Illinois State University President Aondover Tarhule issued a statement Monday following the shooting incident that occurred at the Bone Student Center Sunday night. In an April 28 email to students, faculty and staff, Tarhule expressed his concern for the victim, and his "shock and anger" over the incident taking place on campus. Tarhule then shared resources available to students, faculty and staff experiencing distress over the incident. Urgent walk-in counseling services will be available for students in Room 320 of the Student Services Building. Mental health services for faculty and staff are available by contacting ComPsych at 833-955-3400 or 800-697-0353. Anyone needing to retrieve personal items left behind may do so today until 4:30 p.m. at the Welcome Desk on the first floor of the Bone Student Center. The Bone Student Center will reopen at 7 a.m. Tuesday, April 29, and Tarhule said all employees should report to work as regularly scheduled. Tarhule reiterated that the isolated incident remains under investigation by ISUPD, and encouraged the campus community to remain united during this "challenging moment." "Let us lean on one another with compassion and strength in this challenging moment. Let us call on the support, kindness and resilience that have always defined the Redbird community and stand united as we continue building a safe, caring future together," Tarhule said in the email.

The Illinois State University Police Department released photos of the person of interest in a shooting incident at the Bone Student Center. On Sunday night, a fight broke out between two groups of people during a registered student organization (RSO) event at the Bone Student Center that ended with a non-life threatening-gunshot wound to a non-student. The victim was transported to a local hospital, and the person of interest fled the scene. ISUPD responded with all available resources and was assisted by Normal Police, Bloomington Police, the McLean County Sheriff, Illinois State Police and the Normal Fire Department. Anyone with information is urged to email ISUPD at ISUPolice@IllinoisState.edu or by calling 309-438-8631.

Illinois State University says there is one reported injured victim from a shooting during a registered student organization (RSO) event at the Bone Student Center. The University issued an emergency alert regarding shots fired at approximately 7:55 p.m. on Sunday. The victim is not an ISU student. Shots were fired as a result of a fight at the entryway outside of the RSO event, according to ISU Media Relations. In an ISU Emergency Alert email, ISU said to take precaution. In an update email, ISU said a person "reportedly discharged a firearm on or near campus." The email also said the person may be armed/dangerous, and there is a potential immediate threat. Police described this suspect as a slender Black male, 5'10, with an afro hairstyle wearing all black. The male was last seen running south from the Bone Student Center. Some earlier reports said that the shots fired could have been the result of a fight. This information was confirmed in an email from ISU Media Relations. At 9:23 p.m., ISU said the Bone Student Center is closed as police continue to investigate. An all-clear has not yet been issued. ISU is urging people to stay away from University and Locust Street and the Bone Student Center. There is no shelter-in-place order set. At 11:41 p.m., ISU sent another email titled "Shots Fired Incident Update." In this email, ISU said employees assigned to work in the Bone Student Center should not report to campus for work on Monday unless told otherwise. All events scheduled on Monday at the Bone Student Center are canceled. Information will be shared later for those who left belongings at the Bone Student Center during the time of the shooting. Classes will continue on Monday. The Illinois State University Police Department is still investigating this incident with assistance from the Normal Police Department, Bloomington Police Department, McLean County Sheriff’s office and Illinois State Police. Immediate counseling resources are available to students, faculty and staff. Email vidette@ilstu.com with eyewitness information. This story will be updated.

Students had a tree-mendous time at “You Grow, Redbird!” on Tuesday in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center. “You Grow Redbird!” was hosted by Event Management, Dining and Hospitality (EMDH), along with six other ISU organizations to celebrate Earth Day and provide a break for students before finals. Students had the opportunity to pot their own plant, complete coloring sheets and learn about taking care of themselves at a self-care station. EMDH Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications Samantha Schultz emphasized the importance of student self-care and its relation to this event. “Doing something like [this] gives [students] an opportunity to treasure Earth and treasure where they live,” Schultz said. “Then, they have to go on and keep thinking about it; they have to water their plant and give it sunlight, something that they should also be doing for themselves,” Schultz continued. In previous years, the event was the Succulent Cafe, but Schultz discussed why they changed it. “This year we rebranded to ‘You Grow, Redbird!’ because we try to add a wellness component to all of our events now, and it opened it up to what kind of plants we could use,” Schultz said. “We also partnered with the Multicultural Center to spread the word to more people.” Senior recreation and sports management major Clara Nesvacil appreciated the opportunity to destress on Earth Day. “I think it’s a good reminder to take care of our planet, that’s what Earth Day is all about,” Nesvacil said. Sophomore occupational health and safety major Kaytlyn McGray highlighted the need for students to take a break from schoolwork at this time of the year. “It gives people a sense of escape, and people are able to come here and not worry about a test they have to do later,” McGray said. McGray liked being able to pot a plant and taking care of something that benefits the planet. “We are able to give back to the community, planting our own plants and being able to house a plant rather than ripping it up from where it is,” McGray said. Schultz was happy with the turnout of students and said students were still arriving after an hour of being open. This was the last EMDH event of the semester, but Schultz encourages students to follow Redbird Life for updates. “We will be having a ton of fun things coming up in the fall, hopefully we will have a concert in the fall as well, but we’ll keep everyone in the know,” Schultz said.

Beast Games? No, this is Illinois State University’s very own “Reggie Games.” Alpha Gamma Delta and Pi Sigma Epsilon will host the inaugural event at 11 a.m. Sunday, April 27, at Hancock Stadium. Inspired by hits including the hit Netflix series “Squid Game” and YouTube personality MrBeast’s “Beast Games,” “Reggie Games” will follow a similar format. “Participants at Reggie Games should expect a series of physical, mental and luck-based challenges for the chance at the biggest cash prize: $1,100,” said freshman business management major Tyler Miller. “Participants should also expect a fun time, and spectators should expect a unique watching experience with the chance at raffles themselves.” Miller said he and his peers put in months of work to plan and execute this event. He said they handled correspondence with dozens of registered student organizations and meetings with ISU’s premium events director. “The greatest struggle with planning this event has been uncertainty. Since this is the first time an event like this has been attempted, it's difficult to plan ahead without knowing how much involvement and participants the event will hold,” Miller said. Steel Martin, a junior accounting major, also helped organize “Reggie Games.” Martin has a different perspective on the challenges of planning the event. “The greatest struggle in planning this event was finding out how to make the most interactive event for the players as possible without it being too reliant on skill or luck,” Martin said. Both Martin and Miller voiced similar feelings about what would make this a successful event. “This event will be a success if everyone who attends has a great time. If we can bring people together for an unforgettable experience,” Martin said. “It will validate the effort and dedication of everyone who helped make this happen. Moreover, it will solidify the concept so we can build on it for the future.” Attendees will be able to register at Hancock Stadium’s entrance on the day of the event. Additional information about the event is available online.

With April drawing to a close, many Illinois State University students are prepping for upcoming commencement ceremonies. The University will host five ceremonies at CEFCU Arena, with two Friday, May 9 and three Saturday, May 10. On May 9, the 4 p.m. ceremony will consist of the Mennonite College of Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences Social Sciences. The 8 p.m. ceremony will feature the College of Arts and Sciences Natural Sciences/Mathematics and Humanities. On May 10, the 9 a.m. ceremony will consist of the College of Education and the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts. The 1:30 p.m. ceremony will be for the College of Applied Science and Technology. Last but certainly not least, the 6 p.m. ceremony will feature the College of Business. This is not a ticketed event, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. More information is available online.

Students for Justice in Palestine at Illinois State University (SJP-ISU) held an “Ecocide in Palestine” protest Tuesday to raise awareness about how the war in Palestine contributes to the climate change crisis. As students walked through the Bone Student Center, March, SJP-ISU’s outreach and organization chair, shared excerpts from Andreas Malm’s climate activism book, “How to Blow Up a Pipeline.” March said that Hurricane Katrina and the Flint, Michigan water crisis represent the dangerous cycle happening throughout much of the world. “It’s just a cycle that keeps repeating itself,” March said. The discussion was then brought back to Palestine and how damaging the war is to the planet. “War is not separate from the climate and it never has been,” March said. According to SJP-ISU’s Instagram, the United States’ military is currently ranked as the top institutional polluter in the world. “The destruction and contamination of the agricultural land, air quality, water supplies and native wildlife in Gaza is a deliberate act of ecocide,” the post read. Several students supported the protesters as they walked by. A renewable energy student shared the importance of supporting a cause like this one. “It can be very isolating [for people] to just sit on their phones and read everything that’s horrible in the world and think, ‘Well, nobody cares,’ or ‘I’m special because I care and everyone else is dumb,’ but they have to get out there and let themselves be a person,” the attendee said. March emphasized the power of community and its role in activism. “It’s really important, especially now, to understand that action is possible and it’s possible in [our] communities,” March said. “We’ve seen how the federal government has worked to suppress protests, especially pro-Palestinian protests, and it’s largely been an intimidation tactic to get people to stop showing up for their communities.” March hoped that the protest would encourage others to support SJP-ISU’s message and similar advocacy efforts. “When [we] see our community stand up for something, we recognize that there is something to stand up for, and I think that is really important for kicking people out of their complacency and realizing that they can be fighting for something too,” March said.

Illinois State University President Aondover Tarhule was among numerous university and college presidents nationwide who co-signed a letter denouncing recent actions by the Trump administration. Over 150 university and college presidents co-signed the April 22 letter, orchestrated by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The signers ranged from large public universities to each of the Ivy League institutions, excluding Dartmouth College. The letter urged leaders to unite against "the unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education." "We are open to constructive reform and do not oppose legitimate government oversight. However, we must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live and work on our campuses," the letter said. In recent weeks, the Trump administration has paused federal funding to several of the country's top universities including Columbia and Harvard. NBC News reported the move was made to pressure those universities to change its admissions processes and penalize student protesters.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Students Ending Rape Culture at Illinois State University (SERC) is hosting several events throughout the month to show support and raise awareness. SERC hosted its Consent Day event last Wednesday at Schroeder Plaza. Several campus organizations came together to share and explore the different ways consent plays in a student’s daily life. SERC representative Lauren Bounds shared what the organization does for the campus community. “It can mean so much for so many different students[and] it can be really comforting for survivors,” Bounds said. Consent Day is one of the many events SERC hosts throughout April. Different campus RSOs and local organizations attended and discussed the importance of consent. “It is so integral is our daily lives…it can be as small as how we interact with our loved ones, our friends, but also people we’ve never met before,” Bounds said. SERC representative Evan Carr noted that consent is sometimes misunderstood. “There are a lot of misconceptions about when consent is needed and when it’s not. Oftentimes, it is framed around sex in particular, but consent is just the bare minimum requirement for most of our interaction between people,” Carr said. Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, MERGE, Pride at ISU, Queer Coalition, Student Counseling Services, Black Girl Code, the YWCA, OSF Healthcare, Bobzbay Books and Mid Central Community Action were some of the on-campus and local organizations in attendance. Teal ribbons, the official color for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, were available to students. Additionally, OSF Healthcare had a sample test kit for students to learn about the process of sexual assault testing. More information on SERC’s upcoming events for its Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign is available online.

Illinois State University's Office of Sustainability will host its annual Earth Day Breakfast this week to help raise awareness of environmental issues and promote change around the world. The event will take place from 8-10 a.m. Tuesday in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center. Attendees will be provided with a breakfast buffet with local, organic and Fair Trade certified foods. Beverages and vegan options will also be available. This year's keynote speaker will be author and climate activist Zahra Biabani. Assistant Director of the Office of Sustainability Christine Bruckner shared why Biabani was selected for the breakfast. “Zahra was selected as the speaker for this year's breakfast after the Office of Sustainability staff read her book, ‘Climate Optimism: Celebrating Systemic Change Around the World,’” Bruckner said. “She brings a very positive and uplifting message of ‘climate wins,’ [or] examples of people and places around the world that are addressing climate change.” Biabani will discuss how communities are creating unique solutions to the climate crisis. Copies of Biabani’s book will be available for purchase, and there will be a book signing following her address. This event is co-sponsored by the College of Business, Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD), the Department of Health Sciences and the Department of Geography, Geology and the Environment. Additional information is available here.

University of Illinois professor and historian Peter Fritzsche presented “Brown Vibe: How Hitler Won Over the Majority in 100 Days” Thursday in Schroeder Hall. This lecture was a part of the Robert G. Bone Distinguished Lecturer Series hosted by the Illinois State University History Department. Fritzsche, who focuses mostly on modern Europe, the revolution, the Third Reich and World War II, walked attendees through the first 100 days of Adolf Hitler’s rule and what it was like to be in Germany then. One of Fritzche’s key points was the Reichstag Election that took place on March 5, 1933, and how the Nazis dominated election crowds while the government took over the remaining German states. “It is the March 5 elections, with the slim majority, but a strong majority in many, many places, that prompted a wave of violence from above and from below against the republican institutions,” Fritzsche said. Along with this election, Fritzsche discussed how the community turned on each other and how there was a lot of tension between citizens in Germany. Fritzsche’s point stuck with the Department of History’s Clinical Assistant Professor Kelly Keogh. “This idea of how quickly people will turn on each other and turn on their supposedly deep-held beliefs to chase after someone like Hitler or this promise of a better tomorrow is scary,” Keogh said. Keogh believed there were a lot of parallels between what Fritzsche discussed and the current U.S. government. “100 days is all it took for [Hitler] to dismantle [Germany], and [I] see how quickly things are deteriorating in this country. There's some really frightening parallels,” Keogh said. Freshman psychology major Ksenia Peric was interested in how Germany’s citizens felt during this period. “One part [of the lecture] was a guy's diary talking about his family's internal relationships politically and how his family interacted with each other, and I found that really interesting,” Peric said. Keogh was impressed with Fritzsche’s storytelling. “I think he was very calculated in how he weaved the narrative so [attendees] could make the connections to the obvious parallels without beating people over the head with it,” Keogh said. Keogh hoped this lecture would inspire people to make themselves aware and stand up for what they believe in. “Some people are too reluctant to call things out as they are; if it looks like fascism, it is fascism. People need to get more educated and aware, and people need to not give up,” Keogh said. Peric thought the lecture was well-organized and would like to see similar events on campus in the future. “I would attend a lecture like this again, I would appreciate it if we had more opportunities to have these lectures,” Peric said.

Illinois State University's Student Government Association (SGA) held its second-to-last general assembly meeting of the semester this past Wednesday in the State Farm Hall of Business. The meeting proved to be a busy night for SGA as six legislative items passed the assembly. The passage of the 13th Amendment removed outdated committees and established three internal committees: civic engagement, internal affairs and external affairs. It also established vice-chairperson roles and allows for subcommittees. “We kind of thought that a vice chairperson would be useful…they would kind of help with event planning…it would be kind of like a second hand in the committee,” President of the Assembly Tyler Bever said. Bever explained that subcommittees would be created at the discretion of the committee chair. He said the planning of the Redbird Market could be a subcommittee under external affairs. The assembly also passed a 12th Amendment, which updated the bylaws to align with recent changes made to the SGA constitution following approval by the student body. SGA allocated $1,100 from the Civic Engagement Committee to the School Street Food Pantry to purchase sustainable and reusable canvas shopping bags through bill #11. “I think this is going to be our third year doing this…that goes to show that the bags are being used, and they are needing more,” said Chief of Staff Megan James. “We made a way to figure out how to get that money to them, obviously not in monetary funds, but in a productive way that helps not only students but also them.” SGA urged ISU to continue pursuing fair trade certification through Resolution #8. “For those of you who may not know, fair trade is a system that values people and fair labor practices with an understanding that the capitalist, neocolonial world market often unfairly disadvantages the global south. This can have severe economic consequences for small farmers, making it nearly impossible to plan their futures, secure their wages or reinvest in their own businesses,” said graduate assistant for the Office of Sustainability Ryleigh Hickman. The direct input from a member of the ISU community garnered praise from Secretary of Governmental Relations Sam Majka. “This is the way that I wish SGA worked more often. Having contact with constituents and being more motivated and energized from constituents,” Majka said. SGA also passed bill #10, which approved a $680.45 allocation for the annual Passing of the Gavel ceremony. “So, we had allocated $600 to Passing of the Gavel…and then I remembered I didn’t get drinks. So, originally it was supposed to be $440, so under that $500 threshold, but then I got drinks for everybody…and so with that it increased the total up to $680 rather than $440,” said Chief of Staff Megan James. James further said that appetizers were included in the total cost of the bill. The Redbird Market was briefly discussed, including an overview of the results of a survey completed by the vendors. Of the 100 vendors that attended, 40 responded. They rated their experience 4.77 stars out of five. More than 50% sold over $200 and 74% of the vendors gained social media followers.

Illinois State University’s Student Government Association (SGA) opened the Redbird Market on the Quad on Tuesday. Over 100 vendors sold at the market. “This event is meant to give students an easier way to break into the personal business world. This gives them the chance to showcase and sell their products in a high-traffic area with no cost to participate since the Student Government Association is covering the expenses,” said SGA President of the Assembly Tyler Bever. Bever and his colleague, Ella Sharp, said they devoted countless hours to creating this event as “their last hurrah” before graduation. Items such as gym supplements, custom art and clothing were sold at the market. Both vendors and shoppers said that this event was more successful than they imagined and that they hope it returns. Senior psychology major and owner of Vintage Threads Midwest, David Knipp, was a vendor at this event. He sells at a booth called Antiques and Uniques in downtown Bloomington “I was a little hesitant, but I was hopeful. I’ve had a great time and sales have been very humbly good,” Knipp said. Senior finance major and co-founder of TNT Evolution, Tyler Scheck, was another vendor at the event. The company sells creatine capsules online. “We primarily sell online, so it has been nice to have an event set up by the ISU community and student government,” Scheck said. Turnout has been great. We have gotten a good amount of sales and really [gotten] our brand name out there.” Freshman film and digital media major Angeline Manalo expressed fascination with the unique products from the vendors. “I really enjoyed this one artist’s work who published their own graphic novel. So far, I have bought a small bracelet and a bandana,” Manalo said. “It is super unique, so I wanted to see what it was all about, and I was not disappointed. I got these shorts for free at the share shop and TNT Evolution’s booth is my favorite so far because they are giving away free products in a push-up competition,” said junior accounting major Dylan Ginalick. Due to the strong attendance of both shoppers and vendors, the SGA has expressed hopes to hold this event each semester. “This event is run by students, for students, and there are a lot of eyes on us watching on how it will go. I really hope it goes well and becomes something that continues every year,” Bever said.

Illinois State University joined 16 other universities and community colleges in launching the “Prepare for Illinois’ Future powered by Kaplan’s All Access License” program in February. The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) and the State of Illinois partnered with Kaplan, an educational service provider, to make this program possible. Illinois is the first state to provide this type of program to students. The program provides free graduate admissions test prep and other courses for both graduate and undergraduate school, licensing and skills development. Over 40 courses are available at no cost to ISU students, including preparation for the GRE, LSAT and MCAT. “The ‘Prepare for Illinois’ Future’ program presents a transformative opportunity for students in Illinois,” said Illinois State Sen. Dave Koehler. “It helps remove financial barriers and creates pathways to high-demand careers in fields such as healthcare, education and technology.” Kaplan Vice President of University Partnerships, Kim Canning, further discussed the impact of removing the financial barriers to these resources for students. “By removing this barrier across the public school system in Illinois, it’s really leveling the playing fields for all students,” Canning said. “As students transition from university, regardless of what steps they’re making, they have these resources and they have the understanding of what these resources can do,” Canning continued. Koehler expressed the importance of Illinois funding this program. “By investing in [students’] futures, we are also building a stronger and more resilient workforce that benefits every community across our state,” Koehler said. Since launching the program, there have been over 3,000 enrollments, saving students almost $6.5 million. “Something important to know about that number is that as we go through the year, students will have access to these resources during the summer too,” Canning said. Canning said the enrollment process is quick, easy and that students can gain access to the provided resources almost immediately after enrolling. “This is really a year-round resource that can support students at multiple times throughout their college career,” Canning said. “We’d love to see more students take advantage of this.” Students can register here.

Illinois State University students and staff gathered April 11 to give a tail-wagging welcome to the ISU Police Department’s newest member—Pawfficer Korg. ISUPD’s therapy dog program began in 2019, with the late Pawfficer Sage—an honorable black lab who upheld the law around campus. Following Sage’s retirement in 2024, the department had big paws to fill. ISUPD Sergeant Michael Gardner said that Korg has already brought enough “love, support and happiness” to campus and the surrounding community. “You would expect there would be some growing pains or things like that, but I’m here to tell you that Korg has done very well with adjusting to his new handlers and his new surroundings,” Gardner said. During his official welcome event, Korg sat in the middle of the room, eager to receive pets and give love to all visitors. Angel Shrader, a freshman music therapy major, enjoyed stopping by to see ISU’s new four-legged friend. “The event was super open and there was enough room to meet Pawfficer Korg,” Shrader said, “They had everything fun like the merch and coloring books off to the side as well.” Reina Violette, a junior special education major, was “very excited” for Pawfficer Korg’s debut. “I was a big fan of Pawfficer Sage, and I was very sad when she retired. I thought Korg was very friendly,” Violette said. “There were some little kids who came in to say hi, so I thought it was great how anyone could come and meet Korg.” Through Korg’s position as ISUPD’s face of the Community Engagement department, he will provide emotional support, stress relief and companionship to students in need. Gardner shared the benefits Korg will bring to the therapy dog program. “The continuation of this program with Korg coming right behind Sage is going to help keep our campus emotionally safe, stress-free and at least a little bit happier,” Gardner said. “Sage was the first, and she was very successful for us on the social media side of things with gaining an audience,” Gardner continued. “When something really important happens, we now have an audience to reach out to.” With Korg’s wagging tail and loveable personality, he is a vital part of ISU’s commitment to mental wellness and community connectivity.

Excitement ran through campus as a tentative contract agreement was reached on April 4 between the United Faculty of Illinois State University (UFISU) and the ISU administration. With concerns of a potential strike looming over the heads of all members of the Redbird community, there were debates as to whether they wanted classes canceled. “I was pretty confident a strike would happen if a resolution wasn’t [met],” said Mallory Fairbanks, a sophomore special education major. “I had heard quite a bit about it [and] spoken about it with some professors after class, so it seemed pretty likely.” “There’s always a part of you that doesn’t want class to happen, but ultimately, I wanted a resolution for the teachers to reach a point of agreement,” Fairbanks continued. Throughout the madness, many education majors said the University’s misrepresentation of professors hit particularly close to home. “I want my professors to be happy in their jobs. Before I came here, I was a teacher in an elementary school,” said Rachel Goodman, a first-year master’s student. “Being fairly compensated as educators, it really affects how we show up for our students.” “As a student, I would want my professors to feel like they’re compensated fairly for what they’re doing so that they can show up for us as students and we can have a better education,” Goodman continued. Lexi Woods, a sophomore middle education major, echoed the sentiment. “It was a very sticky situation, but I can see all different sides of it, especially going into education and having my teachers talk about it from their experiences,” Woods said. “Overall, I’m glad they came to an agreement.” Despite education majors being the most personally impacted, other students expressed similar opinions. “I did not want [a strike] to happen,” said Charlotte Mahalla, a freshman animal science major. “But if my professor did strike, I would’ve gotten to take my test at a later date, which I was kinda hoping for.” “I want them to get all that they want because I want good teachers who are willing to teach,” Mahalla continued. For many, the agreement brought a sense of relief, but also a reflection on the effort it took to get there. “Big picture: I don’t want strikes. I feel like it’s really difficult, just because it does put students in a very weird situation,” Woods said. “Especially if you look at how Chicago Public Schools are right now.” Freshman special education major Briar Zimmerman felt a similar mix of concern and hope. “I’m glad they came to an agreement,” Zimmerman said. “If they didn’t get what they wanted in the end, then I did see a strike happening. I think in the end, everyone deserves a fair contract.” The arbitrations drew hundreds to protest on the Quad throughout the spring semester. Domenico Lacamera, a freshman business administration major, pointed out common issues with strikes in general across the country. “Personally, I don’t like strikes because usually in America, we don’t know if people will protest peacefully,” Lacamera said. “I just want everything to be peaceful. If it were more peaceful, we could have more protests.” Fortunately, UFISU demonstrated peacefully and respectfully on the Quad amid ongoing negotiations. The new agreement has reignited optimism among ISU students. “We always look to the future and want to make more positive change, but it’s up to us as the people to make that future happen,” Lacamera said. “We have to make a positive future instead of a negative outcome.”

Euphemism is a student-led online creative arts journal at Illinois State University. They will be hosting a fundraiser from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 16, on the Quad near Schroeder Hall or on the first floor of Stevenson Hall if weather does not permit outdoor operation. Euphemism will be selling pre-loved books and spring knick-knacks to raise funds for their publications and events. They will accept payment through cash, Venmo, PayPal and Zelle.

With juggling acts and jazz hands, Illinois State University’s Gamma Phi Circus came back for its 96th year. This year's theme of “A Journey Through the Fine Arts” incorporated elements of various multimedias including old and new Hollywood film and historically popular artists. The stories were all told via poetry, as a little girl in a pink tutu journeyed through the colorful eras. Between each era of fine art, clowns provided a silly skit following a central theme of mischief, playfulness and amusement–from fighting to pulling silks out of the breast pockets on their shirts. The various acts worked together to create visual art, which gave the effect of art coming to life through the performances. One of the main acts was about the painter Frida Kahlo and featured traditional Spanish songs with maracas and flor del muerto, or “flowers of the dead.” Another main act was titled, “The Vitruvian Man" and was based off a drawing by historical figure Leonardo da Vinci. One last act was a classic red carpet that was rolled out for infamous celebrities like Janet Jackson, Audrey Hepburm and Judy Garland as she was seen in “The Wizard of Oz.” “The people hanging from vertical bars in the air by just their upper body strength. It was a really memorable act and the amount of sheer strength it requires is so admirable from the performers,” said freshman psychology major Donovan Pope, describing his favorite act. Freshman psychology major Gio Casamento attended the circus for the first time this year. “My favorite act was during the movie star and Hollywood theme. They jumped on a board and flipped into a sheet of aerial silk,” Casamento said. Freshman psychology major Madelyn Kunesh praised the same act as Casamento. “It could have been so dangerous and they were so brave and executed it perfectly,” Kunesh said. The Gamma Phi Circus is expected to return again in April 2026.

Illinois State University’s mixed martial arts (MMA) team, Redbird MMA, held its second annual Rage in the Birdcage tournament at Kingdom City Boxing Saturday. Redbird MMA has partnered with Kingdom City Boxing, a faith-based boxing gym in Normal, multiple times in the past. There were 15 fights throughout the night in four brackets: jiujitsu, boxing, kickboxing and MMA. “It’s going to be loud. If you have something you want to say to us or to the fighters, you need to yell,” said emcee and promoter Braden Beasley before the fights began. Jiujitsu Freshman business major, Tyler Dahlstrom, fought in the jiujitsu bracket. “I started training jiujitsu about a year before I came to ISU,” Dahlstrom said. Dahlstrom said he is glad Redbird MMA can continue training on campus in spite of health and safety risks. “There’s really no risk of injury. If you think about MMA and you think about UFC, people are getting bloody, but nobody gets bloody when we train,” Dahlstrom said. Freshman physical education major and Dahlstrom's opponent, Jose Aviles, reflected on his loss in the jiujitsu match . “I let the adrenaline get to me. I wasn’t able to think clearly to escape the position I got in,” Aviles said. “I want to get good at everything, but I do wrestling the most,” Aviles continued. Jared Gahm was the referee for the jiujitsu fights. Gahm is also the owner and operator of the partnering gym, PSF Legacy, in Bloomington. “This year, there’s a lot more people doing jiujitsu, and you can see that the level of it has increased. It’s a lot more exciting than last year,” Gahm said. Gahm said he trained about three-quarters of the jiujitsu fighters and that it was difficult for him to be a referee; he couldn’t coach his students simultaneously. Boxing “Just this semester I decided to join Redbird MMA and I thought a boxing match like this would be a great first experience,” said freshman actuarial science major Cyrus Czyz. Czyz won his match in the boxing bracket. “I’ve only been boxing for about two months with Redbird MMA,” Czyz said. “I wish I would have worked on my conditioning more. My opponent and I were both pretty gassed.” Emcee Braden Beasley quickly changed out of his formal attire and into athletic gear to fight in the boxing bracket, as well. “I think it could have gone better, but it definitely could have gone worse,” Beasley said. “This was my first time doing boxing by itself, so it was a new art for me. Overall, it was a great experience.” Beasley said he sprinted, ran and lifted weights almost every day to train. Beasley said he hopes to have the third “Rage In The Birdcage” tournament on ISU’s campus next year. “Braden Auditorium is the goal, of course,” Beasley said. “With 'Rage' being a big charity event, I think it would be better to have it closer to the school so more students can be there. I would also expect there to be more fights and better fights.” Kickboxing Freshman anatomy major at Heartland Community College, Gus Schreiber, used an aggressive kickboxing style during his match. “I did football for 10 years and then I wrestled—including freestyle and Greco-Roman style—for seven,” Schreiber said. Schreiber said he trains at PSF Legacy currently. “PSF is a great place; they accept everybody. [Gahm] got me out of a bad place—at least mentally—and he is great,” Schreiber said. Junior business major and Schreiber’s opponent, Mikael Cedeno, said he was originally supposed to fight someone different. “I was actually in camp for this fight to fight MMA against an opponent from [University of Illinois], but he ended up dropping out about a week ago,” Cedeno said. “So entering the ring—and obviously Gus and I talked about how we’re going to approach it—we knew that we were going to go in there, go to war [and] try to take each other’s heads off. I would be disrespected if he didn’t try to.” Cedeno praised Schreiber on his skills. “He was a wrestler in high school, so his cardio was really good,” Cedeno said. “So I knew I had to try to take out his base for sure. From what I remember, he was very good at baiting my punches and countering.” MMA President of Redbird MMA, Logan Bennett, fought against Treasurer Aidan Pinto in the final match of the night. “I tried to build myself up for this fight,” Bennett said. While Bennett was the winner, there were things he wished he had done differently. “I should have worked on my cardio. He’s a better grappler than me,” Bennett said. Audience members had similar reactions to the fights. “I love MMA. If I had to pick second, then jiujitsu,” said freshman elementary education major, Liv Purcell. Another freshman elementary education major, Nola Carr, also said the MMA bracket was her favorite. “I really like watching MMA; I think it’s really cool,” Carr said. “I love Logan…I also had some money on Mikael.” Redbird MMA will have a field day on the ISU Quad on April 25. “This is really one of the best things I’ve ever done in my life. I can’t recommend it enough,” Beasley said.

United Faculty at Illinois State University (UFISU) announced Monday that it had "overwhelmingly" voted to ratify its first union collective bargaining agreement. The announcement came after the union reached a tentative agreement with University administration on April 4. UFISU posted to Instagram that the full text of the tentative agreements will remain on its website for now. The union will begin working with ISU to finalize the order and format of the contract, which will then be posted to both ISU's Human Resources website and its own website. UFISU organizers will begin writing the union's constitution and bylaws over the summer and have elections for leadership positions during the fall semester. Anyone interested in getting involved are encouraged to email unitedfacultyISU@gmail.com.