Clinton to Join Seven to Receive the Order of Lincoln on May 3 in Chicago

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will join seven distinguished Illinoisans to receive The Order of Lincoln, the State's highest honor for professional achievement and public service.

"Through her decades of service, Hillary Clinton has helped shape and improve the world more than almost any person in our nation's history," Governor Quinn said. "From working on women's and children's issues, to her time as First Lady, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State, she personifies the best that Illinois and the United States of America can offer. We are grateful to be able to present her with the state's highest award and thank her for the service she continues to provide to this day to the people across the world."

Hillary Rodham Clinton, an Illinois native, was raised in Park Ridge, Illinois. She served as First Lady of Arkansas for more than a dozen years championing causes for women, children and families. She served as First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, and advocated for health care reform and led successful bipartisan efforts to improve the adoption and foster care systems, reduce teen pregnancy, and provide health care to millions of children. She also traveled to more than 80 countries as a representative of our country, winning respect as a champion of human rights, democracy, civil society, and opportunities for women and girls around the world.

In 2000, Clinton made history as the first First Lady elected to the United States Senate. She worked across party lines to expand economic opportunity and access to quality, affordable health care, including for wounded service members, veterans and members of the National Guard and Reserves. After September 11, 2001, she secured resources to rebuild New York and provide health coverage for the needs of first responders who became sick during rescue and recovery efforts at Ground Zero.

In 2007 and 2008, Clinton made her historic campaign for President, winning 18 million votes, and more primaries and delegates than any woman had before.

In her four years as Secretary of State, Clinton played a central role in restoring America's standing in the world and strengthening its global leadership.  Her "smart power" approach to foreign policy elevated American diplomacy and development and repositioned them for the 21st century -- with new tools, technologies, and partners, including the private sector and civil society around the world.  As America's chief diplomat and the President's principal foreign policy adviser, Clinton spearheaded progress on many of our greatest national security challenges, from reasserting the United States as a Pacific power to imposing crippling sanctions on Iran and North Korea to responding to the challenges and opportunities of the Arab Awakening to negotiating a ceasefire in the Middle East.  She pushed the frontiers of human rights and demonstrated that giving women the opportunity to participate fully is vital to security, stability, and prosperity.

Clinton is a graduate of Wellesley College and Yale Law School.

Clinton will receive the award on Saturday evening, May 3, 2014, at the Field Museum in Chicago as part of the 50th Annual Convocation of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. The Lincoln Academy is a non-partisan, independent organization which administers the award and chooses each year's honorees.

For more information about the Order of Lincoln or to view information about this year's recipients, please visit www.thelincolnacademyofillinois.org.

Encourages Residents to Volunteer in their Communities and Take Part in April 1, 2014 Day of Recognition

CHICAGO - Governor Pat Quinn today proclaimed March 23 - 29 National Service Week in Illinois and encouraged people across Illinois to find ways to give back to their communities. Governor Quinn also reminded residents to take part in recognizing national service programs in their communities during the Mayors Day of Recognition of National Service on Tuesday, April 1. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's commitment to encourage volunteerism in Illinois.

"There is no better way to give back than to donate your time by volunteering," Governor Quinn said. "Volunteers contribute a great deal to Illinois both locally and throughout the state at our historic sites, state parks, care facilities and institutions. I encourage everyone to participate in National Service Week and recognize the valuable gifts that volunteers provide."

"As John Maxwell once stated, 'The bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves, but how far we advance others,'" Serve Illinois Commission Chair Frederick Nettles said. "In the line of service, our job is to empower others."

People across Illinois can find volunteer opportunities in their communities by visiting Serve.Illinois.gov. The website is run by the Serve Illinois Commission?a 40-member, bi-partisan board appointed by the Governor to improve Illinois communities by enhancing traditional volunteer activities and supporting national service programs.

The Mayors Day of Recognition is a special initiative from the Corporation for National and Community Service to highlight the value and impact of volunteering and to encourage residents to participate. The second annual Mayors Day of Recognition will take place on April 1, 2014. Mayors across Illinois have registered to participate and those interested in signing up can visit NationalService.gov.

AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and the Social Innovation Fund are the national service programs that will be recognized in numerous Illinois communities during Mayors Day of Recognition of National Service on April 1. Mayors and city and county managers will hold public events and use traditional and social media to highlight the value and impact of national service in their communities. Mayors who would like to participate should register through Serve.Illinois.gov.

The Governor today also saluted the many service organizations that contribute daily to making Illinois a better place to live and work.

AmeriCorps includes AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps State, AmeriCorps National and AmeriCorps NCCC. Together they provide opportunities for 80,000 citizens across the nation, including approximately 3,600 in Illinois, to give back to their communities, states and nation. AmeriCorps in Illinois last year recruited 53,600 volunteers and raised more than $4.7 million in in-kind resources.

Senior Corps includes the Foster Grandparents Program, Senior Companions Program and Retired & Senior Volunteer Program. Each year the program places more than 14,000 volunteers in communities throughout Illinois. These volunteers have helped more than 7,000 Illinois children to read, assisted more than 18,000 seniors to stay in their homes, supported more than 5,800 veterans and 8,300 veteran family members, served more than 200 special needs children and supported more than 2,000 community organizations. Approximately 3.1 million Senior Corps hours contributed annually is valued at $70 million.

The Social Innovation Fund mobilizes public and private sector resources to grow promising, innovative, community-based solutions in the areas of economic opportunity, healthy futures and youth development. The program has awarded $177.6 million in grants since 2010 that have yielded another $423 million in private commitments. Eleven Illinois organizations have received $1.3 million in grants.

BOURBONNAIS, IL (03/19/2014)(readMedia)-- Olivet Nazarene University announces that the following students from this area have been named to the dean's list for the recently completed fall 2013 semester:

Emily Arnold of Prophetstown

Lydia Bilyeu of Fulton

Zachary Bozman of LeClaire

Peter Davies of Bettendorf

Derek Delgado of Sterling

Trevor Delgado of Sterling

Liza Dollenbacher of Bettendorf

Zackry Everett of Sterling

Miranda Geever of Moline

Jordan Hirl of Clinton

Cory Holloway of Moline

Kathleen Marston of Clinton

Jacob Mellinger of Moline

Hannah Milby of Sterling

Emily Mills of Milan

Ainsley Ports of Sterling

Sonia Smith of Bettendorf

To qualify for inclusion on the dean's list, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and must have attained a semester grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 grading scale.

Olivet Nazarene University is an accredited Christian, liberal arts university offering more than 100 areas of undergraduate and graduate study, including the Doctor of Education in ethical leadership. Olivet has one main campus in Bourbonnais, Ill. - just 50 miles south of Chicago; three sites: Rolling Meadows and Oak Brook, Ill., and Hong Kong; and more than 100 School of Graduate and Continuing Studies learning locations throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. From Oxford to Tokyo, hundreds of Olivet students also experience the global classroom each year, whether through study abroad opportunities or worldwide mission trips.

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ROMEOVILLE, IL (03/19/2014)(readMedia)-- Dr. Dennis Cremin, history professor and director of the Lewis University History Center, recently described how Lewis University has partnered with the Joliet Area Historical Museum for the "The Emergence of Modern Joliet: Art, Industry & Urbanization" exhibit on display until June 8. His presentation about the JAHM exhibit kicked off a lecture series that continues through April.

As part of an assignment for Cremin's Public History class, students conceptualized how Lewis University's extensive collection of historic images by local journalist and artist Adele Fay Williams could be utilized to provide visuals of the Joliet area from 1870-1930. The Public History students encouraged combining her images with the Museum's Harold Whiteside tool collection to highlight the transition of the Joliet area from a rural community to an industrial town, then eventually to an urban city.

Dr. Cremin's History of Illinois class researched the topics and drafted text for the exhibit panels. The exhibit's scheme was a group effort by students in the Advanced Design class directed by Leslie Colonna, Lewis University instructor of art and design. Since Williams used the Joliet courthouse in many of her images, students took current photos of the building as it stands today to use as comparison for showing the transition of the area.

Samantha Glackin of Moline, Ill. contributed to the exhibit.

The lecture series on the exhibit continues through April at the JAHM:

March 19: "How to Read a Work of Art," an event taught by Colonna, will teach the elements and principles that make each work of art unique and affect how it is interpreted at 1 p.m.

April 2: "The Life, Times and Art of Adele Fay Williams," will showcase artist Teri Lesniak who will portray Adele Fay Williams and complete a painting in the style of the renowned artist.

April 12: "An Afternoon with Dr. Sterling," author of Joliet history books and retired professor at Joliet Junior College, Dr. Robert Sterling will discuss the exhibit and sign books.

Those who participated in the History of Illinois class included: Sean Barber, Nicholas Czerwinski, Jocelyn Davila, Joshua Dittman, Patrick Franks, Samantha Glackin, Adrienne Gonzales, Michael Hines, Sarah Langheld, Anthony Larocca, Zeferino Martinez, Kelsey O'Brien, Tyson Polack, Alan Rosas, Brittany Russell and Zachary Zalewski.

Advanced Design students who contributed significantly to the exhibit included: Elizabeth Apostolos, Lauren Kill, Connor McLennan, Kendra Mills, Cory Seng, Lauren Trzeciak and Sandra Zuchara.

The original collection of Adele Fay Williams' drawings and prints was donated to the Howard and Lois Adelmann Collection in 1989 by Katherine Woodruff Barnes. An additional 88 drawings and prints were donated to the Collection in August 2011 by Dr. Robert E. Sterling. The drawings can also be seen at the Howard and Lois Adelmann Regional History Collection website at www.lewisu.edu/imcanal.

Lewis University is a Catholic university in the Lasallian tradition offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,600 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The seventh largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.