Campus Community Celebrates Holidays
Photo Gallery: The Illinois Wesleyan community celebrated the holiday season with events including Light the Night: A Multicultural Celebration of the Season of Light, Kwanzaa Dinner, and Christmas Choral Concert.

Campus Organizations – and Dogs – Help Relieve Final Exam Stress
With assistance from some friendly canines, a variety of events are planned to help reduce stress as students embark on final exams.

Plunkett '21 Awarded Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grant
German and international studies double major Maeve Plunkett '21 is one of 25 students nationally who has been awarded a $1,000 Study Abroad Grant from Phi Kappa Phi.

University Mourns Distinguished Alum Steve Doran '79
Oral surgeon Steve Doran '79, honored at this year's Homecoming as Illinois Wesleyan's Distinguished Alumnus Award winner, died Dec. 3 while on a mission trip in Haiti.

• The No. 13-ranked women's basketball team won its sixth straight game and is undefeated in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin after a win against Augustana in Rock Island on Saturday, Dec. 8.

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Monday, Dec. 10

Reading Day (NO CLASSES)

10 a.m.-2 p.m., Hansen Student Center – Stress Free Zone – Students are welcome to take a break from studying and come to a Stress Free Zone. Counseling and Consultation Services will host fun giveaways, stress resources, and dogs from Wishbone Canine Rescue.

12 p.m., Lower level, Evelyn Chapel – IWU Fighting Hunger: A Reading Day Service Project – Come for an hour of fun and service as we re-package several hundred pounds of oats for local food pantries, followed by pizza! Hosted by IWU Interfaith. For more information, contact interfaith@iwu.edu.

1-3 p.m., Niepagen Room, Shirk Center – Dance 'N' De-stress – The Sigma Alpha Iota chapter invites students for some finals stress relief. Tamra Challacombe, a professional from Peoria, will offer dance instruction.

10-11 p.m., Bertholf Commons, Memorial Center – Late Night Breakfast – The president and his Cabinet will greet and serve students at the annual late night breakfast in the Commons. From three stations, the president’s merry band will serve scrambled eggs, French toast, potatoes, bacon and sausage with a host of pastries and donuts. There will also be door prizes and giveaways. All students, whether on the meal plan or not, are invited to enjoy this late-night treat.

Tuesday, Dec. 11

Through Friday, Dec. 14 – Final examinations

11 p.m.-2 a.m. (also Wednesday, Dec. 12), Dugout, Memorial Center – PB & J Extravaganza – Students are invited to make sandwiches, grab some fresh fruit and enjoy hot cocoa or coffee (full octane, no decaf) as members of the Student Affairs team offer support and good wishes for the week and for the break that follows.

As part of the Come Home Safe campaign, students can also pick up a winter car safety packet with information about winterizing a vehicle and safe winter driving tips along with a complimentary ice scraper. There will be a drawing for an emergency car kit that will be given away. Candy canes and free hugs available upon request.

Wednesday, Dec. 12

12:30-2:30 p.m., President's House, 1201 Park St. – Barks and Beverages Break Redux – Calvin and his canine friend Vinnie invite students to join them for a break from finals.

Stop by, pet a dog, have a hot beverage, and breathe.

Thursday, Dec. 13

12:10 p.m., Fifer Courtroom (2nd floor), McLean County Museum of History, 200 N. Main St., Bloomington – Lunch and Learn: Eva Ferguson on "Christmas in Slovakia: From pagan rituals to Santa Claus"

5:30 p.m., Turfler Room/Joslin Atrium, Memorial Center – December Graduates Dinner – Illinois Wesleyan will honor students graduating in December.

Saturday, Dec. 15

5 p.m., Shirk Center – Women's Basketball vs. Carroll University – Live streaming video at www.iwu.edu/livesports.

7 p.m., Shirk Center – Men's Basketball vs. Carroll University – Live streaming video at www.iwu.edu/livesports.

Monday, Dec. 17

Through Friday, Dec. 21 — 4 O'Clock Hours – Campus offices will close daily at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 19

7 p.m., Shirk Center – Men's Basketball vs. Anderson University  – Live streaming video at www.iwu.edu/livesports.

Saturday, Dec. 22 - Tuesday, Jan. 1 – Winter Break –
Campus offices will be closed.

Wednesday, Jan. 2

Campus offices reopen, closing daily at 4 p.m.

7 p.m., Shirk Center – Women's Basketball vs. Wheaton College  – Live streaming video at www.iwu.edu/livesports.

Wednesday, Jan. 9

Spring semester classes begin.

• Associate Professor and Chair of English Joanne Diaz has published:
  • An essay, "Comedies of Tough Love: Two Gentlemen of Verona, Love's Labour's Lost, The Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing," in the Oxford Handbook of Shakespearean Comedy, edited by Heather Hirschfeld (Oxford, 2018).
  • A poem, "Septimania," in New England Review.

• Irv Epstein, Ben and Susan Rhodes Professor of Peace and Social Justice and Chair of the Educational Studies Department, has been appointed parliamentarian for the Board of Directors of the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES). CIES is the largest and oldest of 47 comparative and international education societies around the world and includes members from 105 countries. Its more than 3,000 individual members — researchers, analysts, practitioners, and students — represent over 1,000 universities, research institutes, government departments, non-governmental organizations, and multilateral agencies across the globe.