Tommy Carroll and Jim Pripusich recipients of the 2010 Ray and Kathy LaHood Scholarships for the study of American Government with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood ’71.
Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service Institute for Principled Leadership
Governor Pat Quinn, President Joanne Glasser, and Senator Dave Koehler join students at a MAP rally on Bradley’s campus.
Promoting Civic Engagement Bradley students led the way in advocating for the State of Illinois to restore MAP scholarship funds for the spring 2010 semester. At risk for 1,451 BU students was $3.4 million in much needed grant funds. A rally with Governor Quinn and Senator Koehler was held on campus and a week later two busloads of BU students went to a statewide rally at the State Capitol with thousands of students from public and private Illinois colleges. Bradley Student Body President Kyle Malinowski was given the honor of serving as master of ceremonies and introduced Governor Quinn to the enthusiastic crowd. By the end of the day, the Illinois General Assembly voted to restore the MAP scholarship funds.
This fall, IPL hosted the inaugural MidState 6/Mid-Illinois Congressional Insight Challenge with six local high schools. Congressional Insight is a fast-paced, performance-oriented computer simulation which immerses students in the world of a newly elected member of Congress. Students must decide which bills to support, which committee posts to seek, how much time to devote to fundraising, and what trade-offs to make amidst constituent, party, special interest and media pressures. At the end of the three-hour simulation, each high school team learned whether they had been re-elected to Congress. The program concluded with lunch and a tour of Bradley’s campus.
Students from Metamora High School discuss their options during the Congressional Insight program in the Founders’ Room.
Transforming Public Education On April 21, 2010, IPL, in collaboration with the City of Peoria, The Dirksen Congressional Center and the College of Education and Health Sciences at Bradley University, hosted the “Transforming Public Education” symposium, featuring U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. A total of 490 teachers, principals, superintendents, community leaders and137 Bradley University students attended. National, state and regional speakers joined Bradley faculty in exploring the challenges and solutions to Dr. Joan Sattler, Secretary Duncan, and Marcus Belin ’10 ensure that all American children receive a world-class education. To kick-off the event, Bradley senior teacher education major Marcus Belin was Education Policy Center at Brown University) given the honor of introducing Secretary along with Secretary Duncan, Louisiana Duncan. Marcus joked with the audience: Superintendent of Schools Paul Pastorek, “With all the superintendents and principals incoming Peoria District 150 Superintendent in the crowd, I consider this a job fair and Dr. Grenita Lathan, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis I have copies of my resume ready to hand and Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin. The out.” He received eight interview offers that video of the morning session is available day! at http://www.bradley.edu/inthespotlight/ In his opening remarks, Secretary Duncan story/?id=89940. commended Bradley and During lunch, Kevin Curtin, Peoria for hosting the Principal of Garfield Primary symposium: “These kinds School, gave an impassioned of dialogues can’t happen presentation on how the enough. Only when we get community schools model out of our silos, throw egos works at his school. As a result aside, and come together of that presentation, several behind children do we have students changed their student a chance to get where we teaching placement from Kevin Curtin need to go as a country. suburban to urban schools, School systems cannot often requesting Garfield or become world-class by themselves. The only Manual High School. The afternoon session way we can make sure every child has a consisted of three panel discussions on the chance to get a world-class education is if all topics of charter schools, community schools of the assets of a city rally together behind and Race to the Top funding. The impact on the public education system.” Bradley students cannot be overstated. As The morning session also included a one student shared, “As a student and prefascinating panel discussion facilitated by service teacher, this was a once-in-a-lifetime Dr. Kenneth Wong (Director of the Urban opportunity.”
The Future of Midwest Transportation On November 10, 2010, IPL and Bradley’s College of Engineering & Technology hosted “The Future of Midwest Transportation”, a national public policy symposium exploring ways to make the Midwest globally competitive. U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Bradley alumnus Ray LaHood began his keynote luncheon address stressing: “This is a very important symposium. We’re right on the cutting edge of a new federal transportation bill that is going to be debated in Congress.” LaHood discussed the importance of high-speed passenger rail and predicted that the new six-year, $500 billion federal transportation bill will receive bipartisan support. LaHood also praised the 100 BU engineering students in the audience, who he called “the next leaders in transportation.”
At the symposium, BU students were able to showcase 17 different research projects and make a Powerpoint presentation to the 300 attendees on the development and construction of their 2010 Ultra Lightweight Urban Vehicle, which drives an equivalent of 300 miles to the gallon. Topics discussed by national, state, and regional experts during the daylong conference included innovations in transportation technology, high-speed passenger rail, the rebuilding of the interstate highway system, and river and air transportation. Notable speakers included Illinois Secretary of Transportation Gary Hannig; the Chairman of the Board for Amtrak Tom Carper; Dr. Gehard Schmidt, Ford Motor Company’s Chief Technology Officer; and Bradley alumnus Tana Utley, Caterpillar’s Chief Technology Officer.
Bringing Speakers to the Hilltop
The Third District Appellate Court listens to oral arguments in the Marty Theatre on Bradley’s campus.
Illinois Supreme Court Justice Rita Garman, U of I College of Medicine Dean Sara Rusch, and Illinois Treasurer Chief of Staff Dr. Robin L. Kelly speak to Bradley students on Founder’s Day.
IPL invites national, state and regional public service speakers to Bradley’s campus for the benefit of students and the community. Students gain valuable insights from the wide array of leaders brought to the Hilltop and are able to personally interact with our distinguished guests.
Lewis Lehrman, author of Lincoln at Peoria:The Turning Point, speaks at Bradley on the anniversary of Lincoln’s famous “Peoria Speech.”
State Senator Dave Koehler (left) and State Senator Dale Risinger speak to the Bipartisan Leadership class about how they work across the political aisle for the good of the Peoria region and Illinois.
Bob Michel (left) ’48 HON ’81 and Dick Gephardt (center) talk about the importance of bipartisanship.
Reforming Government at the National, State and Local Levels During the summer of 2010, IPL partnered with the Bipartisan Policy Center and The Dirksen Congressional Center to cosponsor a lunch in the U.S. Capitol building for freshman members of Congress to encourage them to form relationships across party lines. Legislators heard from former U.S. House Republican Leader and Bradley alumnus Bob Michel and former U.S House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt. Freshman Congressman and Bradley alumnus Aaron Shock said; “Today’s highly charged political climate puts a premium on the ability of members to work across party lines. I’m grateful to Bradley for co-hosting this lunch so my colleagues and I can hear from these two accomplished leaders.” Brad McMillan, IPL’s Executive Director, was appointed by Governor Quinn to the Illinois Reform Commission and his main focus was changing the way Illinois redistricts federal and state legislative boundaries following a census. The City of Peoria and Peoria County Board have asked IPL to facilitate the research and coordination of the shared services committee exploring ways to bring efficiencies and cost savings to local taxpayers.
IPL and the College of Education and Health Sciences were selected by Peoria School District 150 to act as lead agency for the Peoria Full Service Community Schools Initiative, which focuses on coordinating wrap-around services and out-of-school learning opportunities on-site at Garfield Primary School,Trewyn Middle School and Manual High School. In addition, the Heart of Illinois United Way selected the IPL to coordinate its in-school mental health program, which provides education, prevention and intervention programs, and other services primarily at our three community schools.
Brad McMillan, right, and Illinois Reform Commission Chairman Patrick Collins testify at the Illinois Senate Redistricting Committee hearing held at Bradley.