Widening the Doors of Opportunity

A recent study done by the University of Illinois Springfield shows that not only do disabled employees tend to get paid less than non-disabled employees, but they should make the same wage considering that they are just as capable to handle the job at hand as any other employee.

The Illinois Dual Credit Learning Accelerator, jointly hosted by the Office of Online Learning and Undergraduate Admissions, is an initiative that aims to provide high-quality academic opportunities for prospective Illinois public high school students interested in pursuing four-year degrees. 

The University of Illinois Springfield is expanding its academic programs to better serve students and meet workforce needs by enhancing its Bachelor of Arts in Legal Studies program with new transfer pathways focused on paralegal preparation and introducing a Public Leadership minor open to all undergraduate majors.

The University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford launched the Street Medicine Program, funded by a $2.5 million federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The initiative trains family medicine residents to bring care directly to people where they are on the streets, in encampments and at shelters.

The University of Illinois Springfield will offer four new medical laboratory science (MLS) certificates starting in August to address the critical shortage of certified laboratory specialists in central Illinois. Certificates will be offered in clinical chemistry, hematology, immunohematology and medical microbiology.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign increased the family income threshold to be eligible for Illinois Commitment — a financial aid program that provides free tuition and fees for in-state students — from $67,100 to $75,000, effective fall 2025.

This summer, 30 area community college students visited the University of Illinois Chicago Nanofabrication Core Facility's cleanroom to gain hands-on experience manufacturing semiconductor devices. The Semiconductor Fabrication Training Program was established to grow the talent pipeline of undergraduate-level engineering students trained in industry-standard hardware and software.

Chicago high school students are getting a jump-start to their public health careers, thanks to a pilot program offered by the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) School of Public Health and the Chicago Department of Public Health. As Chicago Public Health Innovators (ChiPHI), they engage in a six-week program set in both classrooms and in Chicago communities.

In rural areas, the only accessible health care provider for many miles may be a pharmacist. That's why the UIC Retzky College of Pharmacy's Rockford-based Rural Pharmacy Education Program will soon be expanding its mission to locations across the state. 

Launched in the summer of 2024, the Enhancing Cross-disciplinary Innovation and Training Opportunities (EXITO) program offers early-career University of Illinois Chicago students three years of specialized study, mentorship and hands-on research experience.

The conference was part of the school’s celebration of National Public Health Week and consisted of workshops, lectures, and poster presentations highlighting student-led community work. The conference aims to create a space for everyone to discuss worldwide trends, health disparities, and racial health equity.

The Prepare for Illinois’ Future program, a statewide partnership administered by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, is providing University of Illinois Springfield students with free access to Kaplan’s test prep resources for graduate admissions, licensure and credentialing exams, as well as skills development courses.

The Sandbox Lab at the Innovation Center is a place for students to learn Swift, the programming language for Apple platforms, and to foster community empowerment, said UIC Chancellor Marie Lynn Miranda. The UIC Innovation Center currently houses eight corporate-sponsored labs designed to give students real-world experiential learning opportunities.

These summer camps are aimed at high school students who wish to have a taste of the university experience before enrolling in classes. This year, the camps will explore fascinating subjects like AI and the Nobel Prize, Youth Voices for Change and Public Policy, Exploring the Emiquon Preserve, and How to Crush Reading a Whole Book.

UIC ranks among the top 50 universities in graduate enrollment and total graduate degrees conferred to Latino students, and is now among the top 10 for doctorate degrees granted to Latinos.

As the nation experiences a shortage of healthcare workers in rural communities, the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford's National Center for Rural Health Professions aimed to highlight that need during the recent Rural Health Day.

UIC ranked No. 1 among all universities in the state for social mobility, which considers universities that take in the highest proportion of students from lower-income families while maintaining high graduation rates, positively impacting graduate salaries and minimizing college costs. 

The UIC Aspire grant will cover the cost of tuition and mandatory fees for new UIC students who meet residency and income requirements starting fall 2025. The program reflects UIC’s mission to provide the broadest possible access to the highest levels of educational, research and clinical excellence.

Beginning in October, the workshop series is open to adults aged 18 and older and is ideal for anyone interested in honing their craft or discovering their voice as a playwright. Participants will explore the essentials of playwriting, including how to develop an idea into a script, avoid common pitfalls, and navigate the challenges of getting their work performed.

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign welcomed a group of students from Brazil as part of the Illinois International program. A three-week on-campus course was designed to give them a well-rounded background in educational topics, including a focus on agriculture.

Discovery Partners Institute’s software development apprentice program offers training, support, and connections by serving eager learners—especially women and people of color—who are looking to shift to the careers of the future.

A new initiative at the University of Illinois Chicago — Brothers Teaching — is expanding the UIC College of Education’s approach to supporting men of color as they pursue undergraduate and advanced degrees in education and become teachers. 

The council includes leaders from industry, education, government, and economic development who will provide insights to support the continued growth and impact of DPI’s talent development programs, which focus on driving more equity into the region’s tech workforce.

On the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus, fewer animal sciences students than ever before have actual farm experience. A new program aims to get those students on the farm with livestock.

As part of the first higher education institution to offer a program specifically supporting students with disabilities, Disability Resources & Educational Services (DRES) at University of Illinois has helped thousands earn their college degrees over the past 75 years.

Every summer since 2021, two University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professors have partnered with Discovery Partners Institute to run a 6-week summer experience as part of DPI’s Digital Scholars program. In each offering, 30 to 40 high-school students, guided by experienced UIUC teaching assistants, are taught a condensed version of the Data Science Discovery course content.

Since 2022, students transferring from community colleges in Illinois have had guaranteed admission to University of Illinois System universities in Urbana, Chicago, and Springfield if they meet requirements.  

The U of I System is partnering with community colleges statewide to connect educators and administrators with public university transfer pathways for their students, especially to system universities in Springfield, Chicago and Urbana. 

Starting with the Fall 2024 application period, UIS will waive the $50 application fee for transfer students applying from Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Richland Community College in Decatur and Illinois Central College in East Peoria.

The University of Illinois Springfield, in collaboration with Innovate Springfield, its dynamic business incubator in downtown Springfield, is creating a new high-tech lab and class to teach high school students how to turn their innovative product ideas into reality. 

The funded project, “Journeys to Justice: Commemorating and Memorializing the History and Legacy of Anti-Black Terror in Illinois,” will launch a statewide coalition to promote and support the research and remembrance of anti-Black riots, massacres and lynchings in Illinois.

UIC’s Center for Literacy, part of the College of Education, goes well beyond literacy programs and impacts the social mobility of Chicago families, especially those located on the South and West sides of the city. For more than 30 years, the center has supported families whose children are enrolled in Chicago’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs.

A new radio station - "Illinois Soul" - aiming to highlight Black experiences and perspectives will begin broadcasting from Illinois Public Media at WILL-FM 101.1 next month.

Illinois Mexican & Mexican-American Students (I-MMÁS) founder, director, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign professor Elvira de Mejía recruited civil engineering associate professor Rafael Tinoco. ... “When I-MMÁS started, we invited faculty, staff, and students to join the group. Rafael became an active friend of I-MMÁS,” de Mejía said. “He is an excellent role model for many students and professionals.” 

The Prairie Promise will use a combination of MAP grant awards, UIS scholarships and awards and AIM HIGH grant funds to cover the cost of tuition and fees. To qualify, students must be eligible to receive MAP grant funding, which requires a demonstration of financial need. 

The CS Starter Academy will serve more than 200 City College students through programs that address barriers and support student journeys into computer science and technology.

For now, the program is available to about 4,000 students at five Chicago high schools – many from historically underrepresented groups – plus one parent or guardian each. Student support covers tuition and fees, room and board, books and a laptop, plus a yearly stipend.  

Psychologists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explored the factors associated with students' sense of belonging at college and found that of the four factors they identified that contribute to it, cultural capital is a key element for those from marginalized groups.