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Illinois
Chapter

2024-2025 Officers and Directors

Governance

An elected Board of Directors oversees all phases of ARCS Foundation Illinois. The work and progress of the Board members and their committees are discussed at monthly Board meetings. Officers of the Illinois Board include the President, immediate Past President, and President-Elect (in years when appropriate), Treasurer, Secretary and the Vice-Presidents of each department. 

The fiscal year is July 1st through June 30th with the Annual Meeting in June. The year's signature event is the Scholar Award Reception, held in October, when the scholars are introduced and receive their awards. 
 

2024 -2025 Board of Directors:

Co-President Nancy Whitford
Co-President Patricia Anderson
VP Governance  / National Liaison  Linda Celesia
VP Development Patricia Jones
VP University Relations Molly Tracy
VP Finance / Treasurer Patricia Jones
VP Membership Nancy Whitford
VP Scholar Relations Jessica Saw
VP Alumni Engagement  TBA
Recording Secretary TBA

 

Thanks From Scholar Louise Giam

I have been an Arnold Beckman scholar for the past three years while working towards my PhD at Northwestern University. I feel extremely privileged to have received support from ARCS and have always enjoyed meeting the members, whether it is talking about the creative event themes, lessons learned from different industries, or how science and technology have changed over the years.  ARCS has provided funds that enabled me to attend conferences and meet peers within my field. It has given me peace of mind to focus on research without distractions and the confidence to pursue important scientific questions that my lab would not typically investigate. Most importantly, however, ARCS has conveyed the importance of bridging lab work with the community-at-large and committed me to become involved in creating opportunities for future scientists as well.

Thanks From Scholar Rebecca Barak

Thank you for your interest in the future of science, and thank you so much for your generous support during my graduate school years. I have enjoyed meeting many of you at the ARCS events, and hope to stay connected to the ARCS family in the years to come. Thanks to your funding I was able to travel to the beautiful Zion National Park in Utah to conduct field work, and collect seeds for my research on ecological restoration in the Colorado Plateau. Thanks to your generosity I was able to focus my energies on my studies and my research, and I appreciate this immensely. My immediate plans include finishing my masters project! I hope to use my data to inform species selection for restoration in Zion National Park and the surrounding areas. Some native plant species which are not typically candidates for reseeding projects may have the potential to curb invasive species, and restore native diversity. In addition, I will continue my work as Coordinator of Climate Change Education at the Chicago Botanic Garden, where I work with teachers to develop, test, and implement curriculum that addresses climate change through data analysis and citizen-science. In the future, I hope to continue to marry my interests in education and restoration from within the field of seed conservation. Thank you again, ARCS members for all that you do!

Thanks From Scholar Kevin Nelson

The ARCS scholarship program has been a critical factor for my success in graduate school at Northwestern University.  Not only did the program provide financial aid for me to continue my studies, but it also allowed me to interact with a diverse group of scientists and nonscientists several times a year.  These interactions have allowed me to keep up with cutting edge research outside of my field of study and have provided enormous insight into my own work.  Given the multidisciplinary nature of the program, I have also learned how to effectively communicate my results so that anyone from any field can understand what I am doing, an invaluable skill for any budding scientist.  After I graduate from Northwestern, I plan on continuing my career in research by studying immunology in a postdoctoral position.  I know that I will be able to take the experiences and lessons I’ve learned in the ARCS scholarship program and apply it to my next job, as well as the rest of my career as a scientist.