I couldn't wait to be back home, but saying goodbye was hard," Kokaji said.

With Kokaji leaving, you would think her and Bethard would be upset about their separation, but it's actually just the opposite. Their friendship has developed to be so strong that it was not necessarily a goodbye, but rather a "see you later."

"I'm happy that she is back home. Yes, we won't get to hang out like we usually do, but we are going to Skype a lot," said Bethard. "And she asked me to come visit, which I most definitely will be taking her up on."

Meet Millikin University's new Director of Bands Corey Seapy

Corey Seapy was named Director of Bands for the Millikin University School of Music in March 2019. Starting his appointment as Director of Bands in August 2019, Seapy succeeds Dr. Gary Shaw who recently retired in July 2019 after 37 years with the Millikin School of Music.

A dynamic conductor and educator who has spent the last decade maximizing the artistic potential of a wide variety of ensembles, Corey Seapy's versatility has allowed him to work with wind ensembles and orchestras of all ages and ability levels.

"Corey Seapy will bring a new energy and excitement to Millikin's band program and contribute to all facets of our School of Music," said Brian Justison, director of the Millikin School of Music. "His enthusiasm for music and advancing music education makes us eager to see him working with our talented students and faculty."

In a recent article from the Herald & Review, Seapy shared details on what got him interested in music, the different instruments he plays and his goals as Director of Bands at Millikin.

"I've been passionate about music for as long as I can remember. My mom got me started on clarinet when I was growing up overseas because she and her sisters played that instrument through high school," said Seapy. "I quickly became enamored with all sorts of music, and my love for the art form continues to grow daily."

Seapy completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Missouri – Kansas City (UMKC) Conservatory of Music and Dance where he served as a graduate teaching assistant and studied conducting with Steven D. Davis.

"I became a middle and high school band director in the Boston area at the age of 21. I taught in the public schools for a total of six years, and led collegiate bands as a graduate student for five more," he said. "I've been honored to work with a wide variety of bands consisting of everyone from sixth-grade students to professional musicians to retirees."

Seapy's recent appearances in Kansas City include performances of works by Grantham, Pann, Poulenc and Stravinsky. He worked closely with composer Robert J. Bradshaw to premiere "The Cost of Compassion," a piece in which music, narration and dance rely on real-time audience input. He also premiered a work by Viet Cuong with the UMKC Saxophone Ensemble at the North American Saxophone Alliance Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio. Alongside his conducting and scholarly activity at UMKC, Seapy worked with the Conservatory Wind Symphony, Conservatory Wind Ensemble and all Bands Department activities. In 2017, he helped organize and host the biennial National Conference for the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA).

"As a conductor, my primary instrument is the ensemble I get to stand in front of. My serious playing days are probably behind me, but I can still hold my own on clarinet and saxophone, and I play some flute and piano as well," he said.

Seapy added, "I'm extremely grateful to be following in Gary Shaw's footsteps at Millikin, and I look forward to picking up where he left off. My immediate goals are to get to know my new students and colleagues, and to start making and teaching music. I hope to get the band sounding as good as we possibly can sound, and to present engaging and inspiring concerts to the Decatur community. I'm a big fan of collaborating and discovering different ways that students and audience members can connect through music. Lastly, I'd love to contribute to the continued growth of the School of Music. It would be amazing to have two bands in the years to come."

Seapy's recent awards include an Honorable Mention from the American Prize in Conducting (College/University Division) and a Finalist designation from the American Prize in Band/Wind Ensemble Performance (Community Division). His guest conducting appearances include the Orchestra on the Hill, Adirondack Mountain Club Music Retreat Orchestra, MMEA Western Junior District Band, and the Lakes Region Junior High Music Festival, along with many rehearsal clinics at universities and public schools.

Seapy holds a Master of Music in Conducting from Ithaca College – New York and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Gordon College.

Blue Connection Artist-in-Residence uses painting to draw out emotions

Blue Connection, Millikin University's student-run retail art gallery located in downtown Decatur, Ill., is a space that has helped define Stephen Gardner's college experience.

Each year, Millikin's Art Department, Center for Entrepreneurship and Alumni and Development Office select a student to be the Robert Harrison Crowder Artist-in-Residence at Blue Connection – an opportunity for that student to not only run the gallery during the summer months, but to promote and develop his or her own artwork. This year, that opportunity was awarded to Gardner who describes his artwork as "colorful, expressive and emotional."

Gardner recently graduated from Millikin on May 19 and has been running the gallery since May 20. He hosted an After 5 Live showing on June 7 and plans to host a second showing on Friday, Sept. 6. Gardner also organizes the First Friday Gallery Walks and on July 12 Blue Connection will display the works of Millikin campus artists.

Throughout his residency, Gardner has been working to build his repertoire of landscape paintings, exploring interesting area buildings. However, he decided to take a different approach by exploring small watercolor sketches as oppose to large-scale paintings.

"When I was at Millikin, most of my studio work was large-scale oil paintings and I wanted to take a break from that," said Gardner, of Illiopolis, Ill. "My focus is on landscape work and my concept for the summer was to capture older buildings from the Midwest that show some destruction as well as a juxtaposition between the man-made and the natural."

While at Millikin, Gardner was a graphic design and painting major who worked under the guidance of Professor Lyle Salmi, chair of the Art Department, and Ed Walker, associate professor of art. He took the Blue Connection course for four semesters and worked with the gallery team on strategic planning and ownership.

"Having the opportunity to run the gallery myself has been incredible," said Gardner. "Blue Connection is such a good experience for any artist or business student to have because there's no other place where you can have the creative freedom to make certain decisions. We can try something different each month and see if it works."

As an artist, Gardner will spend hours photographing landscape areas and will use as many as 10 images to build his paintings. "It's important to me to find a photograph that I like and I can connect with because I do like to reference photographs when I work," he said.

When he began as an artist, Gardner says there was a time where he liked realism, but he's become more interested in capturing expressive brush work and using more interesting colors thanks to his time at Millikin.

"I think being more expressive and 'loose' is a much more fun way to create artwork. When I came to Millikin, I was very focused on detailed work, which I still like, but I've grown to appreciate more expressive artwork and I have Lyle (Salmi) to thank for that, and I think Ed (Walker) has given me a great understanding of composition and elements of design," he says.

In reference to Millikin's Art Department, Gardner says having 24-hour access to studios was important. "The ability to use the facilities whenever we needed was amazing, and the students who take advantage of that – it can be seen in their work because they have that much more time and experience to put into their work."

As someone who has been quite involved with the gallery, Gardner believes it's important to spread community awareness about how special Blue Connection is to Millikin, its students and Decatur. To help spread the message, Gardner plans to organize a traveling show of the artists represented by Blue Connection.

"I organized a traveling show last summer in Lincoln (Ill.), and I hope to organize another one in the fall or next year," said Gardner. "It's good to spread the message about Blue Connection because people outside Millikin don't always know what it is. Blue Connection is all about promoting students and student artwork. The gallery is run by students and the decisions are made by students. For any aspiring artist – don't stop making artwork."

Blue Connection

Opened in 2003, Blue Connection is Millikin University's student-run retail art gallery located in the Madden Arts Center in downtown Decatur and is currently led by Associate Professor of Art Ed Walker. Focused on arts and specialty businesses, the retail location is used by students in Millikin's Arts Entrepreneurship Program to grow their businesses.

Millikin's Arts Entrepreneurship Program is a six-credit course sequence providing learning-based business opportunities for students to practice self-employment. The program utilizes curricular-based, experiential activities and student-run ventures to give students a live laboratory experience in developing, launching and growing an arts-based business.

President White provides updates on campus, weighs in on Millikin's economic impact

Millikin University will be featured on the WEIU-TV (PBS) series "City Spotlight" beginning Wednesday, July 10 at 7 p.m. The episode, which includes a one-on-one interview with Millikin President Dr. Patrick E. White, will also air on Thursday, July 11 at 12:30 p.m., Sunday, July 14 at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. and Thursday, Aug. 15 at 12:30 p.m.

As part of this special episode on Millikin University, President White offers an overview of Millikin's facilities and academic areas, as well as a look at the impact Millikin has made on the local community and higher education.

"One of the things we are excited about at Millikin is something we call Performance Learning," said Dr. White. "We have strong majors in theatre, music and nursing, but in all our majors, our students perform. They connect to internships and opportunities, but what is more important, they perform in their classes on campus. It's not enough to know at Millikin, you have to be doing and that puts an interesting spin on how we think about our students and how we think about education."

In reference to those who have recently graduated from Millikin, Dr. White noted, "They are well-trained, happy and successful in doing the work in not just the arts but the economy for young people. They have to be nimble and flexible. We have graduates from three years ago who have had two or three positions in different companies and sometimes different industries. They are making careers, not just getting a job," he said.

Switching to facilities on campus, Dr. White was asked about Millikin University's "Transform MU" capital campaign which was officially launched in May 2010 to help revitalize Millikin's campus through significant advances in creating new student scholarships, increasing endowment and faculty development funds, and improving infrastructure. Completion of three major building projects was also a priority including the University Commons and the new Center for Theatre and Dance.

A classroom like no other

When Dr. Travis Wilcoxen was asked to teach a travel course on ecology, which included a trip to south Florida - his old research stomping grounds, he knew it would be a great opportunity to give students a unique learning experience.

Dr. Wilcoxen, chair and associate professor of biology at Millikin University, recently led eight biology students on a two-week extended field trip to the Archbold Biological Station in Venus, Fla., this summer as part of Millikin's Ecological Journeys course.

The course is designed to familiarize students with principles of ecology in exotic or unusual environments, with an emphasis on identifying common species and interactions between species. Classes are held during the spring semester leading up to the extended field trip from late June to early July. Previous classes have traveled to other off-campus sites including the Galapagos Islands, South Africa, Alaska and Costa Rica.

What was unique about the trip was the return to Archbold Biological Station for Dr. Wilcoxen, who worked on his doctorate research at the station starting in 2006.

"One of the things I love to share with my students is how my own academic path has influenced how I teach and what research questions I pursue," Wilcoxen said in an interview with the Highland News-Sun. "I do not do this because I am one of those people locked in the 'glory days,' instead, I use it in hopes that I might inspire them to look around and appreciate the journey on which they are traveling."

Wilcoxen added, "I try to convey to my students that it is important to maintain strong connections with people, places and things that were an important part of one's past. The people and resources at Archbold Biological Station played a critical part of my professional success in the past, and are still very important to me."

The Archbold Biological Station is a scientific resource for field study of the natural environment lying within the headwaters of the Everglades in south central Florida. Its cutting-edge research has created real conservation solutions across diverse ecosystems ranging from the ancient sand dunes of the Lake Wales Ridge to the waters, wetlands and wildlife of the open ranchlands lying within the watershed.

As part of his doctoral research, Dr. Wilcoxen worked with Florida Scrub-Jays, the only bird species that lives exclusively in Florida. Dr. Wilcoxen specifically studied how reproduction, responses to stress and disease resistance changed as scrub jays aged.

"I returned every spring from 2007 through 2010, the year I completed my Ph.D. My experience in graduate school and research with the Florida Scrub-Jays was so successful that I landed a faculty position at Millikin the same year that I finished my Ph.D.," he said.

During the trip, students spent half of the time at Archbold and the other half traveling to other local areas such as Buck Island Ranch, Highlands Hammock State Park, Myakka River State Park, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and Mote Marine Laboratory. The students also had nighttime trips to Rainey Slough and Okaloacoochee Slough State Forest to search for reptiles and amphibians.

"The students are able to truly immerse themselves in the ecology of south Florida," said Wilcoxen. "When they take this trip, things they learn about for the first time include the work that goes into balancing ranching and conservation of native species. They learn about the citrus industry. They learn about the sugar industry. They learn about lightning and wildfire. They walk on ancient islands of white sand that are currently over an hour from saltwater. They learn to identify approximately 150 species of animals and plants."

Dr. Wilcoxen brought his first class of Millikin students to Archbold in August 2012 and returned again in July 2017 with 11 students. Over 30 Millikin students have benefited from educational and research opportunities at Archbold Biological Station. At the end of the course, students are required to present information to the group about assigned sites from the trip.

"When the students return to Millikin and compare notes, they fully realize that their experience was rewarding and fulfilling," said Wilcoxen. "That does not happen without Archbold Biological Station and the many natural areas of south Florida."

Millikin student creates carbon electrodes using 3D printing

Carbon electrodes are a key component of electrochemistry. They are used for many electrochemical applications, ranging from investigating neurotransmitter movement in a brain to toxin detection in lake water.

Currently, many carbon electrodes are prepared in cleanrooms using expensive technologies such as photolithography, but what if customizable carbon electrodes could be made using 3-D printing? The research team of Dalton Glasco, a senior chemistry major at Millikin University, and Dr. Kyle Knust, assistant professor of chemistry, are spending the summer developing a simple and accessible strategy to make this happen.

Dr. Knust and Glasco are among several student-professor partnerships this summer conducting research as part of Millikin's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. The work to develop the carbon electrodes using 3-D printing was started by Glasco in 2018.

"Dalton is working on an alternative fabrication route for preparing pyrolyzed carbon electrodes," said Knust. "The goal is to prepare an electrode that mimics glassy carbon which is a material that electrochemists like to use for a diversity of applications."

As part of his research, Glasco is using a computer software to create carbon electrode designs, which are then 3-D printed directly onto quartz using a carbon rich resin. The electrode is then transferred to a tube furnace and pyrolyzed – a process where material decomposition is heated to extreme temperatures.

"It provides a lower cost, more accessible route to preparing a customizable glassy carbon-type electrode," said Knust. "Instead of requiring a cleanroom and the infrastructure in the cleanroom, techniques like photolithography with a desktop 3-D printer – such as ours, and a tube furnace, you can prepare these electrodes yourself."

According to Knust, the 3-D printer used for this research costs $3,500, while a Class 1000 cleanroom can easily exceed $100,000. The costs of using equipment within a cleanroom can also increase the cost of producing the electrodes.

"Over the past year and a half, Dr. Knust and I have been working on this research," said Glasco, of Decatur, Ill. "It's really helped expand my knowledge, and after I finish graduate school, it will give me another technique that I can have under my belt."

Knust noted, "With this project, Dalton is getting exposure to a variety of different techniques. He's truly doing a graduate level research project as an undergraduate student."

Additionally, Dr. Knust received an invitation from the editor of ChemElectroChem, a top-ranking electrochemistry journal for primary research papers and critical secondary information, to submit a manuscript about the carbon electrode 3-D printing research.

Glasco's efforts will focus on completing data collection for the publication, while the remaining work largely consists of improving the fabrication procedure to ensure reproducibility and further characterizing the pyrolyzed carbon electrodes prepared by 3-D printing.

"I think the Chemistry Department at Millikin excels in hands-on learning with our students," said Knust. "Whether it's cancer research or nanoparticle research, there is a diversity of projects occurring on campus."

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program

Millikin University's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program pairs a student with a faculty member to perform in-depth research throughout the summer months. An example of Performance Learning, the research is one of the "graduate level" opportunities undergraduates experience at Millikin.

Millikin professor weighs in on development of Juvenile Justice Council

Local lawmakers, enforcement officers, attorneys and professors recently met at Richland Community College on July 12 to discuss alternatives to juvenile detention and ways to reduce youth incarceration throughout the state.

Males make up 79 percent of incarcerated juveniles in central Illinois, with half of the incarcerated juveniles being age 16 or 17, according to a presentation from Shawn Freeman, research program coordinator for the Center for Prevention and Development in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Freeman noted, "57 percent of incarcerated juveniles in central Illinois are black. Black male youth are eight times more likely to be detained than white male youth."

Among those in attendance was Dr. Keyria Rodgers, director of criminal justice at Millikin University, who said a recent grant will create a coordinating council in Macon County.

"The goal is to reduce juvenile detention, but also look at reducing adult jail and prison populations as well," she said in an interview with the Herald & Review. "This is really not just looking at one or two aspects of juvenile justice. We're talking the entire logic of governance here and actually redesigning how we govern our juvenile justice systems here."

In an interview with WAND-TV, Rodgers offered more insight into the impact of the council. "It's to focus on the entire family," she said. "We're looking at domestic violence issues. We're also looking at ways in which people can have a better understanding of what's really going on in the home."

Rodgers added, "If we're going to make any decisions about the community, we don't want to make any decisions about them, without them. They need to be a part of that, and we also need to make sure that they have a voice, and feel that they have a voice. They need to tell us what they're missing. What they need, what's important to them, how do we honestly cater to what it is they're describing. And, that's what we need them to do, is to describe it."

Over the last few years, Millikin University has successfully launched its Criminal Justice major, minor and certificate programs as well as oversee the Macon County Teen Justice Program. Formerly named Macon County Teen Court, the Teen Justice Program moved from a government-based setting to a university setting. The program is an ongoing Performance Learning site for Millikin criminal justice students and supports Millikin's Criminal Justice major. Additional learning opportunities, research projects and hand-on experiences are available for criminal justice students with the Teen Justice Program positioned on Millikin's campus. 

MU students honored for academic excellence

Millikin University is pleased to announce the names of the outstanding undergraduates who have been named to the Dean's List for the spring 2019 semester.

Students who attempt 12 graded credits during a fall or spring semester and earn a grade point average of 3.5 or higher earn Dean's List honors. Students earning a perfect 4.00 grade point average on 12 graded credits attempted earn High Dean's List honors.

The students named to the Dean's List at Millikin University are listed in alphabetical order according to last name.

Blue Review All Access: Getting to know Millikin's Athletic Graduate Assistants

Being a student-athlete is challenging enough – you have to juggle games, practices, classes, and everything else that comes with being a student on a college campus.

Millikin University's Graduate Assistants (GAs) from the Athletics Department take the idea of being a student-athlete a step further. Not only are they furthering their education by pursuing their Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Millikin, but they also spend numerous hours each day on the court, golf course, and track and field, coaching and teaching Big Blue athletes in their sport. They support each student in their undergraduate education and help prepare them for athletic competition. Millikin's GAs are making enormous impacts for their respective athletic teams on campus, all while individually growing through their own educational experiences.

The GAs are enrolled in Millikin's MBA Fast-Track program which is a rigorous, accelerated program typically completed within one full year. However, due to the amount of responsibilities the GAs are charged with, instead of completing the program in one year, the students take the program's classes over a two-year span, making it much more manageable to be a coach and a student at the same time.

Melanie Heslop and Dylan LaFond, Millikin's Track & Field GAs, love how the MBA and GA program is preparing them for their careers in coaching.

"The MBA program at Millikin has provided me with the skills that I can apply directly to my coaching career," said Heslop. "Whether it is managing athletes or understanding the business aspect of coaching, I am better prepared to face those challenges."

LaFond adds that "being a GA at Millikin has given me the flexibility and knowledge to pursue two of my life-long goals; coaching and getting my MBA degree. I am 100 percent certain that this opportunity will greatly affect my career for the rest of my life."

Whether or not it's the students' goal to pursue coaching after completing their MBA, the idea of learning how to be a leader and manage others while being a coach will help the students in any career they decide to pursue.

Heslop specifically enjoys how the professors within the MBA program are encouraging her passion of pursuing an MBA and a career in coaching. "The professors are very accommodating, they understand what it takes to be successful in your field and genuinely care for the future of their students," she said.

Cole Sondgeroth, Millikin's Men's and Women's Golf GA, is a 2017 Millikin graduate and is pleased with his decision to continue his education through Millikin. "The MBA program continues Millikin's unique perspective on education through Performance Learning," he said. "Through Performance Learning, I was able to apply and construct my papers and projects to coaching and personal training while other classmates related their papers and projects to fields they were interested in like health, accounting, fashion and information systems."  

Tim Robertson, Millikin's Women's Basketball GA, feels prepared for success in the program thanks to the professors, but he also enjoys the unique setup of the MBA program.

"Millikin's MBA program is all about the student's success – professors are willing to meet before class or stay after if you have any questions about the material being covered. Professors genuinely want you to leave class confident in the topic covered and will stop in the middle of a lecture or discussion to break down material that the class might struggle with," said Robertson.

Sondgeroth added, "I would recommend Millikin's MBA Fast-Track program to any recent college graduate who is ready to grow as an individual. You gain the opportunity to learn what it means to be a team member while learning the nuts and bolts of the business world. I would also recommend the GA position to anyone who is passionate about coaching and looking for a chance to coach at a competitive Division III level."

Heslop and Sondgeroth will be completing their graduate assistantship and will graduate from the MBA program by summer 2019, and Robertson and LaFond will follow suit the next summer. No matter where the students end up next, the Millikin Athletics Department is grateful for the amount of time and work that they have individually put into the athletic teams.

From educational approach to athletic coach, the experiences these students have gathered validate the people they are and the professionals they are becoming.

Dr. Randy Brooks recognized by the Haiku Society of America

Dr. Randy Brooks, professor of English and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Millikin University, and his wife, Shirley Brooks, were honored by the Haiku Society of America (HSA) in June 2019 with a Merit Book Award for Excellence in Published Haiku, Translation, and Criticism.

Randy and Shirley Brooks received the Leroy & Mildred Kanterman Memorial First Place Award for their publication "The Collected Haiku of Raymond Roseliep" (Brooks Books) released on March 1, 2018. The 2019 HSA Merit Book Awards honor the top haiku books published in 2018. At least 50 percent of the submitted publications for the awards must be haiku, senryu, or haibu, or prose about those subjects.

"The Collected Haiku of Raymond Roseliep" is a collector's edition of all known published haiku by noted poet and haiku master Raymond Roseliep. The book follows his extensive research and includes citations of first and subsequent publication of each haiku. The book is a tribute to the life of Raymond Roseliep.

"It's an honor to know that the judges recognized the quality of the book," said Brooks. "This was a book project that I've been wanting to do for a long time and something I proposed about 10 years ago. Raymond (Roseliep) was a mentor to me when I first started publishing and writing."

Roseliep was a faculty member at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, beginning in 1946 while working on his Master of Arts in English, which he obtained in 1948, from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. Widely published and recognized as a master of traditional English verse forms, Roseliep began experimenting with haiku in 1960 and published 11 collections of haiku between 1976 and his death in 1983.

In addition to the major haiku periodicals which published Roseliep's work regularly, more than 90 other magazines have printed his haiku, and he appears in many anthologies and in a growing number of textbooks. His haiku attracted critical praise from such poets as W.H. Auden, Josephine Jacobsen, Denise Levertov, William Stafford, X.J. Kennedy and A.R. Ammons.

Roseliep began mentoring Dr. Brooks in the art of haiku writing in 1975. He would write letters to Dr. Brooks sharing feedback of his work. "We started the collection process by pulling all of the haiku from his books and magazines which I already had," he said.

To assemble the rest of Roseliep's work, Dr. Brooks and his wife had to do some research and traveled to Loras College where the institution's library had two rooms containing Roseliep's collections: one room with all of his books and one room with his letters and correspondents.

"Shirley and I traveled to Loras a number of times to go through the collection and we made our final round two years ago," said Brooks. "In the book, we indicate under each haiku where it was published. In his journals, he was very extensive with his writing where he would have one haiku per page and then have variations of that haiku, experimenting with different layouts. He had another type-written journal with haiku and the places each haiku was submitted to before it was accepted."     

The book shows the depth of Roseliep's content including spiritual and love topics. It also shows the range of his experiments with literary art including acrostic, concrete, one-line, minimalist, enjambment, metaphor and more traditional approaches to haiku.

Judges from the HSA Merit Book Awards said the work of Raymond Roseliep "continues to be innovative and fresh 36 years after his death in 1983."

"Randy and Shirley Brooks have assembled his entire body of work so that his development can be seen and his importance presented to contemporary poets," HSA judges said. "It is painful to look back at poems when we were only crawling, and yet Roseliep's development reveals creativity, place and images that call us to the sublime. For its astonishing detail and quality of presentation, the Merit Award for haiku goes to the 'The Collected Haiku of Raymond Roseliep' by Randy and Shirley Brooks."

Roseliep started writing haiku at a time where there wasn't much haiku written in English. Dr. Brooks says his playful and experimentative work made him a leader in the different approaches of haiku writing.

"Being such a good poet, writer and playful spirit, he is somebody who opened up possibilities of haiku writing in English for a lot of people," said Brooks. "He was certainly an early pioneer in pushing some of the limits of haiku."

The Haiku Society of America is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1968 to promote the writing and appreciation of haiku in English. Membership is open to all readers, writers and students of haiku. The HSA has a total of about 800 members around the country and overseas. 

Millikin professor and student team up to test communication theory with Greek community

Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult for students as they leave behind their families and begin a new chapter of personal development. As first-year students become adjusted to campus life and academics, it's important for them to develop friendships to gain the social support they need in a new environment.  

Research has shown that there is a negative relationship between poor physical and mental health and academic success. For students, when they consider their changing health needs on top of their academic and social stressors, their need for social support is amplified. In these cases, students may search for connections that they need to succeed, such as joining organizations on campus like Greek Life.

This summer, Millikin University student Lane Caspar, a senior communication major from Sherman, Ill., and Dr. Amy Delaney, assistant professor of communication, have teamed up to conduct a research project that looks into the benefits of the social network that Greek organizations provide, more specifically sororities.

"We are testing a communication theory in the context of sororities on campus," said Caspar.

Caspar and Delaney are researching to see how being a member of a sorority affects feelings of support within a larger community as well as individuals' health. They will collect data using the theory of resilience and relational load (TRRL), a new theory that was created to better understand families and relationships as communicative, dynamic systems of stress and resilience. The theory focuses on relationship maintenance as the primary means through which couples and families manage stress.

"I'm really interested in the ways that our health and relationships are tied," said Delaney. "It's been pretty well established that people who have good, supportive, functional relationships have better health outcomes – but there's not much evidence as to why. The TRRL theory tries to answer that question…showing that when couples invest in their relationships they have better outcomes."

Previous TRRL studies have been conducted focusing more on romantic relationships. During a "lightbulb moment," Casper and Delaney thought it would be unique to research relationships that are not on the romantic side. They choose to look into sororities since Caspar, a sorority member herself, will have insight into the dynamics of those relationships.

"It's been really exciting to see how we can take this theory, that's grounded in romantic relationships, and determine if this process exists in other important relationships in our lives," said Delaney.

Caspar added, "With Greek organizations, you're a communal organization – we're all in this together. It's a team unit and the TRRL theory says if you're in a team element, and you're going at a stressor together, then you can cope with it more positively versus thinking that you're on your own and facing a stressor without any support."

This summer, Caspar and Delaney are reviewing literature and pilot testing surveys that they will provide to sorority members across Millikin's campus. They will collect data during the first 10 weeks of the fall semester. After analyzing the data, they plan to prepare a manuscript of their research results for publication by the end of the spring 2020 semester.

"We're spending the summer honing our ideas and building the infrastructure of the study to figure out how we will track participants and figuring out what we want to measure so we can start data collection when the students return in the fall," said Delaney.

Delaney and Caspar believe the most unique aspect of the theory is something called "emotional reserves" which is helping drive most of their ideas. "The theory says that when you have good relationships and you're doing relationship maintenance, you're creating an emotional reserve," said Caspar. "Let's say you're doing positive things with your partners, friends or family, then you will get a reserve of positive emotions that you can dip into when you're having a stressful situation – you can cope with the situation more effectively." Delaney and Caspar call it a "bank account for good feelings."

The Millikin sororities of Delta Delta Delta, Alpha Chi Omega and Pi Beta Phi will be part of the study. Delaney and Caspar are planning to administer three different surveys online during different points of the semester.

"We hope to get as many participants as we can through different incentives that we are trying to develop for the Greek community," said Caspar. "We're excited about collecting data at different points of the semester because this is a theory about coping with stress, and we know stress fluctuates over the course of the semester. If we only collect data in September, people's stress levels are lower as oppose to November when people are gearing up for finals week."

Delaney added, "We're hoping to get the same women to fill out the surveys multiple times. That will give us an opportunity to track how their stress changes over the semester, even the communication and relational maintenance they were doing at mid-semester – does that have a statistically significant relationship to their level of stress at the end of the semester?"

Delaney and Caspar are among several student-professor partnerships this summer conducting research as part of Millikin's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program.

Caspar says she's very interested to see the data behind the major stressors students cope with during the semester. "I think it could be as simple as a small illness or something bigger like a financial crisis. I think it will be very interesting to see who they go to when they are having stressors," she said.

From an experience standpoint, Delaney hopes Caspar will gain confidence in her abilities as a researcher as the project develops. "Often, we learn best by doing and research is no exception," she said. "Because Lane has great firsthand knowledge of the Greek community, I hope she gains insight into her leadership role in her sorority."

"I hope to get valuable insight into this theory because it's newer and interesting, and has so many different aspects that we're going to be testing," said Caspar. "I'm very passionate about Greek Life and I hope we get relevant data that we can add to the literature that already exists about what a sorority provides in terms of support. It's a great opportunity to capitalize on this as an undergraduate."

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program

Millikin University's Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship program pairs a student with a faculty member to perform in-depth research throughout the summer months. An example of Performance Learning, the research is one of the "graduate level" opportunities undergraduates experience at Millikin.

50th Anniversary of Moon Landing ignites memories

Saturday, July 20, 2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the first humans landing on the Moon on July 20, 1969 as part of NASA's Apollo 11 lunar mission.

Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin formed the American crew that landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface; Aldrin joined him 19 minutes later.

The 50th anniversary was a special day for Dr. Casey Watson, chair of the department of physics and astronomy at Millikin University, for two reasons. One is the anniversary of the moon landing, which he said had an impact on his life and career despite the fact that he hadn't been born yet. The other is, it's his son's first birthday.

In an interview with the Herald & Review, Watson said the space program inspired him to study math and physics.

"When I learned about the Space Race between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. as a child, I was extremely impressed by the emphasis the U.S. placed on mathematics and science education during that era, and wish it still did," Watson said. "I was also impressed by how rapidly we made progress as a species. Less than 12 years passed between the launch of Sputnik in the fall of 1957 and the first human beings walking on the moon in the summer of 1969."

Watson added, "The moon landing is significant because it marked our emergence as a space-faring species. We successfully landed on and explored another world. More significant still was the way this journey impacted our cosmic perspective. Images of Earth that rise from the moon let us appreciate not only how beautiful our home is, but also how small and fragile it is within the fast, cold expanse of space."

"Reflecting on the monumental efforts it took just to reach the nearest astronomical body and stay alive for the few days it took to go there and back underscored how vital it is for us to take care of our planet in a way no other experience ever could," said Watson. "That is the lesson from the moon landing and space program as a whole that I hope we keep at the forefront of our minds."

2019-20 Season to feature Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, A Cappella Live!, Official Blue Brother's Review and Postmodern Jukebox

Millikin University's Kirkland Fine Arts Center is pleased to announce the lineup for its 50th Performing Arts Season. For over 45 years, Kirkland Fine Arts Center has been the place to be for live performing arts for Decatur, Ill., and the surrounding area. The tradition continues this coming season with a diverse lineup that is not only family-friendly, but fun for all including the Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, A Cappella Live!, the Official Blue Brother's Review and Postmodern Jukebox.

"The 2019-20 Season is a wonderful opportunity for the community to attend performances that are 'must-sees,'" said Kirkland Fine Arts Center's Director Jan Traughber. "All Kirkland Series events are family-friendly, affordable, and exceptional live performing arts offerings, and I am very excited to be presenting them."

Ticket packages are available for purchase now. Single tickets for all of the 2019-20 season are available on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019 with the exception of Vespers single tickets. Single tickets for Vespers will be available on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. Vespers is available to members of the Friends of Kirkland program and those purchasing a la carte packages. For more information, call 217.424.6318.

Kirkland also arranges for a free shuttle service through a cooperation with Baldwin Shuttle for elderly or disabled patrons who cannot drive themselves to the event. Contact Baldwin Shuttle at 1.800.747.3593 to reserve a free shuttle service to and from your home.

Purchase tickets online, over the phone, or in person at the ticket office between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Discounted tickets as well as handicap seats are not available online but can be purchased at the ticket office. For further inquiries, contact the Kirkland Ticket Office at 217.424.6318 or visit kirklandfinearts.com. 

The lineup of events for the 2019-2020 season are as follows.

Fall 2019 Events

A.R. Gurney's "Love Letters" starring Barbara Eden and Barry Bostwick

Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

America's long running hit play - pulling your heart strings, and now starring two iconic stars - Barbara Eden and Barry Bostwick. It's the late A.R. Gurney's most famous Broadway production - holding audiences spellbound throughout the United States.

A.R. Gurney's "Love Letters" is a funny and emotional portrait about the powerful connection of love. Two friends, rebellious Melissa Gardner and straight-arrow Andrew Makepeace Ladd III have exchanged notes, cards and letters with each other for over 50 years. From second grade, through summer vacations, to college, and well into adulthood, they have spent a lifetime discussing their hopes and ambitions, dreams and disappointments, and victories and defeats. But long after the letters are done, the real question remains: Have they made the right choices or is the love of their life only a letter away?

Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker

Saturday, Nov. 2, 2019 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Moscow Ballet's "Great Russian Nutcracker" ushers in the holiday season with two collaborative performances from Kirkland Fine Arts Center and the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra (MDSO) Masterworks Series. Enjoy the immersive Christmas classic with 40 professional dancers, hand-selected area young dancers, a local children's choir, and a full musical accompaniment from the Millikin-Decatur Symphony Orchestra. Tchaikovsky's classic score narrates our audience through the "Miniature Overture," "Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy," and closes with Marsha and the Nutcracker Prince dancing a grand pas de deux before the dream ends.

Chicago: The Musical

Friday, Nov. 15, Saturday, Nov. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 17, 2019 at 2 p.m.

"Chicago" has everything that makes Broadway great: a universal tale of fame, fortune and all that jazz; one showstopping song after another; and the most astonishing dancing you've ever seen. No wonder "Chicago" has been honored with six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, a Grammy and thousands of standing ovations. It's also no surprise that "Chicago" has wowed audiences all around the world, from Mexico City to Moscow, from São Paulo to South Africa. Whether you're looking for your first Broadway musical, whether you've seen the Academy Award-winning film and want to experience the show live onstage or whether you've seen it before and want to recapture the magic, "Chicago" always delivers.

Vespers

Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 8, 2019 at 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Millikin University will welcome the holiday season with the 61st annual Vespers celebration on Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8.

Vespers (which means "evening prayer") has signaled the beginning of the holiday season with an evening of carols, choirs and candlelight. Over 300 musicians join together for this joyous musical feast presented annually on Millikin's campus. Songs from past centuries combined with familiar carols and arrangements create an evening of seasonal warmth for the whole family. Vespers is one of Millikin's most popular events, and has become a beloved tradition on campus and within the Decatur community.

Postmodern Jukebox

Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019 at 7:30 p.m.

This holiday season, Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ) will take the same originality, wit and virtuosic musical performances that have garnered them over 1 billion views on YouTube to revitalize the idea of a Christmas tour itself, in their multi-city "A Very Postmodern Christmas" tour. 

The tour will feature PMJ's rotating retro collective of showstopping vocalists, dancers and instrumentalists as they mashup timeless holiday classics and today's pop hits in the "vintage" styles of 20s hot jazz, doo wop and Motown that have brought the group international acclaim. Put simply: it's the holiday show equivalent of Bing Crosby singing "Little Drummer Boy" with David Bowie.

Spring 2019 Events

Beethoven 250 with Pianist Silvan Negruțiu

Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020 at 2 p.m.

Pianist and Millikin faculty member Dr. Silvan Negruțiu returns to the Kirkland stage for a recital celebrating Beethoven's 250th birthday. The program will include Beethoven's 32 Variations in C Minor and two of his most beloved piano sonatas: "Pathetique" and "Appassionata." 

Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México

Friday, Feb., 21, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.

Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México de Silvia Lozano (BFNM) is an institution tasked with the dissemination, preservation and promotion of the culture of Mexico, both at home and abroad.

With an artistic career spanning over 56 years, the BFNM reflects the work of Mexico's leading researchers and practitioners of folklore, dance, music and costumes. In its long career, the Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México de Silvia Lozano has performed in over 40 countries and five continents, receiving numerous awards and prizes, as well as being designated an Ambassador of Mexican Culture. In addition to its international tours, the Ballet Folclórico Nacional de México maintains residences in Mexico City and Cancun.

Actors from The London Stage: The Tempest

Residency: Monday, March 2 – Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Community Performance: Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.

Founded in 1975, Actors from The London Stage (AFTLS) is one of the oldest touring Shakespeare theatre companies in the world. They perform Shakespeare's plays with a very basic production, using minimal props, no set, and the actors never leave the stage. Each actor plays multiple roles and frequently shifts characters while on stage, offering an intriguing and often comedic effect.

Touring both in the fall and spring, AFTLS visits approximately 16-20 universities in a year, giving students and faculty a chance to experience their dynamic and enriching performing arts program. The vibrant hands-on nature of the program provides an extraordinary opportunity to engage faculty and students far beyond the confines of the English and Theatre departments. AFTLS has been in residence at numerous prestigious institutions including the University of Texas-Austin, Wellesley College, Dartmouth College, Stanford University, Emory University and the U.S. Naval Academy.

A Cappella Live

Friday, March 27, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.

A Capella music has made a resurgence in the last several years, living through movies, television, YouTube and radio. However, the best way to experience vocal harmony is in person, which is why A Capella Live was born. Come see this high-energy musical celebration of contemporary a cappella, conceived and arranged by Deke Sharon, vocal producer of "Pitch Perfect" and The Sing-Off. Enjoy internationally recognized, award-winning, rising star ensembles: Women of the World, The Filharmonic and Committed; all on tour with Blake Lewis.

The Official Blue Brother's Review

Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 7:30 p.m.

There have been many imitators, but only one duo has been sanctioned by Dan Aykroyd and Judith Belushi to recreate the infectious humor and unbridled spirit of Jake and Elwood Blues. Donning the official hat and sunglasses of the legendary performers, Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty capture the infectious humor and unbridled spirit of the original pair, and they're sure to give you a show to remember.

Kirkland Fine Arts Center

Millikin University believes that the arts are essential to the enrichment of society and a fundamental part of the educational process. Millikin's founder, James Millikin, declared that men and women should have both a classical and practical education to meet the demands of a changing society. The Kirkland Performing Arts Series supports this mission by encouraging both students and the community to participate in its programs and understand its multicultural heritage through performing arts events.

For 50 years Kirkland has been the place to be for the arts in the Decatur community and the surrounding area. Kirkland Fine Arts Center has presented amazing talent, hilarious comedy, and fascinating speakers. Some of the artists have included Pete Fountain, Duke Ellington, Patti Page, Ray Charles, Olivia Newton John and Bob Newhart. Touring companies have included RENT, CATS, Showboat, Master Class with Maria Callas and Cirque Eloize. Speeches by distinguished guests like White House correspondent Helen Thomas, Leonard Nimoy and retired four-star General and former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell have been presented.

Events at Kirkland Fine Arts Center are partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency.