The Moms Association at the University of Illinois is soliciting requests for funding proposals to be awarded in the spring of 2012 for the annual Illini Spirit Award. The recipient will receive a monetary donation to be used to support the event and/or program submitted in the proposal. Deadline: March 1, 2012, 5:00pm.

For information on how to nominate, visit: http://www.uofiparentprograms.uiuc.edu/moms/IlliniSpirit.htm

The Moms Association at the University of Illinois wishes to recognize the support, encouragement, and inspiration that moms offer their students. In honor of the dedication of all University of Illinois moms, the Moms Association has established the Amelia Alpiner Stern Mom of the Year Award. The award is designed to highlight the diverse contributions of all Illinois moms and to honor a very special mom each year. Deadline: March 1, 2012, 5:00pm.

For information on how to nominate, visit: http://www.uofiparentprograms.uiuc.edu/moms/MoY.htm

What's Online

• Goal Setting for the New Year
• February Parent Survey
• Winter 2011 Newsletter, "Moms & Dads Illini"

Why Give to Student Affairs?
Funding from the state now accounts for less than 19% of the university’s total budget. That is a substantial reduction from the nearly 50% support the university received in the early 1980’s. Student Affairs depends on the support of alumni and friends to provide vital services and resources to our students that round out their education at Illinois. Your unrestricted gift to the Parent Fund will:

• Provide programs that offer non-alcoholic alternatives to clubs and bars
• Create an inclusive environment supportive of diversity and prepare students to be citizens of a global community
• Encourage student development and growth through cultural and professional programs
• Provide continued communications and programming to parents and families through the Illini Union Parent Programs Office

GIVE TODAY!

Important Dates

* Also see our Calendar for more important dates and events.

Parent Programs is looking for volunteers for Admitted Student Days! Admitted Student Days are programs coordinated by the Office of Admissions-- the Parent Programs Office has a table at the morning information fair. Volunteers staff the table and answer questions that families may have. We need volunteers (2 per day) from 8:00am - 10:00am.

We really need your help on the following dates!

If you are interested, please sign up at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5587702 or email us at uofiparents@illinois.edu, 217-333-7063.

The editors of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine announced the UI’s Urbana campus had jumped 18 spots in its annual report ranking the “Best Values in Public Colleges”.

Improved test scores and graduation rates, as well as new Kiplinger ranking criteria, brought the UI to the 27th spot overall for in-state students for 2011-12, a marked improvement from last year’s rank of 45. For out-of-state students, the UI was ranked 25th nationally. The Urbana campus’s in-state rank trailed only two other Big 10 universities -– the University of Wisconsin (13) and the University of Michigan (16).

For more info, click here.

Student Affairs Internships
Learn about Student Affairs from the inside out! Take the opportunity to develop your leadership skills, work with seasoned professionals, and get real job experience! There are opportunities for PAID Internships! Internships are available in many different fields for the following units: Assembly Hall, Campus Recreation, Illinois Leadership Center, Office of Volunteer Programs, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, and Student Affairs Advancement. An internship information night will be held on Wednesday, February 8 at 6:00pm in the Illini Union Room 217.  For more information visit here or contact vcsa@illinois.edu. Applications are due on February 15th.

Graf Internship
Join the Illinois Leadership Center team as a Graf Intern! As an intern, you have the opportunity to use your experiences to encourage other students to develop their leadership skills and help organize important initiatives within the Illinois Leadership Center, including our i-programs, marketing, assessment workshops, LeaderShape, and more! Information on the Graf Internship can be found on the Leadership Center's website, or contact Joe Evertz, current Graf Intern and recruitment coordinator at evertz1@illinois.edu. An information session will be held on Monday, February 6 at 8:00pm at La Casa Cultural Latina. Applications are due February 14 by 11:59pm. 

Moms Weekend 2012 Calendar of Events is now available here. With so many different activities planned, there will be something of interest for everyone: musicals, craft fairs, flower shows, art exhibits, vocal performances, and athletic events galore. New events are added daily, so check back often!

Highlights include:
Friday April 20, 5:00pm - 7:30pm: Explore Illinois reception: At Explore Illinois, you will get the opportunity to look through a multitude of interactive booths that highlight groups on campus that are entertaining, informative, and a great example of the wide breadth of amazing groups, research, and programs on campus! In addition to the interactive exhibits, student entertainment groups will be performing, and refreshments and appetizers will be served.

Saturday April 21, Morning: Annual Meeting of Moms Association Board of Directors: The Moms Association Board of Directors extends an invitation for you to join them on Saturday morning for the Moms Association Annual Meeting. This is a great opportunity to learn more about what you can do to be involved in the outstanding work of this organization. The 2012 - 2013 Board of Directors will be elected, and the Moms Association will recognize several award recipients: the Medallion of Honor recipient for her dedication and service to the students and to the Illinois community, the Amelia Alpiner Stern Mom of the Year, the Humanitarian Award recipients for their innovation and dedication to community service, the Illini Spirit Award recipient, and the 2012 scholarship recipient.

Saturday April 21, 10:00am: Illini Union Board Annual Moms Day Craft Fair: Browse the booths of dozens of different craft vendors, and make sure to stop by the Moms Association sales table.

If you want to volunteer to help with the Moms Association Information Booth, contact the Parent Programs office at
uofiparents@illinois.edu.

If you'd like to volunteer for the Moms Association Craft Sales table, contact Elaine Wrinkle at ewrinklez@gmail.com. 

Bring the whole family to campus to enjoy Moms Weekend with your student!

Vendors for the Illini Union Board Craft Fair during Moms Weekend 2012 can begin the process of registering for a booth. The first step is to register as a vendor at the IUB website (select New Vendor Registration)
https://union.illinois.edu/craft-fair/Default.aspx

Actual booth registration will begin at 9:00am on Tuesday, February 14. Vendors must be registered in the system and have a user name and password prior to registering for the event. To register for a booth, visit the same website and select Vendor Login. Register for a booth early in order to secure good locations.

Booths will be 9 feet by 9 feet, are $185 each, and will be located in the Illini Rooms, Courtyard Café, Pine Lounge, and Ballroom.  A map of the booths will be uploaded to the IUB Craft Fair website by February 1.

If there are any additional questions, contact IUB at 217-333-3660.

The Rape Aggression Defense System (for women only) and the Resisting Aggression with Defense course (for men only) will provide participants with hands-on training to develop physical skills, as well as develop a base of knowledge of crime prevention techniques. The multi-week course is not about self-defense…it's about empowering yourself and the community against crime.

Women's Course: February 2, 9, 16, 23
Women's Course: March 27, April 3, April 10, April 17
Men's Course: February 7, 14, 21, 28
For more information visit here.

The February 2012 issue of the Student Health 101 Parent Perspective is now available online! Read about topics like:

• Keeping Your Relationship Healthy
• What to Do if Your Grades are Slipping
• Resumes: How to Get Yours in Shape
• ...and more!

Great deals to start the semester off right, from the Official U of I Campus Computer Store: Illini Union Flash Drive! Specials include:

• Free iPad 2 cover with iPad 2 purchase
• MacBook Pro 13 inch- $30 off
• MacBook Air 13 inch- $25 off
• iPod: $25 off

Special offers through February 29. To receive price discounts, visit the following link and bring in the on-line ad!

Looking for a way to celebrate 2012? The 2012 Illio Yearbook is on sale now. The annual award-winning publication has more than 300 all color pages featuring academics, student life, campus traditions, and athletics. It is a great memento of the university. Place your order at illioyearbook.com before they sell out! Students can pick up the book in May before leaving campus or have the book mailed home.

Come to this free workshop hosted by the Center for International Business Education and Research (CIBER) where University of Illinois professionals will talk about international resources on campus and offer tips to students who want to work in international careers.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
213 Gregory Hall, 810 South Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801
Click here for info on speakers and to register.

Check out the ILC events coming up throughout the year! Registration is now open. Register now at www.illinoisleadership.illinois.edu. These i-Programs are 1-day institutes created to teach specific leadership skill sets. Space is limited, so register soon!

INTERSECT: Saturday, February 4 (Illini Union ABC)
IGNITE: Saturday, February 11 (Illini Union ABC)
IMPRINT: Saturday, February 25 (Illini Union ABC)

The Counseling Center Paraprofessionals present "The Tuesday @ 7" workshops, which provide information for the general student population. Workshops take place in the Chaplain Room of the YMCA from 7:00pm- 9:00pm. Upcoming workshops include:

February 7: Why so S.A.D.? Conquering the Winter Blues
February 14: Loving Life: Celebrating Your Ultimate Self

To see the spring schedule, visit here.

Career Fairs
Don't miss out on these valuable career fairs open to ALL students from ALL majors. Find internships, job opportunities, and network with employers.

Engineering Employment Expo
Thursday, February 9, 2012, 10:00am - 4:00pm
Illini Union A, B, C
http://expo.ec.uiuc.edu

Architecture Career Expo
Thursday, March 8, 2012, 9:00am - 4:30pm
Friday, March 9, 2012, 9:00am - 12:00pm
I-Hotel Conference center
www.arch.uiuc.edu/events

This year marks the 92nd annual Engineering Open House (EOH) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Each year, the EOH welcomes over 20,000 visitors to our campus to experience the thrill of engineering. This year, there will be more than 230 exhibits ranging from concrete crushing to Newtonian fluid demonstrations.

EOH will take place on March 9-10, 2012. The open hours are 9:00am - 4:00pm on Friday and 9:00am - 3:00pm on Saturday. Click here for more information.

ILLINOIS IN THE NEWS

Learn about some of the cutting-edge research by University of Illinois Professors and students. To read more articles about Illinois in the News, visit the University of Illinois News Bureau website.

Study: Quebec Ban on Fast-Food Ads Reduced Consumption of Junk Food

With mounting concerns over childhood obesity and its associated health risks in the U.S., would a ban on junk-food advertising aimed at children be more effective than the current voluntary, industry-led ban? According to published research from Kathy Baylis, a professor of agricultural and consumer economics, advertising bans do work, but an outright ban covering the entire U.S. media market would be the most effective policy tool for reducing fast-food consumption in children.

Click to read more.