Civic Engagement Awards

Individuals and groups across the campus and community were honored with the 2025 Civic Engagement Awards on April 8 as part of Illinois State University’s annual Civic Engagement Celebration. The event was hosted by the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE). We are thrilled to share the 2025 Civic Engagement Award recipients below!

The Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal received the Community Partner Award. This award recognizes a community organization that is significantly involved with Illinois State University. These organizations and the individuals who comprise them contribute to student learning and support student engagement with the community in a curricular or co-curricular setting.

The Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal is a community organization serving youth and families since 1992. Their programming is rooted in academic success, healthy lifestyles, good character, and citizenship. Their nominator notes that the Club has been especially supportive of field experiences for pre-service teachers, large-group volunteer experiences, and service-learning collaborations.

The Club’s partnership with the University's Art for Elementary Schools course is particularly impactful, as it allows Illinois State University students to teach interdisciplinary art lessons to K-5th grade Club members and culminates in a pop-up exhibition at University Galleries. Elementary education major Madi Cumberland described her time working with the Boys & Girls Club as one of the most rewarding clinical experiences she has ever had.

The Redbird Voter Chatbot Working Group received the Interdisciplinary Team Award. This award recognizes a group, team, or initiative that is a multi-department effort of a civic engagement initiative or activity. This recognition acknowledges that civic engagement has no boundaries, and that collaboration is often necessary for success.

The Redbird Voter Chatbot working group is being recognized for its innovative interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at increasing political engagement among students at Illinois State. The chatbot was the brainchild of Lyndsay Jones and Saqlain Khurshid, Masters students in Politics and Government who won the Paul Simon Democracy award to implement the chat bot.

Lyndsay shared that she learned a lot through their collaboration with Technology Solutions, who helped them bring their vision to life. The collaboration resulted in a tool that facilitates civic engagement by providing trustworthy, vetted information about voting to students who engage with it. Joshua Staton, Manager of the Technology Support Center, emphasized the project's lasting value, stating “The chatbot is easily updated from election to election, meaning that this service will continue to be a community asset for years to come.”

Keara Gray received the Student Award, which recognizes a student who is significantly involved in civic engagement activities at Illinois State University and/or in the broader community, embodying the ideal of an informed and engaged global community member.

As a Public Health major with a minor in Civic Engagement and Responsibility, Keara has actively participated in and led various civic engagement activities, demonstrating her dedication to social change and community involvement. Keara founded the RSO Devotees to Democracy, organizing civic education and voter engagement events, including a pre-election program with former Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti and the post-election watch party.

She has led multiple Alternative Break trips, including efforts to clean the Mississippi River and support communities in Kenya and Costa Rica. Keara has also interned at the Ecology Action Center, working on environmental justice initiatives, and has served as a Peace Corps ambassador and peer leader, developing inclusive programs for the campus community. One of her nominators notes that "Keara has a keen sense of social justice and is a leader who puts her beliefs into action."

Redbird Red Cross was honored with the Registered Student Organization (RSO) award. This award recognizes an RSO that has been significantly involved in civic engagement at Illinois State University or in the broader community. 

Redbird Red Cross has been critical to helping the American Red Cross save and improve lives through much needed blood donations. The Red Cross provides about 40% of our nation’s blood and blood cell components to donors. Blood donations are used for patients in need of surgery, cancer treatment and transfusions for blood loss from traumatic injuries.

The Redbird Red Cross plans and executes all blood drives for the Illinois State University student community alongside the American Red Cross, and their work includes securing event locations, engaging donors and publicizing the events, scheduling appointments, and recruiting volunteers to work the drives. In the past year, they have been strong partners with the Center for Civic Engagement putting on blood drives as part of the CCE’s September Service Days and Spring Into Service Days. Their nominator wrote that their tireless work impacts not just Illinois State University, but the broader community as well.

Lawrence Lair was honored with the Staff Award. This award recognizes a staff member who is significantly involved in civic engagement activities at Illinois State University and/or in the broader community. This recognition honors staff members who contribute to the public good and embody the core value of civic engagement personally and/or professionally.

Lawrence leads civic engagement and advocacy initiatives focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion through roles on Civil Service Council, Queer Coalition, AsiaConnect, and the President’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council. Karmine Beecroft, Co-President of Queer Coalition, emphasized that “Lawrence has truly gone above and beyond to champion the public good at ISU through advocacy, service, fundraising, and engagement since their hire in 2021. Over and over again he has raised his hand to take on the grinding but necessary work to create a more just and equitable society with no thought of reward.”

Lawrence has also graciously donated their time as part of the Illinois State University Strategic Planning Group B, creating goals and objectives for nurturing EDIAB across the institution, and assembled and designed the 2023 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Annual Report.

Lawrence also volunteers with the Ecology Action Center and provides graphic design services to the Prairie Pride Coalition. Bryan Hinman and Dave Bentlin of Prairie Pride Coalition shared, “Lawrence has graciously volunteered their time to update our organization’s logo and create a new brochure, helping us better serve the LGBTQIA+ community.”

University Galleries received the Unit Award. This award recognizes a unit or department that has developed a civic engagement initiative or activity reflecting the department’s commitment to the public good.

University Galleries bridges Illinois State University’s campus and community, both physically in its location in Uptown Normal and intellectually through its commitment to fostering a greater understanding of contemporary art and providing support for artists at pivotal points in their careers. The team has led numerous activities that highlight their dedication to community service, civic learning, and activism.

University Galleries has presented 14 exhibitions during this academic year, including works by artists addressing themes such as health, wellness, environmental activism, and accessibility. They have partnered with Bloomington High School for 7 years to organize the Teen Art Group, providing students with insights into various art professions and culminating in a student-led exhibition.

Monica Estabrook, an art teacher at Bloomington High School, shared that she relies on their consistent efforts to help support what she does in the classroom. University Galleries also hosts workshops, artist lectures, and community events, including banner-making for the Pride Festival and collaborations with the organization Visual AIDS for World AIDS Day. They have created opportunities connected to their exhibits such as sound walks through Uptown Normal and the quad, guided meditations, sensory-friendly hours, poetry readings, and more.

Dr. Mike Hendricks was recognized with the Faculty Award. This award recognizes a faculty member who has contributed significantly to incorporating civic engagement into their teaching, scholarly, and creative productivity and whose commitment to the public good and advancement of civic engagement within their discipline is clear.

As an assistant professor in the Department of Politics and Government, Dr. Hendricks integrates civic engagement and social justice into every aspect of his work. He serves as the faculty advisor for several politically engaged student organizations. He also teaches a graduate seminar on community development, inviting guest speakers to connect students with real-world experiences, and integrates civic engagement into his other courses through the use of deliberative dialogues.

Dr. Hendricks is actively involved with the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development, the Normal Rotary Club, and BN-Welcoming. He co-founded the MOST Policy Initiative, which connects scientists and policymakers to improve community livelihoods.

His fellow co-founders and the current board president highlighted that he “has shown a commitment to communicating complex scientific concepts to the public and illustrating why science should be an essential part of policymaking.” Dr. Hendricks’ commitment to civic engagement extends to his research, including a recent project on the social impacts of green infrastructure, specifically floating gardens on the Chicago River.

Dr. Brea Banks was recognized with the Centering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Award. This award recognizes an individual or group who has developed a civic engagement project that exemplifies the Center’s vision of a more just and equitable world cultivated through the co-creation of knowledge, mutually beneficial partnerships, and collective action.

As an Associate Professor and Director of the African American Studies Program, Dr. Banks has significantly contributed to promoting EDI through various civic engagement initiatives and events.

Dr. Banks organized the program’s inaugural film series during Black History Month, which featured two films and a staged reading by Illinois State University students. Dr. Banks collaborated with multiple units across campus and the community to ensure the success of the series, yielding high attendance with up to 125 participants at each event.

Dr. Heather Dillaway, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, shared that “Brea purposely created panels to represent both ISU and the larger community, importantly including members of the local NAACP, so that audience members could witness dialogue about race-related topics, including how to pursue racial justice and positive social change.”