Redbird Buzz

Dr. Katherine Ellison, professor and chair of English at Illinois State University, is an expert in 17th- and 18th-century British Literature and Culture. In this episode of Redbird Buzz , we attempt to decipher another area of Ellison’s scholarly work: the history of secret writings, or cryptography. Ellison is featured in the spring 2024 Redbird Scholar magazine.

James Mercer ’91 is no stranger to the fast-paced world of sports management, and that's certainly the case in his current role as commercial director for Envision Racing's Formula E team. Formula E is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA's) single-seat car racing series, which uses only electric vehicles. Mercer got his start in sports at Illinois State Univers...

Illinois State University alum Bunmi Akinnusotu, M.S. '06, is no stranger to the intricacies of foreign policy. From her childhood as a first-generation American listening to her Nigerian family discuss world politics and cultures, to her experience as a graduate student working with Illinois State's Stevenson Center and AmeriCorps , Akinnusotu has a passion for studying and understanding...

University Galleries at Illinois State University is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2024, and chief curator and two-time Redbird alum Kendra Paitz, MBA ’06, M.A. ’11, joins Redbird Buzz to discuss the history of the galleries and plans for the future. Paitz came to Illinois State in the mid-2000s to pursue a master's degree and fell in love with her work at University Galleries, working h...

Dr. R. David Edmunds is a well-known and trusted expert in Native American ethnohistory. Originally from Blue Mound—about 15 miles southwest of Decatur—Edmunds earned a master’s degree from Illinois State University in 1966 while teaching at Bloomington High School. He later earned an honorary degree from Illinois State in 2002 and a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012. Throughout the past 50 years...

World-renowned glass artist, sculptor, and designer Robert DuGrenier, M.F.A. ’70, joins Redbird Buzz to discuss how his ending up at Illinois State was one of the first steps to career success in the art world. DuGrenier, a 2018 Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts Hall of Fame inductee, came to Illinois State as a graduate student, sight unseen, after being recruited while studying at the Hornsey Col...

Dr. Jana Albrecht, M.S. ’06, Ph. D. ’20, Illinois State University’s associate vice president for enrollment management, joins Redbird Buzz to discuss another historic incoming class for fall 2023—the University’s largest in 36 years. The class includes 4,147 freshmen, a 4% increase in new freshmen. Total enrollment also increased 1.5% to 20,989. This year’s incoming freshmen class averaged a high...

Dr. Dawn McBride, professor of psychology at Illinois State University, has been teaching and researching human memory for decades. In this episode of Redbird Buzz , McBride explains the inner workings of how we remember—and how we forget. McBride is featured in the fall 2023 Redbird Scholar magazine.

Dr. Judy Neubrander, dean of the Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN), is a tenured nursing professor with more than 25 years of academic experience who is leading the college through a time of expansion and opportunity. To help address the nationwide nursing shortage, MCN will officially open a new location in Springfield , in partnership with Memorial Health, on August 18, and the $18 million, 16,...

Dr. Taiwo Durowade ’09 is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist who has practiced in south suburban Chicago for the past five years. Durowade joins Redbird Buzz to discuss how—and why—she focuses her practice on preventative care. She also talks about utilizing social media to deliver free medical advice to maximize her impact. Durowade earned a bachelor’s in biochemistry and molecular biolo...

Greg Cameron ’80 is the president and chief executive officer at the internationally renowned Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. In this episode of Redbird Buzz , Cameron connects the dots from his formative years growing up in western suburban Westchester, to discovering a love for performing arts at Illinois State University, to serving the Chicago arts scene for nearly 40 years. Cameron earned a bachel...

Special education alum and College of Education 2022 Hall of Fame inductee Dr. joyce gillie gossom '78 joins Redbird Buzz to share how her experience at Illinois State University paved the way for a dynamic career, which has included experiences as a teacher, elected official, consultant, leadership coach, higher education administrator, and author. During this episode of Redbird Buzz , gillie...

Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance alum Erin Levzow '06 has created a unique path through her career. From starting out in Las Vegas after graduation with $800 in her pocket, to currently serving as the chief marketing officer at the Museum of Ice Cream in Chicago, Levzow has leveraged her theatre degree and the life skills it taught her, and she has been "collecting ex...

Illinois State University alum and current scientific associate at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Candice Halbert '01 joins Redbird Buzz to share stories from her time as a chemistry major on campus and her journey to being named one of PEOPLE Magazine 's "Women Changing the World in 2023." In this episode, Halbert discusses the importance of representation in STEM fields and...

Barb Dallinger ’81, M.S. ’01, an Illinois State University alum, retiree, and leader of the University's LGBTQA+ Alumni Network , sits down with Redbird Buzz to share experiences from her time as a student, her 30-year career as an employee on campus, and as a leader and advocate for the University's LGBTQIA+ community. Dallinger graduated from Illinois State with a degree in music and wor...

Political science major Ash Ebikhumi just wrapped up his junior year at Illinois State University and sat down with Redbird Buzz to talk about his unique experience as the only student representative on the University's Board of Trustees. Ebikhumi was elected as student trustee by the student body and sworn into the role in October 2022. He will serve another term for the 2023-24 academic year...

Actor, comedian, singer, host, and producer Jane Lynch '82 sits down with Redbird Buzz to discuss the latest addition to her long list of titles—director. Lynch is visiting the Illinois State University campus this spring as an artist in residence, directing School of Theatre and Dance students in a staged reading of the Neil Simon comedy Lost in Yonkers . Lynch is best known for her Emmy Awar...

Elisabeth Reed, the director of Illinois State University's Office of Sustainability, joins Redbird Buzz to share the story of her journey—from a background in architecture and fashion, to her current role leading the University's sustainability efforts. Reed shares tips for listeners wanting to reduce their carbon footprint and discusses campus sustainability initiatives, including Fix-It...

Dr. George Pruitt ’68, M.S. ’70, L.H.D. ’94, one of the longest serving collegiate presidents in the United States, joins Redbird Buzz to discuss how Illinois State launched his journey into higher education, historical moments he experienced on campus during the Civil Rights Movement, challenges he faced and accomplishments he achieved leading a university for 35 years, and how having resources,...

Dr. Sarah Gerson ’06 is a developmental psychologist at Cardiff University in Cardiff, Wales. In the fall of 2020, she was lead author for an internationally publicized study, published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience , which used neuroscience for the first time to investigate the impact of doll play on children. Gerson earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Illinois State Un...

University Archivist April Anderson-Zorn joins Redbird Buzz to discuss three women who made history at Illinois State University: Dr. June Rose Colby, Anna Ropp, and Dr. Patricia Chesebro. Dr. June Rose Colby (1856-1941) was the first female faculty member and third woman hired as an instructor at Illinois State Normal University. After becoming the first woman to earn a Ph. D. from the University...

Regina Smith '06 joins Redbird Buzz to discuss her new role as the inaugural head coach of the Morgan State University women's acrobatics and tumbling team. Smith and her team at Morgan State will make history during the 2023-24 season as the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) NCAA Division I program. Smith started her coaching career in 2006, and since then, she has captured mo...

Dr. Thomas Keyser, founding dean of Illinois State University's College of Engineering, shares his vision for the new college, set to launch with its first class of students in the fall of 2025. Keyser discusses his plans for educating "career ready" graduates and engaging with local industry leaders to provide College of Engineering students with invaluable real-world experience. Keyser will begi...

David Kirk, M.S. '16, sat down with Redbird Buzz to discuss his role as the director of Redbird Esports at Illinois State University and the program's success. Kirk shares his approach to growing engagement with current and future Redbirds through four pillars of the program: competitive, club, casual, and career.

Author and educational consultant Dr. Mary Manz Simon ’69 joins Redbird Buzz to share her unique path from kindergarten teacher to children’s author and educational consultant for companies like Crayola, DreamWorks, Sony, and more. Simon shares what is truly important when it comes to passion, shaping the lives of children as educators, and how learning each day ourselves makes us a better person....