Institute forPrincipled Leadership

in Public Service

Institute for Principled Leadershipin Public Service

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.

Bradley students led the way in advocating for the State of Illinois to restore MAP scholar-ship 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 Gover-nor 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 Mid-State 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 inter-est 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.

Promoting CiviC EngagEmEnt

Governor Pat Quinn, President Joanne Glasser, and Senator Dave Koehler join students at a MAP rally on Bradley’s campus.

Students from Metamora High School discuss their options during the Congressional Insight program in the Founders’ Room.

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 ensure that all American children receive a world-class education.

To kick-off the event, Bradley senior teacher education major Marcus Belin was given the honor of introducing Secretary Duncan. Marcus joked with the audience: “With all the superintendents and principals in the crowd, I consider this a job fair and I have copies of my resume ready to hand out.” He received eight interview offers that day!

In his opening remarks, Secretary Duncan commended Bradley and Peoria for hosting the symposium: “These kinds of dialogues can’t happen enough. Only when we get out of our silos, throw egos aside, and come together behind children do we have a chance to get where we need to go as a country. School systems cannot become world-class by themselves. The only way we can make sure every child has a chance to get a world-class education is if all of the assets of a city rally together behind the public education system.”

The morning session also included a fascinating panel discussion facilitated by Dr. Kenneth Wong (Director of the Urban

Education Policy Center at Brown University) along with Secretary Duncan, Louisiana Superintendent of Schools Paul Pastorek, incoming Peoria District 150 Superintendent Dr. Grenita Lathan, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis and Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin. The video of the morning session is available at http://www.bradley.edu/inthespotlight/story/?id=89940.

During lunch, Kevin Curtin, Principal of Garfield Primary School, gave an impassioned presentation on how the community schools model works at his school. As a result of that presentation, several students changed their student teaching placement from suburban to urban schools, often requesting Garfield or

Manual High School. The afternoon session consisted of three panel discussions on the topics of charter schools, community schools and Race to the Top funding. The impact on Bradley students cannot be overstated. As one student shared, “As a student and pre-service teacher, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

transforming PubliC EduCation

Kevin Curtin

Dr. Joan Sattler, Secretary Duncan, and Marcus Belin ’10

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.”

thE futurE of midwEst transPortationAt 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 day-long 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.

rEforming govErnmEnt at thE national, statE and loCal lEvElsDuring the summer of 2010, IPL partnered

with the Bipartisan Policy Center and The Dirksen Congressional Center to co-sponsor 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.

Bob Michel (left) ’48 HON ’81 and Dick Gephardt (center) talk about the importance of bipartisanship.