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News in brief Mask mandate returns, new vaccine mandate Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced beginning Monday, August 30, Illinois will return to mandated masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. Pritzker and Dr. Ngozi Ezike also announced that individuals that are in high-risk settings are now required to receive the vaccine. All health care employees, pre-K-12 teachers, staff and students and higher education personnel and students are required to get the vaccination. Any student or employee who is medically unable to receive the vaccine or is unwilling to receive it is required to be tested for COVID-19 once a week at the minimum. “Health care, school workers and higher education personnel and students attending in-person classes who do not provide proof of vaccination will be prevented from entering health care and educational facilities unless they follow the required testing protocol,” According to Illinois’s E-News release. The announcements come as Illinois has seen a resurgence of COVID-19 in regions that have a low vaccination rate, resulting in an increase in hospitalizations.
SIUE offers blood donation as form of community service FRANCESCA BOSTON reporter
Impact Life Bloodmobile collects enough blood to save 33 lives and raises awareness for upcoming blood drives. Donors who took part in the blood drive during the SIUE Experience donated 11 units of blood, which is enough to save 33 lives. Donors included students, faculty and community members. Donors were able to give either whole blood or double red cells. The Bloodmobile was parked by the quad in Hairpin Drive on Aug. 21, as part of SIUE Service Saturdays. It was open to faculty, students and the community. Jason Kempen, the community development advocate for Impact Life, talked about the importance of blood donation, especially for college students. “Blood donation, in general, helps local hospitals. In fact, Impact life serves [24] hospitals in the St. Louis metro region. So the blood that they donate goes directly into hospitals helping kids with cancer, transfusions, people that are in traumatic accidents. And so the blood see BLOODMOBILE on page 3
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Thursday, September 2, 2021 Vol. 75 No. 2
New military science professor brings a ‘people-oriented’ culture to Army ROTC leadership goes far beyond the I want to do that job,’” Woody classroom. said. “Of course, I talked to a “Instead of just wanting us couple of my mentors to see With new Adjunct Professor of Mili- to be in class all the time and what they recommended and tary Science Major Eddie Woody joining constantly learning textbook they were like, ‘This is what the Army ROTC program, some cadets things, it’s more, ‘This is how you’re built for,’ so that’s why have noticed a positive shift in the pro- you develop people as a leader,’” I’m here.” gram’s culture. Peery said. “You have to care Hester said Woody’s deWoody said he loves being around about what’s going on in their sire for this role is visible in young people and talking to them about home life and what’s going on the way he interacts with those his philosophy for living, leadership and in their school life. Like, they’re | Photo courtesy around him. why it’s important to lead a certain way. more than just cadets right of Denzel Gay “He’s not in this position “I have four pillars that I believe now, we’re involved in so many on accident,” Hester said. “It’s leadership is held up with,” Woody said. other things and I think that’s something that he really want“Integrity, because leaders have to do the what’s awesome, is he cares about all the ed and he pursued and that shows through right thing, even when other stuff that’s going with his day-to-day interactions, both it’s difficult. Respect, on in our lives.” with our staff and also with the students. because respect is the Through Woody’s The level of care, concern, compassion for foundation of all healthy leadership, Army the students who are in the program is relationships. CharacROTC Cadet and se- very evident.” ter, because somebody’s nior biology major Woody said the best way for students always watching, esSterling Howard from to test the waters with the ROTC propecially when you’re Windsor, Illinois, said gram is through their MS 101 course. wearing the uniform the program’s culture “I just want people to know that if we ... Compassion, behas completely changed have students on campus who are looking cause the best leaders for the better. for ways to fill any type of gap as far as care about their people “Last year every- finances are concerned, or if they are just and they understand thing just seemed very looking for an opportunity to enhance or their needs.” disorganized. It seemed develop some leadership skills, they should Assistant Adjunct like the program didn’t give MS 101 a try because you can try Professor of Military really care about peo- ROTC without committing to ROTC,” Science Major Ryan ple or any of our lives Woody said. Hester said Woody’s outside of ROTC,” Hester said this is also a great opporguidance falls in line Howard said. “It’s a tunity for students to learn more about with their main mission lot more people-ori- the government and military in a way they of creating Army lieuented, just a lot better may not have previously. tenants, which involves MAJOR EDDIE WOODY atmosphere and things “I think it’s a great opportunity for much more than just Adjunct Professor of Military are getting done a lot any student, keeping in mind too that a Science tactical abilities. more efficiently.” student can take up to two years of ROTC “We want to focus A rmy ROTC classes without any commitment to the not so much on tactics and that sort of Cadet Battalion Commander and civ- military,” Hester said. “It’s a great opthing, but character building and helping il engineering major Colton Higgerson portunity for students ... to gain a deeper these young students develop themselves from Glen Carbon, Illinois, said Woody understanding of how our government in a character-driven environment where has given the cadets a lot more freedom works, how our military works and gain they are looking out for each other as to lead. an appreciation for a much as they are for themselves, and to “As far as being the whole other side of our provide them opportunities to experience Battalion Commander government and things challenges and to really learn who they are and making decisions, that they wouldn’t orin a way that standard college courses ar- I have a lot more freedinarily be exposed to.” en’t going to do,” Hester said. dom to make my own Hester said stuWoody said this character building decisions and not be dents shouldn’t be happens primarily through shaping a stu- micromanaged or conafraid to try the prodent’s philosophy for leadership and life as trolled by the Cadre gram because Woody a whole. above us, so it’s more is just as dedicated “Our ultimate goal is to develop col- of a cadet-run program to those who haven’t lege students into Army officers, second now,” Higgerson said. made a final decision as lieutenants,” Woody said. “And we do that “He’s very personable; those who have. by ensuring they know how to soldier. For always asking about my “[Woody’s] very one, we have different skills that we have family, telling me about welcoming to new to make sure that they can accomplish, but his family, it’s more of a cadets,” Hester said. also helping shape their philosophy for relaxed situation as op“He’s not going to turn living. One of those philosophies that I posed to the usual milisomeone away or give shared with the entire battalion the other tary lifestyle of straight MAJOR RYAN HESTER someone less attention day was the saying by the Greek philoso- back chairs.” because they’re not acAssistant Adjunct Professor of pher, Aristotle. He says that human beings Woody was orig- Military Science tively in pursuit of a are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, inally selected to be scholarship or a comtherefore, is not an act, it’s a habit, so I en- inspector general in mission, he’s going to give them the same courage them to have good habits because Wichita, Kansas, but had previously ap- amount of time to someone who is just our habits inform our choices, and when plied to be a military science professor and trying to feel this out because they deserve we make good choices, we have better out- received an offer for the position. the same opportunity to learn about what comes.” “I was at a wrestling tournament with we have to offer as anyone else.” Army ROTC Cadet and senior mass my son and I received an email … ‘Hey, For more information about communications major Mackenzie Peery you have two days to reply whether you Woody and the Army ROTC, visit their from Highland, Illinois, said Woody’s want to do this job or not,’ and I said, ‘Yes SIUE website. DAMIAN MORRIS managing editor
“Excellence, therefore, is not an act, it’s a habit, so I encourage them to have good habits because our habits inform our choices, and when we make good choices, we have better outcomes.
“We want to focus not so much on tactics and that sort of thing, but character building and helping these young students develop themselves in a characterdriven environment
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